Imus As Barbie

The furor over the Don Imus comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team continues. As the rhetoric heats up the media feeding frenzy begins. What strikes me about this is that it once again demonstrates how fragile race relations are in America. As soon as a stupidly adolescent remark calls attention to race, outrage comes from all quarters. Never mind the daily injustices, the Katrina debacle, the mind-numbing prison statistics.

Using Don Imus as a symbol of what's wrong with racial relations in America is like using Barbie to call attention to our culture's distortion of women. The connection might work, but it's pretty feeble.

Is getting Imus fired the level to which the aspirations of black leaders have fallen?

Comments

[Ann]

It appears to me that black leaders are reluctant to embrace the new ideology of "Stop the Blame". They want everyone to get riled up about every puff of wind "lest we forget". Well, I know that no white person came up with the phrase "knappy-headed ho". It was a common phrase where I went to school in Youngstown. I heard Imus' faux pas, but it seemed to me that he was siding or chumming with the Tennessee team. It's like blacks can call themselves "nigga" or "knappy-headed ho", but its taboo if a white person calls them that. Should white people get riled up about how every other black comedian has a repertoire on cracka' bashing? I mean who knew that you can't have cartoons of Muhammad? Let's stop walking on eggshells and lighten up. One is not approachable if someone has to worry about getting their head bit off.

[blaugra]

I have to agree. Barbie after all has inspired many women to achieve greatness, in many ways. You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have the facts of life.

[Josie]

Unfortunately it takes a statement like this broadcast to millions to make this discussion happen in America. So many people here like to deny that racism exists, that black people and other minorities are discriminated against DAILY, and that black skin and features have been villified in the States since slavery times and until today... Sorry you think that this conversation would happen any other way, but you're living a dream

What I want to stop happening is for white folks to not worry about what happens in the black community and focus on this issue. They are 2 separate entities. If you do not listen to rap music, you should not comment about it. Less than 10% of rappers use this type of language regarding women. The other 90% discuss important issues in our community. But I guess I expect too much from white folks to point the finger at themselves for once...

[Tom Guarriello]

Well, I certainly don't deny that racism exists. I'm astounded that you think Imus's firing will lead to a "conversation" of any kind. The firestorm is almost over, and, with it, the "dialogue." And, with all due respect, I listen to enough rap to say that I think your 10% estimate is unrealistically low.

No one should call another person names based on characteristics. Is that going to stop? Never. Is it going to get better? I hope so.

And, when's the last time you saw black folks pointing the finger at themselves? Human nature is self-defensive and projects blame. It takes moral courage to look at yourself and determine culpability. We're all about a quart low on moral courage nowadays. Thanks for the comment.