The Return of the I-Man

Don Imus is set to return to the airwaves in December at WABS-AM in New York City. He will return better known than at any point in his long career, an unintended consequence of his detractors and their successful efforts to get him canned this past April. His return comes after his firing in April form CBS Radio for his now infamous "nappy headed hos" gibe aimed at the Rutgers women's basketball team. Even though the I-Man apologized privately, publicly (and profusely) to the Rutgers team, a debate has begun among the thought-control left, those jackals who believe Imus: a) was not out of work long enough, or b) should not be allowed ever to ply his trade again.

The decision by Citadel Broadcasting to hire Don Imus has caused hyper-sensitive liberals to do what they love to do: feel indignant and outraged. Do these people ever just rise in the morning and enjoy the day?

Barbara Ciara of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) feels Imus didn't suffer enough or long enough for his "despicable" actions: "To put him on the air now makes light of his serious and offensive racial remarks that are still ringing in the ears of people all over the country." Stephan A. Smith of ESPN launched into a ten minute tirade on the subject of Imus, saying Imus should be suspended at least "a year." Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women, called the hiring of Imus "a bad dream," asking, "Didn't they learn anything?"

This is all so odd. Back in April, the hypersensitive-thought and speech-police were screaming that Imus should be fired. They got that. Now, they are demanding that he be "suspended a year," as if the firing, the ultimate penalty for an employee, never occurred. Are Stephan A. Smith and his fellow travelers calling on privately-owned broadcast companies never to hire Imus? Though they will never admit it, the answer is an obvious "Yes." If they could "tar and feather" Imus, they would. Don Imus joins the ranks of Al Campanis, Jimmy the Greek, John Rocker and others in the "club," white guys who broke the unofficial 11Th Commandment: "Thou, if thee are white, shall not say (even in jest) an ill word about black people."

The entire incident is disturbing. It says much for the current political environment. A shock-jock, unknown to many, becomes a household name for a comment made with no malice intended whatsoever. Sure, it was dumb thing to say, but are those three little words worthy of a national debate? Or the psuedo-outrage from the usual quarters? I think not.

Abraham Lincoln used just 266 words in his famous address at Gettysburg, yet Vivian Stringer, the Rutgers head coach, spent over thirty minutes before a cable tv audience talking of the hurtful impact of Don Imus's dumb comments. It is a sign of the times that "nappy headed hos" carries as much seriousness as "Fourscore and seven years ago..." How far as we as a nation really come?

I have taught and coached largely black children in my 16 years in the 87% black Memphis City Schools. I have heard much worse language used by black male students toward their female classmates in that time, with "bitch" being the preferred term of address. However, because of all the fuss over the Imus situation, there has been a resurgence in the usage of "nappy headed hos." Prior to April 12, 2007, most, if not all, of my students did not know who Don Imus was. Now, because of this imbroglio, almost all know who he is. And his alleged crime is now commonplace.

Don Imus was not the problem on April 12, 2007; he never was the problem. Getting Imus canned from CBS Radio will be hailed as civil rights win, but it will not help the first black person. It's simply style over substance. Sadly, much of what passes for "civil rights victories" is the same. Black liberals will point and say, "See, we got Imus. We speak for and defend the voiceless." The impact of this type of protest is thimble-deep.

Jason Whitlock, a columnist for the Kansas City Star, sums up the Imus mess and its impact quite succinctly: "We know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old whtie guy with a bad radio show. There's no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out."