Nappy Headed Hoes

[darkstar]

Well you can be sure now that Sharpton and his ilk will be on the war path now. They got two large media conglomerates to back down and fire Imus, no telling what will be next. You gotta wonder WTF is going on. CBS pretty much kneeled down and licked Sharptons boots on this one. Sharpton, the race hustler, just proved he can move mountains with his bullshit. He was quoted yesterday as saying "It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. We must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and not permitted in terms of airwaves."

 

Thats some scarry shit right there. Sharpton as the arbiter of what is and what is not permitted? Fuck him. Imus should have apologized to the players on that team and thats it. He fucked up by groveling on Sharpton's radio show.

[John Smith]

Thise whole thread reminds me so much of listenign to my father and his friends talking about MLK back in the 1960's. Dad did not shed a tear when King was killed and always considered him an unwanted agitator comming into situations he did not belong in. He always downplayed the situation at hand deriding the blacks for wanting any change. Later he was able to blame everything on King annd the Panthers. If dad were alive today he might have a diifferent view of the world since he would have a hispanic grand daughter and two black great grand kids, who knows, maybe not.

[Spawn's dad]

I might be missing your intention, but you're not comparing al sharpton to MLK are you?

[caliber66]

Comparing Martin Luther King to Al fucking Sharpton is an abomination.

[MattZ]

Does anyone know if CBS owns WFAN? i.e., Will Imus continue on WFAN?

[hacienda]

I might be missing your intention, but you're not comparing al sharpton to MLK are you?

 

Comparing Martin Luther King to Al fucking Sharpton is an abomination.

 

He seems to be comparing the way his father perceived MLK in the 1960s to the way people perceive Sharpton today. MLK was certainly not universally respected in his lifetime--often quite the opposite--and we don't know how Sharpton will look in 40 years. Seems like a fair comparison to me.

[Spawn's dad]

fired from CBS = fired from the WFAN

[Spawn's dad]

He seems to be comparing the way his father perceived MLK in the 1960s to the way people perceive Sharpton today. MLK was certainly not universally respected in his lifetime--often quite the opposite--and we don't know how Sharpton will look in 40 years. Seems like a fair comparison to me.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley

[MattZ]

So, when does his new show on XM start?

 

I don't think so. Or, at least, I am not so sure. A huge part of his show was his interviews with politicians. No one running for office is going to want to touch him if he has the stink of racism attached. Losing sponsors is one thing. Losing his guests is going to be much harder to shake.

 

I have been listening to that crotchety old fuck since I was in junior high school 20 years ago. Jeez.

[hacienda]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley

 

Interesting, but I'm aware of the Tawana Brawley case and I still don't see the relevance. The point I was making was that the comparison was about a matter of perceptions (which change over time), rather than the men themselves. Always appreciate an appeal to the wiki-oracle though...

[MattZ]

A huge part of his show was his interviews with politicians. No one running for office is going to want to touch him if he has the stink of racism attached. Losing sponsors is one thing. Losing his guests is going to be much harder to shake.

 

Just as a follow-up on my thought above, the whole running theme of Harold Ford Jr in this story is an interesting one. Imus was a very vocal supporter of Ford in his recent (losing) senate race in Tennessee. And Imus was very vocal about the racist campaign that was run against him -- to the point where Imus claims he received death threats.

 

Now this story breaks and Ford hasn't supported Imus. Has left him out to dry. I dont think its my place to judge one way or the other whether Ford is right or wrong to do so, but its an interesting subpolot to the whole story.

[John Smith]

I might be missing your intention, but you're not comparing al sharpton to MLK are you?

 

Nope I'm comapring the tone & timbre of this discussion to the 1960's and noting how it really brings back memories of things I heard way back when. Of course I could extend that to the anti war movement too as what dad and his army buddies said about protesters back then echoes what I hear quite frequently today.

[EL the Famous]

Nope I'm comapring the tone & timbre of this discussion to the 1960's and noting how it really brings back memories of things I heard way back when. Of course I could extend that to the anti war movement too as what dad and his army buddies said about protesters back then echoes what I hear quite frequently today.

