Imus should be fired! I was watching the view and Barbara was saying that he isn't a racist person and he's been working for over 40 years but that doesn't matter. You are judged for what you say especailly if you're in the spotlight so you should think before you open your mouth. Some may say that he doesn't deserve to get fired but they don't know what it's like to have a racist comment said towards black people. He's racist, period and end of story.
 

So, exactly what words are considered taboo? When I had dreadlocks people driving by would always shout comments like that. I asummed they were referring to my hair not my skin. I guess that makes me a victim of racial discrimination. Should they be fired too? Should I be fired for this comment?

Also I'd like to preemptively apologize for the comments I just made. I intended it to be comical.
 

It's more than about being judged. True no one has the right to judge but people will judge. When someone on TV does something that is bad it makes the matter seems less bad. When you are in the spotlight you influence alot of people.. young and old. Someone watching ... flipping through channels .. can get the idea that this type of behavior is okay or not a big deal, because fact of the matter is racial slurs and hate speech are definitely not okay and when it is used are a big deal.
 

I think he should get fired because what he said isn't right at all and is unprofessional but he should also be talked to about why it's uncalled for and how to not be that person anymore. Sure, when he was my age things were different, but it doesn't make those things right
 

but my view is that as soon as he gets fired, he won't be open to listening to what anyone has to say that might be able to sway his ways of thinking.
 

Well i agree with you totally. He isn't the only racist person in the world and it's almost as if they are putting the spotlight right on him. They need to talk the situation over with him. Love, Ann-Elizabeth
 

I too agree with edge answer..First off i think imus is a jerk as comic,as Howard stern etc.
But people need to chill,most people never heard of back in the Irish invasion here after there people were starving..There was signs in stores and job s..Irish need not apply..Or when Mexicans are called the most low of names because they wanna work. Its just some people will use these things for there own agenda,yes he was wrong,but all the talk of freedom of speech is still a right,is talking trash ok..no,but we have choice to not listen. rev Al said some nasty stuff about Jews in nyc..as did Rev Jackson.Just as Irish will always be called drunks,or Italian a mobster,its made up visions of little minds..Let it go..Move on..We got kids dieing in a war,whats more important. We need to turn Imus off if we choose and move on..How many people use the words rag top for middle eastern..etc it goes on..
If its right to judge,then rev al should shut down mtv..For all the ho in songs the n word etc..and hey i take offense to white boy..See its words,raise the hand,knock it down,if he yells like a child hush him and walk away.
 

I don't think that he should be fired. He DID grow up in a completely different time when comments like that's were the basis of everyday life. Even now, he realized what he had said was wrong, and openly apologized on television. These people wanting him fired need to realize that he made a mistake and think about how they would feel if they were to be put into his shoes. Everyone makes mistakes, and Imus apologized for his as soon as he noticed how wrong or politically incorrect it was of him to say it. No, he shouldn't be fired. Yes, the people need to forgive him.
 

People are people no matter what color, race, religion, sex, creed, nationality, orientation, capabilitiy or anything else.

In high school I attended a week-long summer camp what had really opened my eyes to how actions can really impact others. There were many aspects of living that were covered from natural highs to leadership, but prejuidices were a big part. By the end of the week I was so much more self consious about the way we act in different types of groups. It was a real eye opener an made me rethink about how I acted with different groups of friends. There was talk about how the N word isn't ok and how telling someone that trying their sweatshirt around their waist is gay just promotes the bad meaning of the word. I wish they had camps or retreats such as that where people can be sent to in order to become more aware of their actions and prevent problems like this in the future.
 

I don't think he should neccessarily be fired. He grewed up in the 40's and it was A LOT different back then. Of course he's not going to have the same views as people who are up to the program. Now, this doesn't excuse what he said, but I think people should actually make him realize WHY it was wrong to say and he should know that he offended people.
 

I think Imus should be fired, he's old enough to understand whats right and what's wrong. He knew exactly what he was doing, and I've heard he's made comments similar to this before. He has to realize that there is no room for that ignorance in todays media!
 

