Nappy Headed Hoes

[John Smith]

I would be fired on the spot at my job for saying the same thing...no questions asked no chance to explain my poor sense of humor, no chance to offer apologies real or feigned. And I believe that is the genrally accepted norm in corporate America, so why the flap about the shit hitting Imus? It would hit any one of us much harder and much swifter. The comparison to rap music also is null and void as there is no real world comparison between the two issues except from right wingers bent on makign this non-issue an issue. Rappers would be dropped by their labels if they didn't sell regardless of the content of their work.

[John Smith]

They aren't offended by what he said (since rap/hip hop artists say far worse), but rather they are offended because he's white and said it. And when I say "they", I really only mean the Al Sharptons of the world because who knows how offended normal people are.

 

I have no idea whhat Sharpton, Jackson etal have said however think of it this way...your brother can call you an asshole and it will not hit you the same way as if a stranger called you the same thing.

[cryptique]

The comparison to rap music also is null and void as there is no real world comparison between the two issues except from right wingers bent on makign this non-issue an issue. Rappers would be dropped by their labels if they didn't sell regardless of the content of their work.

Care to explain that? I'm not getting your point.

[myboyblue]

Wait, I thought we all agreed that Kevin was going to be banned for the subject title of this thread. We can't let him get away with his racist topic postings!!

[John Smith]

Care to explain that? I'm not getting your point.

Rap music, like radio is a business, the guys in charge will go with whomever makes them money, they will put Satan on air if ratings were good and they would sell audio of almost anything if kids would buy the songs. With Rappers they say what they say and they call it art. It is primarily directed at a black audience so they can get away with it on that account. (Please I get that white kids from the suburbs buy it too) Anyhow this will ultimately become a business decision and if a couple more sponsors drop imus he will be gone. By the same token if a rapper who uses the same lingo fails to sell he is gone too. In other words the use of the words and who gets to keep using them on the public airwaves will be a business decision.

 

As to people harping on about rappers using the same language I say there is no comparison because they seem to be saying sure Imus is wrong but so are rappers so Imus should be allowed to move on with his show. I read that as two wrongs making a right, which is wrong. Music is under close scrutiny all the time as is radio and television, so there are people out there pushing these issues on both sides of the ball, including the dreaded Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson.

Like I said before in coorporate America I woudl be fired on the spot. Imus, whom I have never listened to so I don't know his history, has thus far been given far more leeway than I would have gotten.

[owl]

Care to explain that? I'm not getting your point.

 

I just assumed that he meant to say "making this issue a non-issue."

[Reni]

Agreed.

 

Just so i'm clear, that while all those horrible role models (Hilton, Lohan, Etc.) to young girls are fucking trash and most definitely doing damage to how young women are carrying themselves...one would hope that the true buck stops at the parents. I realize that kids are only going to listen to their parents to a certain degree, especially as teens...but if you've installed them w/ a sense of self-worth and self-respect, they'll see past that bullshit.

 

Kate, as far as the use of the word 'ho' by Em and her friends...i think it's only truely damaging if it's not being used in jest and they are actually letting that word define who they are and how they are acting. i don't know, we seem to try to eradicate the use of a word versus actually addressing the fact it really is just word and taking the power out of it. words aren't the issue...it's individual interpretation of them that's the real issue and we're are all walking on politically correct pins & needles right now.

 

believe me - it's not as easy as you think to be the voice of reason to a teenager - especially a teenage girl. I have done everything in my power to give Emily a foundation of empowerment and independence - but in the same token, our children grow up and make their own choices - that is part of being independent. Emily has struggles which I will not post publicly- to protect her privacy and individuality - but things are not looking rosy for her right now and as her mom I am desperately trying to plug the holes which keep growing in size and number - tearing apart her life as she she grows more independent and curious about the world around her. She is INTENSELY influenced by the world around her - and by popular culture and peer language and action. Weren't we all?? I don't deny her having her own identity and having likes separate from mine - but when I can see negative, destructive self image creeping into her psyche - as her mom - it is NOT EASY. I am not going to act as a censor - though my attempts to direct her are sometimes greatly in vain.

 

And I disagree - words ARE an issue - words are a foundation from which we define ourselves and our surroundings. They are how human beings relate to one another. Granted, words mean different things to different people - and that makes things intrinsically more difficult.

 

Using such terms as "ho" to refer to yourself and your friends is not alright in my book. These kids start using terms, not knowing the history, the baggage, the meaning behind them - and then next thing you know they have internalized the words to a damaging degree.

[EL the Famous]

I haven't paid ANY attention to the whole Al Sharpton thing. I heard about what Imus said. I determined that it is offensive. I have decided that he should be punished for what he said, and more than a two weeks' suspension. I also agree that a lot of rap/hip hop is offensive, degrading, and that it promotes violence. I think that those people are tremendously bad influences. But it doesn't matter. There is no lesser of two evils here. I agree, Sharpton is an ass too, but your "certain community" (say, what is this "certain community" that you talk about?) remark is an awesome generalization.

 

And yeah, I read the guy's article. Neat, gangsterism is a big problem. So is the American shock jock-mentality of making ignorant racist and chauvinistic remarks. People need to start realizing that making money off of racism, whether you're the CEO of a giant music company or a million-dollar-earning DJ, is as good as condoning it.