 

I can only speak for myself when I say that the reason i'm ranking on Sharpton and Jackson, is that their agendas are decidedly and extremely different than that of Dr. King. They really are 'agitators'...actually, agitators seeking to profit. Dr. King truly wanted equality for ALL, whereas Sharpton and Jackson want the divide to continue. I really do long for a day when we really are all equal...but that means that we all are going to have toughen up a little and not cry bloody murder every time someone says something we don't like. Really, did Imus calling these girls hos really turn them into whores?! Did it really 'take away from their fantastic season'?! Since when does this asshole matter that much that what he says turn into reality?!

 

I get Mr. Rain's point on the whole hip-hop thing and he's right...the roots of the genre, the golden era w/ it's message of equality/empowerment and the artists underground today are not the issue. However, many of the mainstream artists are and the fact they continue to get a free pass in context to the same language being used here w/ a much more harmful intent...HUGE issue.

 

We're only going to be truly equal when we all play by the same rules...that's why I'm so infuriated by Sharpton and Jackson...they don't want that or they'd have taken down 50% of the major record labels artist rosters and blacklisting comedians from clubs all over the US, actors/directors from the theatres. Show me the equality in that?

[Spawn's dad]

Interesting, but I'm aware of the Tawana Brawley case and I still don't see the relevance. The point I was making was that the comparison was about a matter of perceptions (which change over time), rather than the men themselves. Always appreciate an appeal to the wiki-oracle though...

 

 

you don't see the relevance of the tawana brawley case in comparing sharpton to MLK? than while you may have some awareness of the case you clearly don't know what it. that case alone would make it impossible for sharpton to ever be cast in a light as favorable as dr. king.

[EL the Famous]

you don't see the relevance of the tawana brawley case in comparing sharpton to MLK? than while you may have some awareness of the case you clearly don't know what it. that case alone would make it impossible for sharpton to ever be cast in a light as favorable as dr. king.

 

agreed. if find it amazing both these incidents are happening in exact paralell, w/ some of the same parties involved...and it's not getting flipped the other way around on sharpton/jackson. at least oprah is having the duke players on too...i'd protest that sharpton/jackson should be fired, if i could figure out who they actually are employed and get paid by.

 

all that said, if anybody thinks how these cases intertwine and how the double-standards used in both won't change the face of alot of things...that they won't up the racial tension thermometer another 10-20 degrees...you're nuts.

[M. (hristine]

agreed. if find it amazing both these incidents are happening in exact paralell, w/ some of the same parties involved...and it's not getting flipped the other way around on sharpton/jackson. at least oprah is having the duke players on too...i'd protest that sharpton/jackson should be fired, if i could figure out who they actually are employed and get paid by.

 

all that said, if anybody thinks how these cases intertwine and how the double-standards used in both won't change the face of alot of things...that they won't up the racial tension thermometer another 10-20 degrees...you're nuts.

I give the black community much more credit than that. Imus is an old man with very ingrained old fashioned ideas. So are Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. The two journalists whose articles have been posted here are how many, many younger people view this incident.

[EL the Famous]

I give the black community much more credit than that. Imus is an old man with very ingrained old fashioned ideas. So are Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. The two journalists whose articles have been posted here are how many, many younger people view this incident.

 

it's not just the black community i'm worried about. this puts a potential damper on unbridled debate...who can step up and challenge assholes like this for fear that they'll be labled a racist? people like sharpton and jackson MAKE things an issue of skin color, even when it may not be there. john smith's post did hit a little bit of a nerve for me, as it illustrates exactly what i'm talking about. i'm about as far from a racist as you'll find and the reason i'm rallying against al/jesse is due to the fact they are actually harming the same communities they say they are trying to lift up.

 

however, you do bring up a great point and one of things that give me hope...people younger than me have broken down so many of said old fashioned perceptions about race, economic status, sexual orientation, gender it's pretty amazing. that's why this rhetoric pisses me off and i wish these assholes would just clear the way and let real leaders emerge that cross racial/gender/class lines move things forward.

