Don Imus' racist comments on the radio: Should he be suspended?

I wonder if he's going to go to rehab like everyone else after an outburst like this. I think he should be fired and what he said was disguisting and racist.

I think he should be fired. This type of thing seems to happen more and more in the media. You are right, it very well could have been a publicity stunt, although very poorly executed if in fact that was the case. People make racist comments all the time and there really seems to be no penalty or anything like that. Of course, it would be hard to pinpoint an appropriate punishment or sanction, but they don't even bother trying.

That is a totally different take on the whole situation. I wish I had thought of it, because I usually think that way, myself. Do you suppose Sharpton is part of it too, to increase his own public visibility? You never can tell what goes on in these minds. We get to benefit from all of the stunts that politicians and performers pull.

I do think it was a stupid remark to say on air, but I would never kiss Al sharptens rear for forgiveness for nothing, I think he is a racist as well. I think a suspension is enough punishment. When a remark is made by the black community to whites its not blown out of proportion, but it is when a white person says something against blacks. Im not for saying stuff like Imus said but I am for fairness on both sides. As soon as whites do something the black community, especially Al Sharpten and Jessie Jackson are right there to jump down their throats. I makes me sick.

Ok I have to say that I disagree that this statement was designed to boost publicity. Personally I think that It was just a very very egregious error in judgement on his part. Look we all say something stupid that we end up wishing that we had not. As far as Imus's tenure I believe that he has been on the radio for something like 30 years. And in that time has been called out twice before for simular comments. Now as to whether or not he should be fired. It is hard for me to give a reply as I did not hear the show and therefore the context that it was used. But the bottom line is that racism is alive and needs to be dealt with. I am however willing to bet that he will end up being fired. Now an interesting point was brought up this morning about rappers using the same type of language. Why then is it ok for them ? Why are they not facing the same consequences ? These people (rappers)do have an audience of millions. And while they're comments are considered accepted because they are for the most part of african American decent. And by doing so they are promoting racism and a seperatist attitude within the black community itself. Why then does people like Al Sharpden not take issue with this ? If they're goal is in fact to defeat racism in all it's forms. Why have they/He taken issue with them(the rappers).

I'm fairly skeptical about the level of outrage we're seeing in light of Don Imus' statement. First of all, he is in the business of shock radio. The difference between his saying it and Howard Stern saying it is station--Imus is featured on a major news network and CBS radio. The source of this outrage is not the bruised hearts of a race or their colorblind allies, but the hyper-paranoia of a couple of corporations. Great power is greatly possessed, and possession often leads to a sense of paranoia. For a major cultural presence like MSNBC or CBS, the softest whisper of racism or sexism (sadly, such protection against is not applied to homosexuals, as yet) is amplified by their own microphones. When a white man in a cowboy hat makes a comment like this, and if you were Sharpton or Jackson, would you pass up the ratings power of turning it into a spectacle? This is silly, people. If our hearts bleed so easily, why isn't Carlos Mencia burned in effigy in Times Square?

I think its ridiculous that NCAA turns everything into a racist event when a white person does it, but yet doesn't do anything about rappers racist comments and other African Americans that say all kinds of racist things. Those get pushed under the rug. Rev. Jessie Jackson was the worst instigator until it was found out he had a love child of his own and wasn't as honest and fortheright as he seemed either. I think Imus made a stupid comment at an inappropriate time, but hey...its not illegal or against the law to say comments like that. I just can't believe how blown out of proportion the whole thing has been taken.

yes i agree..i deff think it was a publucity stunt..hes been around long enough..and hes never said anything like that before,,the ratings must have been real low..and they thought of this and now that he had his 15 mins of shame..everyone is gona watch now and again to see if he says anything like that again..lol..just watch..

I think the suspension was ridiculous. How is his comment racist? Offensive, yes, but racist...c'mon, that's crap. If someone called me nappy headed the last thing I'd think was that it was a comment about my skin color. The first thing I'd think was that it was about my ridiculous hairstyle. I understand nobody likes to be called a hoe, but where's the racism? People that are calling for his head, or for his job, are just people that have too much time on their hands and no REAL concerns in life. If it was a publicity stunt, it was certainly effective, for I didn't even know Imus was still on the radio.