 

whoa! back the fucking truck up a second...i said certain leaders of a community not leaders of a certain community. in retrospect, i should have said supposed versus certain, but don't spin my posts in to something it's not.

 

my statement was directed towrds these supposed leaders of the 'black community' (sharpton, jackson, etc.) that are taking instances like this to create just as much (if not more) racial tension and divide as Imus did...because that's how they stay in the public eye and make money. Nobody needs to start realizing that making money off of racism is as good as condoning it more than Al Sharpton and/or Jesse Jackson. You really think they aren't trying to capitalize off of this? Please.

 

there is most certainly is a lesser of two evils...if you thought the only point of that piece was that 'gangsterism is bad', you missed the writer's point completely. shit like this does nothing to empower the 'black community', to get them closer to true equality...it pushes them further away and keeps it separate. if these same leaders addressed problems w/in it's own community nearly as much as going after the 'white community', then i'd say there was no lesser of two evils. until then, i'll say that more impressionable black youth are listening to mainstream rap artists and sharpton's rhetoric than don imus..hell, more impressionable white youths are listening to mainstream rap artists and sharpton's rhetoric than don imus.

 

The comparison to rap music also is null and void as there is no real world comparison between the two issues except from right wingers bent on makign this non-issue an issue. Rappers would be dropped by their labels if they didn't sell regardless of the content of their work.

 

that makes no sense. it's not just about 'rap music' and i'm hardly a 'right-winger'. it's about the insane focus and scrutiny over something a stupid old white guy said by leaders of the black community while it happens to a much larger degree w/in their own fold. they spend all this time on this douchebag and they aren't addressing it the much larger and much more serious problem. al sharpton and jesse jackson are holding down the black community way more than don imus. period. i'd also be interested to see the 'nigga/ho/drug pushing' clause these rapper have in their contract. how may times do they need to reference each to keep their job?

[EL the Famous]

and then next thing you know they have internalized the words to a damaging degree.

 

or rendered it helpless as it's been stripped of it's originally malicious intent. that's what i was driving at.

 

believe me, I totally understand your point and I certainly understand how hard it would be raise a teenage girl, i have a younger sister. i really hope you didn't think that was directed at you...my guess is that you've laid a strong foundation and she'll make it through these things.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

This really was an awesome quote.

 

I think it's sad that these young women have been deluded into thinking they should be so hurt, angry, sad, disgusted, or whatever. The day we have reached a real turning point in this country will be the day the response to someone like Imus is "Pffft. So what? Who cares what that guy says about me?"

 

It's much ado about nothing, and the double standard (from the Chris Rocks and Dave Chappelles of the world) is ridiculous. I mean, should I have boycotted HBO when Rock called all white people "cracker-ass" or Comedy Central when Chappelle was garnering laughs with his little stereotypes of white America? I don't think so.

[cryptique]

As to people harping on about rappers using the same language I say there is no comparison because they seem to be saying sure Imus is wrong but so are rappers so Imus should be allowed to move on with his show. I read that as two wrongs making a right, which is wrong. Music is under close scrutiny all the time as is radio and television, so there are people out there pushing these issues on both sides of the ball, including the dreaded Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson.

You read it wrong. I'm saying that if you go after Imus, you also have to go after the rappers. They're both wrong, and in the same way, so let's treat them the same way. I'm not saying Imus should be allowed to "move on with his show." I'm not defending him at all, but merely pointing out that if the people who are so upset want to be consistent, there are a lot more targets out there for their outrage.

[tugmoose]

So . . . this isn't about the accuser in the Duke Lacrosse case?

[Col. Hapablap]

This just in from MSNBC: They will no longer carry the Don Imus show:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/

[Analogman]

I often do not understand why people want to keep working at that age anyhow - dude is bound to be quite wealthy.

[MrRain422]

I assume he just really enjoys his job. Something tough for us cube monkeys to understand, but for the few who are lucky enough to spend their lives doing something they really enjoy, well, it's probably not so easy to step away from.

[Spawn's dad]

It also gave him huge exposure for his charities and he's been consistently a serious power in political interviews.

[Analogman]

I bet he will end up in the same place as his old pal Stern at some point.

 

I am ready to be retired now.

[danelectro]

So after they hang Imus out to dry will it stop there or will the slur police\lynch mob attempt to work its way to the center of the 'real' problem. I'm guessing no.

[aricandover]

I bet he will end up in the same place as his old pal Stern at some point.

 

 

Imus and Stern aren't pals, never have been. and I doubt Sirius or XM would hire the guy, he had less than a 1 share in the ratings on free radio, nobody's going to pay listen to him.

[Analogman]

Uh - no shit.

[aricandover]

then wtf were you talking about?

[Analogman]

Pal was a joke

 

I don't know about the ratings - but I am sure he will end up somewhere.

 

And please - stop talking to me for a while.

[aricandover]

considering I don't really talk to you ever, that won't be much of a problem.

[Analogman]

Thanks - I hope someone kisses your face for me someday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited: Play nice.

 

xxoo,

Moderator M. Christine

[Analogman]

I think Mr. Aricandover and I understand each other - don't worry.