[MrRain422]

it's not just the black community i'm worried about. this puts a potential damper on unbridled debate...who can step up and challenge assholes like this for fear that they'll be labled a racist? people like sharpton and jackson MAKE things an issue of skin color, even when it may not be there. john smith's post did hit a little bit of a nerve for me, as it illustrates exactly what i'm talking about. i'm about as far from a racist as you'll find and the reason i'm rallying against al/jesse is due to the fact they are actually harming the same communities they say they are trying to lift up.

 

I'm going to need a little explanation of how this is going to damper debate. Imus lost his job for calling a group of teenage girls/young woman a racist and misogynistic term. I fail to see how the public debate on race and gender issues are dampered by one guy no longer getting paid to make racist jokes on the radio. He wasn't making a political point, and he certainly wasn't silenced for his political views.

[MattZ]

I'm going to need a little explanation of how this is going to damper debate.

 

People will not stand up to Sharpton/Jackson for fear of the implications.

[M. (hristine]

it's not just the black community i'm worried about. this puts a potential damper on unbridled debate...who can step up and challenge assholes like this for fear that they'll be labled a racist? people like sharpton and jackson MAKE things an issue of skin color, even when it may not be there. john smith's post did hit a little bit of a nerve for me, as it illustrates exactly what i'm talking about. i'm about as far from a racist as you'll find and the reason i'm rallying against al/jesse is due to the fact they are actually harming the same communities they say they are trying to lift up.

 

however, you do bring up a great point and one of things that give me hope...people younger than me have broken down so many of said old fashioned perceptions about race, economic status, sexual orientation, gender it's pretty amazing. that's why this rhetoric pisses me off and i wish these assholes would just clear the way and let real leaders emerge that cross racial/gender/class lines move things forward.

And the other piece of this is that the capitulation to Sharpton/Jackson again comes out of an older generation full of "white guilt." As we move closer to at least the desire for true and balanced discourse about race, economic status, sexual orientation, and gender, guilt (and fear) becomes a moot point and genuine curiosity and compassion takes it's place. It's a start anyway.

[MrRain422]

People will not stand up to Sharpton/Jackson for fear of the implications.

 

I'll believe that when I see it happen. So far this whole situation has actually opened up debate a whole lot. I really don't remember the last time this country had a real public debate on race issues. It looked like there would be one after Katrina, but it didn't happen. But now people are talking. A whole lot of people have spoken out against Sharpton and Jackson this week. No one seems very stifled.

[cryptique]

A whole lot of people have spoken out against Sharpton and Jackson this week. No one seems very stifled.

I don't consume a whole lot of mainstream media, so could you point out to me a few instances of this? I'm genuinely curious.

 

So far, the only people I've seen who've spoken out against Sharpton and Jackson have been on this message board and in a couple of columns written by guys I've never heard of.

[Spawn's dad]

I've heard several talk show hosts, mainly sports guys, rail against Sharpton and Jackson. No big time news folk or pundits though.

[MattZ]

I've heard several talk show hosts, mainly sports guys, rail against Sharpton and Jackson. No big time news folk or pundits though.

 

Have Mike and the Dog weighed in? I haven't had a chance to listen to them this week and I seem to remember you listening to WFAN in the past...

[EL the Famous]

I'm going to need a little explanation of how this is going to damper debate. Imus lost his job for calling a group of teenage girls/young woman a racist and misogynistic term. I fail to see how the public debate on race and gender issues are dampered by one guy no longer getting paid to make racist jokes on the radio. He wasn't making a political point, and he certainly wasn't silenced for his political views.

 

Dude, look at the clip of Imus on Sharpton's radio show...he said 'i can't get a word in edgewise w/ you people' (meaning the people on that show) and sharpton jumped on that w/ 'what do you mean by YOU PEOPLE?!' shit like that. that a really minute example, but like cryptique said...show me who's enagaing these guys in the media right now. bigger than that, if you think that meeting at CBS was an intelligent discussion/debate versus a flat-out demand...c'mon.

 

Stand up to them and you're against the black community, not just against to windbags out to make another dime off of the aforementioned white guilt. their skin color is their bullet proof vest and it shouldn't be.