We have all said something at a point in our lives that could be taken as offensive I'm sure. This is just one more to add to the pile. This really falls under freedom of speech. He can say whatever he chooses and if people are offended, they don't have to listen. It's just like those who don't like Howard Stern because of some of his thoughts....don't listen. Of course, I'm not agreeing with his words so please don't take it that way.

What Imus said was rude and inflamatory. However, he did apologize several times and did everything but bend over and kiss Al's behind. His show is being suspended for 2 weeks beginning next Monday. I think that's punishment enough. IMOPO, that was a pretty stupid thing to say on the air, honestly.

For me this is a question of cultural understanding and education system: One has to learn about life and its processes from his or her living ways! At the same time are you ready to accept the racist point of view regarding yourself? If no, then you have to be careful about and you should not allow yourself for such a thng, if it is part of publicity stunt!! At least you are not a foolish!

Imus was wrong he has publicly said he was wrong he has appologised more than once what more do they want does not the bible tell us to forgive and as for sharpton is he not supposed to be christian???I dont watch Imus i never have but lets get real her just what do they want of the man who had done i understand much good works in opening his ranch for children should one wrong statement be paid for by loosing 40 yrs of his work!Even radio and tv folks are human and we all make mistakes personaly i feel it is time to get over this and move on !after all dosent the news have more impotant things to talk about ??Like who is the BABIES DADDY? LOL

Should he be suspended? Sure, but then you're going to have to "suspend" every other radio personality, including musicians, who blurt out racist banter.

you know that is the job of these radio host. to shock you, to make you laugh or make you think. i as a black woman didn't take that personally. now i can't speak for all black women, but rather he meant it or someone put him up to it, those kinds of comments you should never allow to get under your skin or take you out of a good moment or feeling. i personally laughed, becuase either that is the way he felt and had the balls to say it on the air or someone put him up to it and he had the nerve to put it on the air. people who honestly think this way is just a joke to me. and when everyone stop taking this kind of nonsense seriously those words won't mean anything any more

Al needs to understand that this man apologized and faced up to his wrongs and took the punishment. Now where does al stand on forgiveness? Has he never made any remarks that were inappropriate, we know that he has. They are still being quoted on the news. He is not following gods word that says blessed is the peacemaker, and he is trying to cause racial tension and trying to turn white and black people against each other. I think he has a personal agenda that is to self promote. He needs to chill out with the anger or attend anger management classes and maybe consider prozac or some type of anziety medication.He could put all that hate and anger energy into a worthwhile cause and really help people. Feed some hungry people or do something positive. Actions speak louder then words.I am so sick of the black, white issues and color this and color that...it dosent take the brains of brittan to realize we are all just human beings.....and all that hate just hurts everyone.....when will he learn?

I Agree That His Comments Were Uncalled For, But I Guess That Apologies Just Aren't Good Enough Anymore.

Hi there hassanchop, I just wanted to respond to your discussion to say that I always liked Imus. I am older and have listened to him off and on for years. But I think that it is mean to try to make ratings by being rude. There was no need for Imus to say anything like that. We are in the year 2007 and by now we should be more sensitive to others' feelings. This is not the 1900's. I understand that you say that you do not agree with what Imus said, thank you for saying that. Imus is a grown man and he should realize that wrong is wrong. He should know that the anger he would create would not be worth his ratings. He is an intelligent person and he should not have done what he did. We also need to understand the fact that Imus has a following and he has money. If he is fired, fined or suspended, it will not affect him negatively, he will be alright. But we need to think about being decent towards each other. There are many other venues he can use to boost ratings. Should he be suspended? It really doesn't matter because it will not hurt him. Thanks again for this discussion, take care...

he got what he deserved I think brave of him to go talk with Sharpton maybe he could explain EXACTLY what he meant by that comment, all the intricate nuances of what was on his mind when he said it good to talk things like this out I think Maybe same for Micheal Richards, or for Mel Gibson

so now the word nappyhair is racist and the non-word ho nappyhair is a fact ho is slang for a loose woman neither of which are racist fact: black people do have nappy hair fact:black poeple in general to refer to their women as "my ho" my conclusion: imus was just trying to be hip and use street talk