IMUS

[Thorngrub]

Ok, what do you all think ?


Should he be fired? Should he keep his job?

I caught the segment on CNN last night (while housesitting, normally I don't watch TV) about his inflammatory remarks. I found it all very interesting, and I was wondering what my fellow castaways had to say on the matter.

[Thorngrub]

I'll tell you what I think. I think this is supposed to be America - land of the free, yadda yadda yadda, Free Speech and all that jive, and if some sensitive types can't take another's foul opinion, they need to be kicked back into the womb for fuck's sake.

Well I've never been much into this "PC" business, I think it's innately corruptive, that is, the whole "walkin on eggshells" mentality of being too fearful to step on anyone's toes, well I think it does more damage in the long run than good.

Just because I cannot get behind Mr. Imus's disgusting comments does not indicate that I wish the rest of the fucking country to fall in with MY spit & polished view of how social etiquette should be maintained. Jesus Christ, if they fire Don Imus, well its simply yet another indication of this once free country going to the fuckin' dogs as far as I'm concerned. By "dogs" I guess I mean Big Brother yadda yadda bullcrap.

Oh, by the way, the aforementioned "crap" I just spewed out of my pie - hole? Yeah it's just an opinion: mine. Just lil ol' me exercising my right of free speech one last time, before the fuckers in white lab coats are sent over by some Fox news affiliate to cut out my tongue.

[Adam]

Imus is lame and boring. It won't change a thing if he keeps his job or gets canned.
But he should be canned for being lame and boring.

[skvorisdeadsorta]

The thing that concerns me in this country these days is the lack of freedom of speech that seems to be developing in America. Does that mean that I validate and agree with what Imus said? Absolutely not. However, I think people need to realize that people are going to have opinions and say things that they are not going to like. It would be nice to live in a society where people can hold hands and sing "kumbaya my lord" but that just isn't the case. I also don't want to be censored for having an opinion just because someone might be offended. It's a rabbit hole that I don't really want to go down into because then when the general public hires another Bush for the office of the President, the venom that you spout off against the guy in protests could be squashed because "you might offend someone".

I hear the line "hate speech is not free speech" but I disagree with that. I don't think it's like yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.

Do I think he should be fired? That is up to his employer. If they have a serious problem with it then, yes, get rid of him. They want people to tune in and listen to their programming and it's already hard in a day and age where radio is vastly eroding. Me personally, I am a big fan of radio but that is not the point.

It's a tough call. I wouldn't fire him but that's just me. I think the guy has the right to say what he wants to no matter how stupid it is. Rush Limbaugh gets away with it everyday.

[skvorisdeadsorta]

Well, Thorn beat me to it....!

[Galactus]

adam said:

Imus is lame and boring. It won't change a thing if he keeps his job or gets canned.
But he should be canned for being lame and boring.

^ Yep. He should be taken off because his show sucks, not because he's racist.

[Thorngrub]

Although I happen to agree w/the sentiment espoused by Adam and ded, I have to point out it is entirely besides the point being discussed, here.

Sure his show may suck . . . but so does the majority of commercial programming on the airwaves, you don't see all that getting taken down do ya? 'course not.

My point is, if there be a demand for "HATE RADIO", then by god we should be allowed to set that shit up. YOu god damned know for fuck sure there will be a huge enough demographic for it. Let em tune in and get their fucking hateful balls off, who gives a fuck?

I hate this politically correct shit. Also I could care less if this Don Imus character - - whose show I have never once heard in my life, by the way - - gets fired or not. It just doesn't matter. The point is, all this ballyhooing about what is "acceptable" to say on American airwaves and what ain't, that's crossing the thin line from Freedom Of Speech into Fascism, the way I see it. Please feel "free" to provide a counterpoint to my observation here . . . it's why I set up this board.

[Galactus]

Thorns I agree, however, Skvor brings up a good point...He works for a company that company has shareholders. The simple truth is that if said company didn't think they'd be negatively effected they wouldn't give a shit. Make no mistake this has very little to do with free speech.

[Paul]

So yeah, Imus sucks, but he shouldn't be fired.

This may sound racist, but whatever. Why is it when black people make fun of whites/blacks/Jews, etc, it's funny, but when whitey does it, it's a crime against humanity? I don't hear Al Sharpton, or Jesse Jackson saying that rappers who degrade women as bitches and hos, or spew hateful lyrics towards 'fags' say anything. However, the second the white Devil says something it's time to boycott, protest, etc....give me a break. People need to practice what the preach or shut the fuck up.

What Imus said is stupid, and absolutely not funny. But why the double standard?

[Thorngrub]

I agree with you Paul.

And you are right, ded - it has everything to do w/maximizing profits, and nothing to do with free speech. It's just that . . . . our entire capitalist society has everything to do with maximizing profits; therefore, our entire society has less to do with free speech the further we delve into this capitalist paradigm.

Just what are the final results, here ? Looks as if we are to be hung from our own belts.

[Thorngrub]

Bottom line insofar as this topic is concerned (the keeping or firing of Don Imus), the way I see it:

- If he is fired, that's more points taken away from our country,
and yet another indication we're bein' flushed down the shit hole.

+ If he keeps his job, and is allowed to say what he wants, that's bonus points,
& an indication there is hope for this godforsaken place yet.

[JACkory]

I think he should be fired because he's a lame fucker. He's annoying as hell, and this was his idea of "trying to be funny". Freedom of speech has it's limits when you're broadcasting across the nation. Are you trying to tell me that his freedom of speech would protect him if he had maybe gone a little farther and said "nappy headed n*****s"? I doubt there would be too many of you saying he should keep his job if he'd said that, despite his cherished freedom of speech. Well, I don't see much difference here. "Nappy headed hos" is pretty damned derogatory.
Fuck Imus. Shitcan him, that's what I say.

[Galactus]

There's a balance. There's just not pure or truly free anything and maybe that's the way it's supposed to be.

[skvorisdeadsorta]

If he had gone a little bit further JAC and actually used the n-word, I would still defend his right for freedom of speech. I also very much disagree with the sentiment of "Freedom of speech has it's limits when you're broadcasting across the nation." No sir. I don't agree with that view. I think it's dangerous and can be a slippery slope that will lead to the censorship of non-confrontational material all in the guise of "the public good". No thank you.

[Thorngrub]

^ I'm w/skvor here. I would still defend the dork's freedom of speech -- that is, his freedom to use the n-word or any other word he saw fit to expell from his pie hole -- and I would defend it until my dying breath.


I am also w/skvor when he says "I also very much disagree with the sentiment of "Freedom of speech has it's limits when you're broadcasting across the nation." No sir. I don't agree with that view." Right on, skvorry. Most definitely a slippery slope . . . leaning towards the yawning abyss of hypocrisy, and essentially cancelling out the principles this country were built upon.

Now, if it is being suggested that we should abandon those principles in favor of the 3 steps back towards totalitarianism, then I couldn't agree more with you, JAC. I would then say can that unfunny ass-hat post haste.