Who are they? What kind of diminished intellectual capacity does it take to listen to Talk Radio Hosts/Shock Jocks, the likes of Imus, Limbaugh, Stern, King, Liddy and more? These people are like growers of mushrooms feeding on and encouraging paranoia. I am reminded of perverts and peep shows. Would the audience be as large or would the Jocks be so insensitive if they were exposed to the bright lights of television?

well, i've been thinking about this all day, and i still believe that the first amendment allows everybody to say anything................but then there is civility and prudence. i just read Gwen's op-ed, and Al Rokers, and frankly, its time for I-Man to go back to the ranch and stay there. he was funny in the 70s. he made fun of presidents, evangelists, commercials, bob dylan... all famous people, and well, if you're famous, you gotta take it. but gwen wasn't famous [yet] when he called her a cleaning lady, and the rutgers team are just kids. maybe it is time to pull the plug on ya Imus -- you've been a closet racist all along. any women and people of color should boycott his show, and if asked, should not appear on his show, and before too long, they wont have to fire him. he will just go away. Go away, I-man. and take ALL the trash talkers with you.

PLEASE! I am going to get sick. As a nation, we make heroes out of life's losers(Howard Stern, Don Imus) and we glorify the king's and queens of smut and female degredation(Snoop Dog, 50 cent etc.) on MTV and then when it is convenient,our social conscious explodes comically when the posers like Sharpton who are known to hang with these purveyors of racism and smut call for rightous indignation. The women of Rutgers should be upset, and to show they mean business, they should go to their respective dorms and throw out all of their favorite itunes and CD's that created this vulgar language and culture of sexist garbage(I will stake my life that each one possesses the music that glorifies this lifestyle). If you mean business, then live it! Plain and simple. We are such phonies...

FIRE IMUS NOW!!!!! He was a jerk before, but this is beyond jerk. This was a clearly a racist remark from a racist. Those words and thoughts are NOT FUNNY they are cruel and racist! I am a white female, but I feel the pain of this insult ... two week suspension is a joke. I love MSNBC, but if Imus remains it clearly shows MSNBC has to pander to the "fools" out there that actually tune in to this listen to this jerk. Maybe you could try to raise the quality of your programs and aim higher than the "S..." that comes out of Imas' mouth. I am also disappointed in the blogs supporting Imas. The blindness to his clear disrespect for women and blacks is also beyond belief. Why can't you find another intelligent human like Olbermann, who has a brain and can actually articulate on a level beyond grade school to replace him. Not the "stupid hick" that Imas has always been and always will be. I stopped watching MSNBC a long time ago, avoiding this "clearly apparent fool"!

Okay, I'll try to "Move.On" again to more important issues facing our world!! KEITH!! Thank you for your following preview of tonight's show!! "President Bush on Tuesday invited Democrats to discuss their standoff over a War-spending bill, but he made clear he would not change his position opposing Troop withdrawals. The White House bluntly said the meeting would not be a negotiation." We can now move on from Imus, as I believe everyone who could possibly have weighed in on his comments have; thus we can move on to issues, which are literally taking the lives of so many innocent human beings!! Ok, so that I further understand the complete irrationality of George W. Bush, he wants to a.) Meet with Congress to discuss the war spending Bill, but b.) Prior to this meeting, he has stated he will not budge on his veto threat should there be ties to benchmarks, time tables or troop withdrawals. I guess he would be willing to reconsider his “veto” for such important things like when the soldiers can change their underwear, when he soldiers can brush their teeth, and let us not forget, when they have permission to use the bathroom!! Yes, once again, George W. Bush is extending his “hands of arrogance”. To say he defies any and all logic is the largest understatement any person could make. Again, George W. Bush can kiss my ass!!

