Apologies are growing old, even expressing “profound regret” means very little.
The racist and insensitive comments by radio host Don Imus were definitely uncalled for.
Where did the thought emerge that it was OK to call the Rutgers University basketball team “nappy-headed hos”?
Racism is alive and well, whether or not Imus considers himself to be racist.
The basketball coach, C. Vivian Stringer, said Imus’ words were “racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable and unconscionable.”
I agree.
But now, since the statements have caused a storm of media attention, where do we go from here?
He said he meant his words as a joke, but it’s not funny to imagine who would chuckle at such an insult.
Imus has apologized on almost every medium, from “The Al Sharpton Show” to the “Today” show. He plans to meet privately with the basketball team and apologize to them directly.
But I repeat: Where do we go from here?
Imus made one statement in his explanation that struck a nerve. He said the word “originated in the black community.” He went on to say, “I know that these young women and young black women all through that society are demeaned and degraded by their own black men and that they are called that name.”
And yes, Imus is correct . . . partly. He also is wrong.
The words didn’t originate in the black community. I am willing to bet, Thomas Jefferson used the term “nappy-headed hos” after his late-night slave quarter visits. Today, the face of the speaker has changed. Now, it’s the top-selling rap artists that have run with the derogatory label and have made millions by flinging this poison toward black women.
Willie Lynch syndrome is flourishing and so is the confusion that follows.
It’s hypocritical for some (I emphasis “some”) African-Americans to yell “resignation,” when some of those same people sit silently, while musicians, actors and comedians spew the word on an around-the-clock basis.
Where are the protests?
On both fronts, these words, these labels, must be combated.
However, we must not shift accountability. Imus needs to deal with the consequences, yet both black and white men must bare the burden for disrespecting black women.
This is also an issue concerning freedom of speech. Most people seem to defend this freedom when it aligns with their politics but bash it when it does not.
Let Imus lose his sponsorship. Let the advertising firms have their way. I never really watched Imus’ show. Why start now?
NBC suspended Imus for two weeks. Imus called the suspension “appropriate.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton said the suspension was “not nearly enough . . . too little, too late.”
I call the suspension ineffective if the outcome does not include sincere dialogue about the racist and patriarchal country that would tolerant Imus making the comments in the first place.