Imus again

[vraiblonde]

How boring.

Here's the quote, talking about some football person that I couldn't care less about:

Wolf also said that Jones was arrested six times since he was drafted in 2005.

Imus asked, “What color is he?”

“He’s African-American,” Wolf said.

“Well, there you go,” Imus said. “Now we know.”

Imus comments on race of Dallas Cowboys' Adam Jones | Dallas Cowboys News | Sports News | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas

Can anyone help me understand why this is so scandalous and racist? Simply asking what color someone is is now a racist remark? I mean, I'm no fan of Imus but can we get a freakin' grip here and stop assuming everything is meant as an insult to blacks?

 

[slotted]

How boring.

Here's the quote, talking about some football person that I couldn't care less about:

Imus comments on race of Dallas Cowboys' Adam Jones | Dallas Cowboys News | Sports News | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas

Can anyone help me understand why this is so scandalous and racist? Simply asking what color someone is is now a racist remark? I mean, I'm no fan of Imus but can we get a freakin' grip here and stop assuming everything is meant as an insult to blacks?

You're just looking for something to ##### about. I'd assume that anybody upset over this is upset with the "Well there you go" comment, than Imus asking what color the person was.

 

[willie]

Imus is a very slow learner.

 

[Larry Gude]

No...

Imus is a very slow learner.

...the rest of us are just more obedient dogs.

If you are not of the correct background or affiliation, you're speech is restricted. You can be attacked and penalized. If you are of the correct background and/or affiliation, you can say things others can't.

That turns the idea of freedom of speech on it's ear.

Alan Keyes was long ago asked about stereotyping and if it happened to him if he would be mad at the society for afflicting him. He said that rather than be mad at folks for simply reacting to what they see, he'd be mad at the folks who caused folks to look upon other folks poorly.

Not very many people like to hear what he has to say either.

 

[Toxick]

Can anyone help me understand why this is so scandalous and racist? Simply asking what color someone is is now a racist remark?

Well - I was with Imus on the "nappy headed ho" remark. I didn't see that as a racist comment. But then I never thought that "nappy head" nor "ho" referred only to black folk.

However...

The above remark, is quite blatantly racist.

So-n-So has been arrested six times
What color is he? <---- Ignernt question, but not terribly racist.
He's black.
Well, there you go <---- Racist comment.


To me, sounds like: "He's a criminal? He's black... well, that figures."



Not simply non-PC, or "racially insensitive".

Flat out racist.




IMHO.

 

[vraiblonde]

To me, sounds like: "He's a criminal? He's black... well, that figures."

Imus says that his meaning was that the guy is obviously targeted and harassed because of his race, which is what Sharpton et al. say all the time. So, again, how is that racist if you merely repeat something black people say themselves all the time?

 

[jetmonkey]

Do people listen to I'mass? I'm wondering how anyone found out about this

 

[Toxick]

Imus says that his meaning was that the guy is obviously targeted and harassed because of his race, which is what Sharpton et al. say all the time. So, again, how is that racist if you merely repeat something black people say themselves all the time?

I hadn't heard his spin on it, nor the context in which the quote was delievered. I just head the quote, as you cited above.

The quote by itself sounds racist to me.


If he was being sympathetic to the person, or if he had said, "Figures... he's a target because of his race", then that puts a new light on it, and Al Sharpton and Rev. Jackson should come to the I-Man's rescue directly.

 

[Larry Gude]

Are...

Do people listen to I'mass? I'm wondering how anyone found out about this

...you Sirius?

 

[jetmonkey]

I just can't imagine anyone 'choosing' to listen to that retard :shrug:

...you Sirius?

 

[MMDad]

To me, sounds like: "He's a criminal? He's black... well, that figures."

That's how I heard it. It definitely sounded that way, including the inflection of his voice when saying it.

Imus says that his meaning was that the guy is obviously targeted and harassed because of his race, which is what Sharpton et al. say all the time. So, again, how is that racist if you merely repeat something black people say themselves all the time?

That may well have been what he meant, but it is not what it sounded like. When I heard his side of it, it sounded like a frantic backpeddle.

He is supposedly a "professional" communicator, but he can't get his point across? Maybe he deserves the scrutiny if he's that inept.

 

[Larry Gude]

It...

