RK ARCHIVE - "It's Not Just Imus"

Two can play this game (novamiddleman - 4/13/2007 7:28:41 AM)

Not pleased with the balance in your top three stories today

Left over the topness is here

http://newsbusters.o...

There is junk from the right and the left

Instead of stooping down to their level lets get back to the issues

You are better than these posts Lowell

Terribly sorry, but I've concluded that (Lowell - 4/13/2007 7:44:45 AM)

Iraq is a lost cause. You're a "mission accomplished" guy, I take it?

nope not mission accomplished (novamiddleman - 4/13/2007 8:40:06 AM)

agree mostly with McCain on this

lots of mistakes along the way

leaving now would also be a mistake

And if we'd killed 600,000 Englishmen? Instead of Iraqis? (PM - 4/13/2007 8:43:49 AM)

Typical right wing color/race/religion bias. "Oh, there might be WMDs -- let's not wait for the UN inspectors --- let's just go in and kill."

No, because they were swarthy-skinned people with different religions than ours, they were conscience-free targets.

Some middle.

I'd add one to your bias list (Eric - 4/13/2007 9:19:57 AM)

and this is probably a big factor: "third-world". We can relate to people who live like us, but not poor people who live in third world. Too different. Can't relate. Blow 'em up.

By the way, in case you haven't noticed... (Lowell - 4/13/2007 7:47:54 AM)

...this site is a strongly Progressive site. If you prefer non-reality-based "conservative" commentary, may I suggest Little Green Footballs, Michelle Malkin, or some of the other fine right-wing blogs out there? Alternatively, you could just tune in to Faux News or Rush and get the "fair and balanced" (ha!) view of things. ;)

ha ha ha (novamiddleman - 4/13/2007 8:42:44 AM)

nope I prefer a good mix of BBC (up to a point :-p), Washington Post, Tim Russert and of course blogs :-) for fair and balanced

Anything that upsets your white-moral view of the world you find upsetting? (PM - 4/13/2007 8:44:54 AM)

Michael Savage (relawson - 4/13/2007 7:38:30 AM)

Michael Savage makes Imus look like a choir boy. I'm surprised he is still on the airwaves. I think he was on MSNBC for about two minutes until they came to their senses. But he still spouts nonsense on the airwaves.

I can remember hearing Savage say that we should just nuke Iraq. And he wasn't joking.

Classic Savage (Lowell - 4/13/2007 7:49:14 AM)

That's why the department store dummy named Wolf Blitzer, a Jew who was born in Israel, will do the astonishing act of being the type that would stick Jewish children into a gas chamber to stay alive another day. He's probably the most despicable man in the media next to Larry King, who takes a close runner-up by the hair of a nose. The two of them together look like the type that would have pushed Jewish children into the oven to stay alive one more day to entertain the Nazis.

Source: MediaMatters

Great diary.... (Dianne - 4/13/2007 8:52:08 AM)

It's long past time that people of conscience quit cowering or just shaking their heads at this disgusting kind of behavior.

Maybe John Dean was on to something in his thoughts about the Authoritarian Personality and conservatism. http://en.wikipedia....

"Maybe John Dean was on to something" (BP - 4/13/2007 11:15:45 AM)

No "maybe" about it.

Al Franken on Beck (PM - 4/13/2007 12:02:00 PM)

http://thinkprogress...

with video, at Think Progress--

"CNN has Glenn Beck on," Franken told King. "Glenn Beck asked my congressman, Keith Ellison, who is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, you know, I just want to ask you, how do I know that you're not working with the enemy? ? I don't know why that wasn't grounds for CNN thinking, well, maybe Glenn Beck shouldn't be on. I mean, how dare he say that to a congressman who has just been elected?"
King asked Franken, "With a lot of [controversial remarks] going on, are you calling for other dismissals?" Franken said, "No, I'm not. Just Glenn Beck on your network."

