More on Imus…
Imus In The Mourning - Jerry DellaFamina in the New York Post
Let me be clear. I haven’t listened to Imus in years. My Dad is an Imus junkie, but I’ve been a fan of XM Satellite Radio since it started years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.
This became a racism issue when Rev. Al & Rev. Jesse made it so - not when Imus made his comments. Imus was doing what Imus does - making fun of everything. Equal Opportunity Offender.
What offends me is that these two Reverends can find no Christian forgiveness after what I believe to be a sincere apology from Mr. Imus. These two Reverends certainly must know forgiveness, because they have received it throughout their careers - Rev. Al with the Tawana Brawley incident, the Crown Heights Riot, and Freddy’s Fashion Mart - Rev. Jesse for his remarks about Jews and his extramarital affair.
I’m angry that this has raised racist feelings and resentments in black and white people for the wrong reason.
I had a phone message over the Easter weekend from my college roommate - a black guy. He was good-naturedly inquiring as to when I was going to call him with my apology for slavery, and provide him with his 40 acres and a mule.
I’ll apologize for that when he apologizes for allowing Rev. Al & Rev. Jesse to become the spokesperson for all black people, and the arbiters of all things racial.
Well, you need me here to make a left-wing communist comment, and the one I’ll make is that Imus has made other awful comments before. His position is one of power, and we expect a little more from those in his position. (My reference is Peder Zane’s commentary in the N&O yesterday) That said, I still support (though despise) Rush Limbaugh. I still think rappers have a right to spout off in their distinct manner. I lurve the free speech.
Of course! If you check out my description of your blog on my Blogroll, you’ll see I describe you as pulling me left of center - believe it or not I am a whole lot more moderate centrist than my 40 year old fat white boy conservatism might imply.
It’s really not about the free speech for me, or racism either. It’s about empowering an extreme faction of any group, and Rev. Al and Rev. Jesse do represent a small, militant, and I believe, misguided group. It’s about a group creating a ruckus over absolutely nothing new by pretending they have more power than they actually represent. These two DO NOT represent their race as a whole, much as Rush Limbaugh does not represent whites, or even conservatives as a whole. They just wield that much power.