Regarding the Imus kerfluffle: First, I'm really struggling here with the comments from white people, all outraged and somehow suggesting that in *this* society, black people critcizing/poking fun at each other as a form of entertainment is somehow equivalent to a white person making an ugly racist sexist remark on national media. The misogynistic rappers aside, people, we still live in a very racist society...which is apparent to me by all the defense of Imus's disgusting comment as "Well, that's what they call each other!" It's not the same thing. Not at all. The same thing would be a national media figure OF COLOR saying something equally offensive about a group of white women, while on the job in front of a mic. The only instance of that I can think of that comes close would be Jackson's slur on Jews, which was actually a private remark. OTOH, Imus has apologized, and he's been put on "time out" by CBS, and I believe the old crank will think twice now before he speaks, which he should. I hope he's apologized directly to the Rutgers team. They really deserve it. Now, what about that war? And climate change? And the economy?

Imus = toxic racism + sexist pollution. People talk about all the good he does for sick kids, well I wouldn't want him around my kids! His words speek louder than his actions! He should be fired

Gil Amaral-- Westerly, RI - How dare you make comments like this? You know NONE of these young women personally!! It is comments like these, racist and bigoted that is at the root of evil!! You have NO idea what type of music they listen to, or for matter, what they eat for lunch!! You, Gil Amaral, need a lifetime membership at Los Angeles' "Museum of Tolerance". Your horrid comments are appalling!! I won't waste any more time on this subject, or on anyone who would be so insensitive to further "fuel the fire". Let it go, as this is between Imus and these young women. They will meet and hopefully, will act much more mature than what your comments represent!!

It appears that the line we would never dream of crossing has gone with the wind. What happened to standards? Listen to the radio, watch tv, read blogs, listen to our politicians - it's become awful. What about crime in the inner cities. Hate and disrespect are everywhere. Sharpton, Jackson, Imus - you almost have to wonder if the inmates are indeed running the asylum.

Being a blackman myself I think everyone is blowing it out of context looking at how he said it and how he used the words you can tell he wasn't talking about a race so Al Sharpton and others is wrong he was comparing the women of the Rutgers team and the Tenn team and how they look different, for before they made the comment it was said they "look rough" not black women look rough and then Imus said yeah " nappy headed hoes" bad joke but not racist for he was strictly speaking of a particular group the Rutgers basketball team if it was a blackman that made the joke it would have still been of poor taste but not blown out of portion like it is.

Keith..You are the boldest man in broadcast journalism today. Your statements regarding Bush and the hollow ground [re: 9/11] were the most unbiased, sincere and honest statements I've heard in over the airwaves in over a decade. I saw this post in response to the entire IMUS situation left anonymously by someone in response to Allen's blog. If anyone has the guts to read this on the air..you are the only hope. Personally it took me right back to the Fab FIve at Michigan when street was allowed blantantly into amatuer athletics. I also think it could bring about a great discussion about the TRUTH. [QUOTE] Mr. Allen, If you want to know what to tell your young girl with tightly curled hair when she asks why people are looking at her like that, tell her the truth. Tell her it’s because all anyone sees from the black community anymore are thugs. How can you ignore Rappers and their entourage, street gangs on every other corner in every major city in America, professional athletes who look, act and roll like street gangs, and yes both male and female amateur athletes from respected major universities who look and act and talk like common street thugs. Have you ever watched the NBA, listened to a Rap song, watched a movie, watched a TV show like Def comedy Jam or read a news paper? Your problem is NOT that a white radio host put all of those bad influences into words. Your problem is that those bad images are coming from the black community. Your problem in NOT that a white radio show pointed out that a woman’s basketball team looked rough like a common street gang. Your problem is that numerous respected major universities have basketball teams that actually look, act and talk like common street thugs. People within the black community like Bill Cosby and John Ridley among others have spoken out against this thug culture bombardment to only be ridiculed and have their work boycotted by the black community. The best I can put it is if you look like a thug, act like a thug and speak like a thug then you should expect to be treated like a thug. The fact that being treated like thugs spills over to people who don’t deserve it is one of the consequences of the popular thug culture that Bill and John are attempting to fight. John Ridley puts it like this: (Quote) In the forty years since the Deal was brokered, since the Voting Rights Act was signed, there have been successes for blacks. But there are still too many blacks in prison, too many kids aggrandizing the thug life, and way too many African-Americans doing far too little with the opportunities others earned for them. If we as a race could win the centuries-long war against institutionalized racism, why is it that so many of us cannot secure the advantage after decades of freedom? That which retards us is the worst of "us," those who disdain actual ascendancy gained by way of intellectual expansion and physical toil—who instead value the posture of an "urban," a "street," a "real" existence, no matter that such a culture threatens to render them extinct. [END OF QUOTE] Would you consider reading this on the air?