Do not confuse Advertisers with Voice of People (J.Scott - 4/13/2007 12:05:33 PM)

If I here "that the people of spoken" one more time I think I am going to be sick. I love how these self-appointed moral types tell us how the will of the people is somehow seen in advertising removing ads and spots. You learn in Marketing 101 you build your brand by getting the message out to "where" the people are. The people "are" listening to talk radio and thats why advertisers have spent billions over the last decade on the likes of Imus, Rush, Stern, Beck,Franken (though not anymore)Savage and others. It has NOTHING to do with the message of thes guys...period. It has EVERYTHINg to do about gettin apiece of their audience. Best Buy does not care about Beck...they care about burying Circuit City and Beck and others have helped them do that over the last five years. The beauty is they can ride the wave until its too dicey and then pull out saying we have moral issues with the programming...look at use we are taking a stand are'nt we a great company....no ..you took advantage of those guys audience penetration for as long as you could. But hey thats just "good business". I for one am beginning to feel there may be a backlash against those perceived to have abandoned those audiences. Ford has its hands full as it is..I doubt they want the predominant conservative audience of the south to unload those F-150s for say that sleek new Chevy or Toyota.

The Road to Hysteria (mr science - 4/13/2007 1:26:04 PM)

OK, I'll be the one to say that this whole Imus thing got blown way out of proportion. Yes, he crossed the line. Yes, he's done if before. He should have apologized and I think the original 2 week suspension was punishment enough. But look at us now, fresh after the kill, forming our black list and going after everyone who say offensive or controversial things (granted all those listed are scumbags). Do you want to live in a country where everything someone (be they broadcaster, columnist, or blogger) says is sifted through in order to find something to create hysteria over in order to take them down? It was the hysteria created in the media that got Imus fired (and his sponsors pulled), not the hurt that his statements caused. Creating hysteria in society is like playing with fire, and this goes both ways. People like Bill Donohue have their own black lists and they will be even more emboldened to start going after those that they deem offensive. This is a road I really don't want to go down.

Some people do go too far and should be fired. These are extreme cases like when Ann Coulter says that the New York Times editors should be executed, or when Michael Savage tells a homosexual caller "get AIDS and die!" and meant it. Like I said before, Imus crossed the line, but he does an entertainment show which mixes humor with news and commentary. His statements were ignorant and hurtful but, I believe, to some degree were a bad attempt at humor (if you listen to the actual recording this is more evident). So I don't think that what he said shouldn't have gotten him fired.

We need to point out those that say racist, sexist and ignorant things and expose them. We need to make an example of them, and make the case that what they say is wrong and hurtful and demand they apologize. But sometimes defining what is offensive is a gray area that differs from person to person. In the spirit of free speech, it's essential that we protect the right for people to say things we find offensive, if for no other reason than to educate people on the nature of ignorance and hate. If we go after and fire people for speaking their mind, we create a flat, bland society where everyone is afraid to say what they think for fear of upsetting or offending someone. Freedom of speech was established to protect the minority, unpopular view. It would not be necessary if it only applied to the popular majority opinion.

Let me also say that I'm not worried about Don Imus, I'm sure he'll get by and probably move to satellite radio. I'm just using this example to make a larger point.

I'm in agreement with you... (Tom Joad (Kevin) - 4/13/2007 1:40:39 PM)

The question I have is are we going to learn anything from this? Or are we just going to sweep this under the rug like other times when racism, sexism, etc. are charged? There is no actual discussion when something like this happens. People hem and haw and then nothing is heard of it again.

I don't know. (mr science - 4/13/2007 3:05:00 PM)

But you're right, the noise of hysteria drowns out the broader discussion and it becomes all about Imus. Actually, Media Matters does an excellent job of exposing these elements in the media as well as right-wing bias. That said, I don't agree with this campaign of theirs.

"I'm-Us" ? NOT ! (hereinva - 4/13/2007 1:52:31 PM)

Good-bye to Mr. Imus (for now). He will probably pick up a contract elsewhere like XM or Sirius or if the merger goes through SiriusXM.

The Rutgers ladies BB team stood their ground and gave intelligent answers at their press conference. KUDOS to the ladies at Rutgers for standing up and speaking out.

"Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character."

Rush Limbaugh (Susan P. - 4/13/2007 8:24:05 PM)

Yes, these scumbags have a right, within limits with respect to the public airwaves, to express their odious opinions and slurs. And we have a right not only to not to listen, but to persuade others not to listen, as well. And we can do that by expressing ourselves to each other, to them, to their networks, or to their advertisers, in words or actions or cold hard cash. In the long run, that's the way the truth wins out -- not by tolerating their garbage, but by exposing it for what it is and holding to account those who encourage and profit from it. Look how quickly Imus' hot potato was dropped once his comments were given wide public exposure. It seems to me Rush Limbaugh must be next, not just for his blatant, consistent racism, but for his repeated "FemiNazi" epithets.

"It's Not Just Imus"

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