I just can't imagine anyone 'choosing' to listen to that retard :shrug:

...was just for humors sake. Imus has this quality about him, like a car crash scene, and I think most of his audience has always been more about the quests he used to get on and that rubber necking thing; you know it's a wreck and someone is probably hurt. He is a living testament to the greatness of America and just how far you can get with determination, stick to it-iveness and no discernible talent whatsoever.

 

[Larry Gude]

But...

That's how I heard it. It definitely sounded that way, including the inflection of his voice when saying it.



That may well have been what he meant, but it is not what it sounded like. When I heard his side of it, it sounded like a frantic backpeddle.

He is supposedly a "professional" communicator, but he can't get his point across? Maybe he deserves the scrutiny if he's that inept.

...why does it matter? He's been marginalized. He's been run out of the larger jobs. The only people hearing him are the people who CHOOSE to listen to him. Like Jet said, it's kinda tough to imagine he has much of an audience anyway.

:shrug:

 

[awpitt]

Imus says that his meaning was that the guy is obviously targeted and harassed because of his race, which is what Sharpton et al. say all the time. So, again, how is that racist if you merely repeat something black people say themselves all the time?

That may very well be what he meant by saying that but Imus's earned reputation makes it difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's in the communication business. He should know how to say what he means.

 

[vraiblonde]

That may very well be what he meant by saying that but Imus's earned reputation makes it difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's in the communication business. He should know how to say what he means.

If I were a radio personality, I would make purposefully oblique comments that could be construed as racist, sexist, anti-gay, whatever, just so I could bust on the people who are looking for something to be offended by.

"What? :shrug: All I said was 'nice hair' - so now I can't even friggin' give someone a compliment without some dipdung getting all bent out of shape about it?"



PS, Imus DID say what he meant - others just misunderstood the meaning.

 

[Toxick]

PS, Imus DID say what he meant - others just misunderstood the meaning.

Pfft... I've told people in here before, and I've long held the belief that the one doing the communicating has the burden of making themselves understood.

It is not the obligation of the reader or listener to be a mind-reader nor to be able to distinguish ambiguities due to the incompetence of a poor communicator.


Particularly when that communicator is supposedly a seasoned vet.

 

[awpitt]

PS, Imus DID say what he meant - others just misunderstood the meaning.

Maybe so maybe not. I don't know him personally so it's hard to tell. This might end up being a ratings booster for him. Most folks have forgotten about him so now he's in the news agian.

 

[toppick08]

I heard he said, he meant it as well, there you go, since he is a black man he was called out(stereotyped), but it's always easy to say stuff after the fact...........Either way, I don't care, never liked Imus as a radio man....:shrug:

 

[awpitt]

Pfft... I've told people in here before, and I've long held the belief that the one doing the communicating has the burden of making themselves understood.

It is not the obligation of the reader or listener to be a mind-reader nor to be able to distinguish ambiguities due to the incompetence of a poor communicator.


Particularly when that communicator is supposedly a seasoned vet.

Good point. If Imus really meant to say that the black guy was being targeted, than that's what he should have said. He was free to and had the oppurtunity to clarify his statement during his show. He didn't.

 

[Larry Gude]

I disagree...

Pfft... I've told people in here before, and I've long held the belief that the one doing the communicating has the burden of making themselves understood.
It is not the obligation of the reader or listener to be a mind-reader nor to be able to distinguish ambiguities due to the incompetence of a poor communicator.


Particularly when that communicator is supposedly a seasoned vet.

...that the burden is on one side and not the other.

If 'I say I like red' and you hear me say 'He hates blue' then that's on you, not me.

Don Imus, in case no one ever communicated this clearly, has made a living, for many, years saying controversial, off color, rude and offensive things; we call him a 'shock' jock.

All we're arguing about is what is too far and we're doing it in a way that puts ourselves in some sort of imperial, grand poo bah position to dictate what is and is not OK. No one has to listen to him. His listeners choose to or choose not. They're the arbiters of what is too much and what is not because, as long as he has an audience and as long as his employer can sell advertising for his shows, then THAT is what should determine what's OK and what is not.

We are a nation terrified of words. Highly appropriate to note with the very sad passing of George Carlin, the person who best made us see how absurd and stupid and afraid of ideas and words we all too often are.