I think Imus was dead wrong and incredibly stupid in what he said, I think he's def. genuinely embarrassed, I think he's actually a decent person who can do more good than harm by being back on the air but chagrined afterwards. Sharpton to me=Tawona Brawley, zero credibility. I can't wait for the lords of public decency to give us the next 80 hours of non-stop Britney/Anna Nicole coverage.

Jack-Philly: Nice piece Jack. Gives people a lot to think about. I am re-reading for a third time. I agree with the "act like a thug (which might include speak like a thug) be treated like a thug". I have a harder time with "look like a thug". Appearances do not necessarily provide a picture of the heart and we have to be very careful not to prejudge someone on their appearance. I know some teens that if you spotted them crossing the street in your direction in the manner they were dressed, their tatoos and the manner in which they wear their hair you might define them as thugs. But I know them to be well mannered law abiding kids who are good students, do volunteer work at nursing homes and who help build homes for people in low income neighborhoods. Your piece is well written, but we need to be careful not to prejudge someone based on appearance alone. And that is where a lot of predjudice can be found. Predjudice that is not based on one's behavior, but rather on one's outside appearance. That is wrong. If we constantly call young people thugs based on appearance alone they just might begin to believe they are thugs and follow with thug behavior. It's called living up to others expectations.

C A - A very inspiring and thoughtful response to Jack. You are correct in that "judging a book by its cover" is never correct, and can cause great harm. Thank you C A, as your words always make me think and I sit in awe of you so many times....

Please tell Keith Olberman and his producers and his writers that every time they feel the urge to call the "Occupation in Iraq" the "War in Iraq" to resist the temptation. It is not a war. It is an occupation. Call it what is is. Do not rail against spin while being beguiled into chanting the administration's mantra several times daily. Some believe that if you say an untrue thing often enough, people just end up excepting it. Not me. And nor should you. Stop it. It is not a war. It is an occupation. Call it what it is or else consider getting into the fake news business. I hope you can correct this error, I love the show.

as i'v said to many others....all of this would be nil....if the world would just realize.....that everybody in the world are just light skin'd black people.....

The important difference between what Imus said and what some people pass off as rap lyrics is Imus' targets were real people, not someone made up for a song. These are real young women. They became his target. With rap music if you don't like it don't listen to it. Should much of that crap be banned? Absolutely. But if people would stop buying it, it would cease to exist. Imus used his very public platform to insult a group of young women that he doesn't even know. Sad really.

Keith;Please don't join the media vigilante group that is out to hang Don Imus from the nearest tree. I'm an almost 75 yr. old white Tx woman.I start my day with Imus-sometimes I could slap him silly but hey-it gets the blood circulating.I end my day with Countdown and I don't always agree with you either but you always give me something to think about.I'm really sick of all the Imus bashing.Jenny

With all the dreck being said about Imus by the media in defense of the Rutgers women I have to ask where was the positive news about the team before this happened. Did Sharpton or Jackson even know who Virginia Stringer was? There was some news on the sports stations..and in the back of the papers. The outrage by the media is misplaced. Listen to what Coach Stringer said and is saying. Imus is not the problem. There is something bigger here. I hope she is refering to the cultural decline in this country and the promotion of bad behavior by the media who puts stories about Brittany on the front page and women of distinction like the Rutgers women on the back page. Imus is not the problem, he is a symptom. And those who want him fired and to vanish are in denial and do not want to open up this cultural decline for discussion. The coach gets it. I wish the media would.

