Questoin for the board on Imus

[SeattleUte]

If BYU or Utah women had been in the national championship game (i.e., a team of mostly or all white women), and Imus had called them whores or bitches (i.e., not hose), would there have been an outry? The reason I ask is that I hear men on talk radio saying much worse things about women in general than Imus said about these women--for example, Howard Stern or Tom Lykus--and there's never any outcry. I think this is about race not gender. I say this not in any way to mitigate what's happening to Imus. On the contrary, I'd like more condemnation of some of the stuff I hear said about women by misogynists like Stern and Lykus.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I suppose if he had said something like "stupid mormon whores" or something like that, you would have seen a pretty big outcry.

Or suppose that he said something about an Israeli olympic team such as "filthy jew whores", I can absolutely guarantee that it would have brought down a firestorm.

Like it or not, offending a group with history of discrimination magnifies the incident. And then you get the sharks attracted by the blood in the water.

I am not a fan or foe of Imus, but that was a monumentally stupid thing to say.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

If BYU or Utah women had been in the national championship game (i.e., a team of mostly or all white women), and Imus had called them whores or bitches (i.e., not hose), would there have been an outry? The reason I ask is that I hear men on talk radio saying much worse things about women in general than Imus said about these women--for example, Howard Stern or Tom Lykus--and there's never any outcry. I think this is about race not gender. I say this not in any way to mitigate what's happening to Imus. On the contrary, I'd like more condemnation of some of the stuff I hear said about women by misogynists like Stern and Lykus.

Imus couldn't have called a national championship team from BYU nappy-headed. I think this whole thing is racially driven. I also think this thing is overblown. I was at the gym this morning on the treadmill watching the ESPNews broadcast of the press conference and I thought it funny that the first basketball player speaker was the most attractive caucasian girl on the team then followed by the team captain.

I also thought it funny that the players and coach lamented how this whole incident has diminished their national championship and took the spotlight away from what they accomplished. In reality, this team would have been forgotten like most other women's basketball champions. Now this championship will be remembered. At least for a few years. Hell I didn't even know Rutgers won the title until this all blew up. I thought Tennessee won. How's that for a mysogynistic comment?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I suppose if he had said something like "stupid mormon whores" or something like that, you would have seen a pretty big outcry.

Or suppose that he said something about an Israeli olympic team such as "filthy jew whores", I can absolutely guarantee that it would have brought down a firestorm.

Like it or not, offending a group with history of discrimination magnifies the incident. And then you get the sharks attracted by the blood in the water.

I am not a fan or foe of Imus, but that was a monumentally stupid thing to say.

Women don't have a history of discrimination?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by surfah33

Imus couldn't have called a national championship team from BYU nappy-headed.

He could have. But people would have drawn a different connotation. Like happy valley or maybe a disparaging remark about blondes.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Women don't have a history of discrimination?

I just re-read your post and I don't think I addressed the question you asked. Sorry.

[YOhio]

I don't believe there would have been the same outcry if Imus insulted a group of white women. In this case, it was a combination of picking on African-American women who are college-aged, in the approximate period of time that the media's thirst for blood wasn't satisfied in the Duke Lacrosse case. I'm sure he has said a lot worse, but his timing was off in this particular instance. If he would have said the same thing two years ago, I bet it would have slid.

Shock jocks like Imus, Leykis, and Stern have found a niche as a refuge for those seeking unsanitized radio, free from political correctness. On rare occassion, something they say catches the publics' ear and they are held to account. I think Imus may have gotten a little more than would have Stern or Leykis because he is seen as the most legitimate of the shock jocks. Imus regularly interviews politicians and he is simulcast on MSNBC. I'm glad he's been forced to grovel for forgiveness. He's not so tough when he's held accountable for his horrible words.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

If BYU or Utah women had been in the national championship game (i.e., a team of mostly or all white women), and Imus had called them whores or bitches (i.e., not hose), would there have been an outry? The reason I ask is that I hear men on talk radio saying much worse things about women in general than Imus said about these women--for example, Howard Stern or Tom Lykus--and there's never any outcry. I think this is about race not gender. I say this not in any way to mitigate what's happening to Imus. On the contrary, I'd like more condemnation of some of the stuff I hear said about women by misogynists like Stern and Lykus.

Stern isn't carried on public airwaves. He is carried to subscribers only. I am more tolerant of people's stupid opinions when they aren't broadcast to anyone and everyone. Imus is quite different in that regard. He should be fired.

[MikeWaters]

women's basketball sucks and I'd rather watch paint dry.

does that make me a mysoginst?

[Solon]

Originally Posted by surfah33

In reality, this team would have been forgotten like most other women's basketball champions. Now this championship will be remembered. At least for a few years. Hell I didn't even know Rutgers won the title until this all blew up. I thought Tennessee won.

Case in point: Tennessee did beat Rutgers. 59-46.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=274000063