Keith, The only TV I bother to watch every day (besides MLB baseball) is Imus in the a.m. and Countdown in the p.m. My wife's and my daily ritual is to sit down for dinner watching you take the DC and other reactionary clowns to task, all with your trademark sarcasm and insight. Last night in your coverage of the Imus story you implied that you had been "reined in" by MSNBC management and would have more to say after he meets with the Rutgers women's team. You left the impression with us that you might even consider a "Special Comments" segment, and the tone of your reportage indicated you might let the hammer fall on Imus. If this is your game plan, please come to your senses before aligning yourself with all the media hype-ocrites and those who make a good living from the "outrage industry" by waiting to wail in the media about the transgressions, real or perceived, of others. Imus blew it on this one, big time. We all can see that. But anyone who does not place his contributions to humankind on the "scale" against this incident is more eager to punish than to permit him to learn from his error in judgment, and contribute to the national discourse on race in a productive way. If he's fired, he'll only go to XM satellite radio and most of us will lost touch. If he, indeed, delivers what he is promising, I dare say that he will contribute more to the national race climate than Al (Tawana) Sharpton, or Jesse (Hymie) Jetstream have combined to add in decades. Let's hold Imus accountable, but no more so than the so-called black leadership who have watched, from a more front row seat than most, the education system fail their community, and the "thug culture", with its continual references to "hos" and "bitches" predominate among black youth. Imus, with his incomparable ability to rally movers and shakers to get things done, will commit to this cause and produce meaningful and positive change. Please use your crystal ball on this one, and don't knee jerk a response to echo the party line of those without perspective who are calling for his removal from the airwaves.

Barbara Dietrich, St Peters, MO, You have to read this book - Nemesis, by Chalmers Johnson. It will help you focus your frustration. CA & Pam too.

This Imus mess is about power - how absolute power corrupts. He said it himself the other day. He has so much power. He is not the least bit sorry. Did any of you watch this morning? This is not about freedom of speech. That argument would not stand up in a middle school debate. All the regulars who frequent his world, are trying to justify how they could collude with someone with such poor judgement. ( they were trying to sell books, articles and campaigns) He has "black friends"? I have not heard one of them call....We don't need Imus to teach us about race relations. I do believe him when he says he is not racisit or sexist. He can't see it in himself. He really can't. He and his wife think it is ok that he publically calls her the "Green HO" Just because these folks fund raise does that make it ok? Everytime he opens his mouth it gets worse! Its time for he in his wife to retire off to the ranch and green and clean their mouths! BRAVO Keith for passing on the Imus world. You sir, are a class act.

Jack,Philadelphia,PA - This is what's wrong with your argument, you are looking at people and passing judgment with out them ever saying a word, that in it self presents major flaws. Since most people on here are crying about a double standard lets evaluate that. Whites do say and make fun on black and for the most part black say nothing for fear of hearing the so called "race card" so they stay silent. Black comedians do it and so do whites have you ever watched comic view? This was not Imus first offense or even his first apology it was simply the last straw, and for those who say he in a equal opportunity offender, does that mean blacks should stay quiet? No it don't, and if another group wanted to then that's there right. Next how do you know that the people who are upset aren't people who have not been fighting rappers and others for the same thing? do you really think the media show you every thing that is happening in the Black community? you do realize that not all black people think the same? talk the same or enjoy the same music. Lastly should we assume that all bald whites are skin heads or if you see a person not dresses nice that they are trailer trash or maybe that someone in a truck with a flag is a gun toting redneck? no that would be absurd just the same as your argument. My advice for you would be to get to know a person before you judge them, better yet don't judge any one unless you want to be your self.

I do not know why MSNBC has put up with Imus this long. I tried to watch a couple of years ago and I was appalled at the vicious attacks that he made against MSNBC's on-air talent - particularly Contessa Brewer. I just could not believe that MSNBC would allow him to sit there, in MSNBC's own studios and insult their employees. Imus says the comments about the Rutgers players were made in the context of a joke. Newsflash - it ain't funny. It's just mean and stupid. Just like a lot of what passes as humor on that program. They make vile attacks about the personal appearance of others. Hello, do these guys not own mirrors??? Lets see - there's wheezy, whiny, dried-up, scrawny Imus. There's Chuck with the really unnatural looking hair dye job. And Bernard - he's just supremely ugly - inside and out. He instigates much of the offensive "humor." I was watching one morning when he used the f-word on the air. I don't think Imus should be fired. It's been rather entertaining to watch his forced insincere apologies over and over again. Much more entertaining than his brand of humor.

S H, Houston: good points. J W, Chicago: I'll read the book you suggest if you will agree to just read a book.

J W-Chicago: I may have to apologize to you. Thought you were being facetious about the book but realize you were making an honest and helpful suggestion.

So, now I 'get it'. We don't have 'freedom of speech'. We don't have to respect anyone's right to make a statement...even if we disagree with the content. "Religious" leaders, such as Sharpton, do not have forgiveness on their agenda. Any ethnic group can call itself 'names', but no one else can. And, I suppose then, that diversity is no longer allowed. What, exactly, do we stand for?

I am of race so mixed that the only thing that I have not been called is a 'honkey'. My daughter - nappy headed - I might add - and I routinely watch Imus. My nominee for worst person in the world is Steve Capas - is that his name? To bow to pressure in these circumstances is ridiculous. We understand that Imus' words were awful - but why is O'Reilly still on the air? If Jesse Jackson is representing a rainbow, where do I and the millions that are denigrated by the Hannities, O'Reillys, Limbaughs,Becks and Coulters of the world fit into Mr. jackson's spectrum? THis was a ridiculous decision following a ridiculous week. I feel for the females, but at the same time, Imus should have been left to meet them and see what came of it. I, and the 4 blacks in my household have turned off MSNBC - we are going to try and watch you at 8 - but who the hell knows. I'm disgusted.

It's funny how this Imus thing happened a week ago and now that advertisers are threatening to leave, NBC's news chief has decided to stop airing the Imus show. I am not a fan of the Imus show but from what I've seen of it this is just the kind of show it is and that's what the people that like it watch it for. I've heard him say some pretty awful things about people that I like and thought it outrageous but didn't want him hung for it. I plan on doing my own protest. I won't be buying from any of the companies that threatened to pull advertising from MSNBC. I know it won't hurt them but it will give me satisfaction. Come on Steve Capus admit it, it's because of the money and not your desire for any moral high standards in the news division.

Ok, is Sharpton going to call Dave Chappel and Chris Rock to tell them that there is a time slot open on MSNBC for a REVERSE DESCRIMINATION MORNING SHOW. When is the last time you heard the media use " REVERSE DESCRIMINATION " ? I just wish that Al and Jesse would organize an attack on the WAR CRIMINALS IN WASHINGTON DC. There is a rainbow of kids whose mothers were not able to say goodbye to their children because of egos' and money.

Give me a break! I've been hearing how devastated the Rutgers women basketball players were by Imus' comments. Being called names is not devastating; devastating is being a child with terminal cancer. Unfortunately Imus will no longer be able to offer the same support to these sick children because the Rutgers women basketball players are just SO devastated.

By firing Don Imus, MSNBC will avoid offending the black community. It will not avoid offending those who recognize the double standard the network has in its treatment of blacks versus other races.

Keith, I have been a big fan of your show, particularly because of your willingness to speak out against the Bush administration and injustices in our society. However, because you contributed to the removal of Don Imus and boasted about it on your show, I will no longer be watching. Because of you and others like you Imus has lost his platform to help children with serious diseases. But I guess in your mind name calling is a greater injustice.

Who is organizing a Support Don Imus program on t.v. or radio? Surely he is now the one in need of defenders and I'm sure that sooner or later Sharpton or Jackson will find a way to support Don if there is more publicity involved. I sure won't support any candidate or issue that those two "holier than thou" media hogs support or the products that allow them to continue, either. And where are all the politicians and authors who couldn't wait to get on Imus' show? I don't see them lined up with a kind word more like a "No Comment" just in case Imus is back on the air and they need the publicity!

I've learned, from the Imus incident, a very important lesson: Words mean more than deeds, that words are more important than actions. I've learned that from Harold Ford, Jr., Barack Obama, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and all of the pundits, authors, religious leaders, and reporters who appeared on the Imus show. Yes sir, that's a very important lesson to remember. Let's see now, I need to create a context for that. If I slur you but then fly you across the country at my expense for cancer treatment, the slur is more important. I think I got it. Thanks to all of you for your help.

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