I agree with you Atoosa. Some people were just raised to believe one thing. I mean of course he knows better, but maybe it's not on a high level of importance for him to be accepting of all races. So yeah, I think that he should maybe sit down and talk to a counselor or someone so that he can get down to the bottom of his problem.
 

although i agree he SHOULD most definately be fired, he needs to learn his lesson also.
even though he cannot totally remeem himself, he should only have to work with african americans, and even minorities also and learn to respect every person for who they are, not the color of their skin. the times have changed, and although he may in fact be close to 70, it is no excuse for his RUDE comments! he needs counceling or something. he needs to do something where he can help out the african american commnuty, and realize how oppresed they have been for years, as in being called names, prejudged and having people racist against them. this includes all minorities also. There is no race, we are all part of one race, the human race.
 

I don't think he should be fired, but he should definetly be penalized.

What he said on air was definetly unprofessional. Let him think and say what he wants to in his personal life and let him deal with the consequences, but this type of language and behavior shouldn't be tolerated in a professional setting..I think the network has every right to suspend him for a little while, but firing is a bit extreme.
 

He shouldn't be fired.
Think of all the offensive stuff that other radio personalities have been saying (I won't name names, but he's HUGE) all along, and they don't get cancelled- but moved to a satellite station.

But he should have to take some sort of sensitivity classes, or something like that.
 

I think you are right. People make mistakes and make remarks sometimes, whether they are racist or not. Also, you said there weren't "for whites only" signs anymore. I just read a story about a school in Georgia that is having its first ever non-segregated prom, and that some of the white kids are protesting and are going to have their own somewhere else anyway. It's on MSN.com, I think you should read it.
 

I was a media major in college so I have studied media personalities and why it is that they do the things that they do. I honestly think Imus did this to provoke his ratings. He is all over the place now. If you have never heard of Imus and his show, you have certainly heard of it by now because he is all over the news. I think the only thing that will evolve about this man is his rating, unfortunatley.
 

Rev. Al Sharpton isn't reflective of what the bible actually teaches. Jesus wasn't out helping the perfect people, he was touching lepers, and protecting women who the town viewed as unclean. Jesus was amongst the people who needed him most and Sharpton is not a reflection of that.
 

we were discussing this in sociology this morning!
i think it's important to consider all sides, he did get punished with the suspension
and i do understand that things were different back in his day
and it's not like he wanted blank air or whatever so he said what he was thinking
being in front of the microphone and all

however, my teacher said this was not the first time he made a rude remark
it's not his job to insult what he's discussing, he's just supposed to give the news
he makes himself look bad AND MSNBC and CNN
so it's like they're getting punished for his mistake

I do think someone should try to help him evolve
but I also think he should be fired.
If hes only suspended for two weeks then that means
they're considering giving him the job back,
which means he could probably find a job
working for another station if he really wanted.

It's really difficult to say and maybe he wasn't thinking
but he's been at that job for like 20 years and it's not okay
for him to think what he did was appropriate
 

I do not think Mr. Imus should be fired. Yes it does show racism is still alive in America and that we haven't done anything to improve it. But i believe because Imus is white he caused an uproar in the black community and so may of them will want him fired. But would the incident have been avoided if Imus was a black man making a racial comment about a white team? Because everyone knows if a black man makes a comment about a white man it is okay and dismissed. But oh if someone white dares to make a similar comment he is seen as a racist.
 

totallly agree.
 

hey atoosa,
i really like your side, the fact that we should tell him why he said something bad; why that is not acceptable today. but i also have this feeling that he may have a harder time understanding it because, as you said, he was raised in a different era than what it is today. i really support your side, i think it is a fair way of dealing with this situation. i think the suspension is a good way to start.
again, thank you for writting a good blog. :)
 

You're right as far as racism goes but wasn't this more of a sexist remark than anything else? Correct me if I'm wrong, though.
Personally, I think he should be fired. People are pretty set in their ways. While there are the common slips of things that shouldn't be said and errors in judgement taht are later corrected, there are some things that cross the line. Maybe it's ebcause I'm very serious about women's rights and equality in general but even if I weren't I'm sure this would still hit a nerve and would not be forgiven.

-Rachel

P.S. I miss seeing you in Seventeen!
 

Regardless of it being right or wrong(which it is wrong) there this little thing called the first amendment which gives us all the power to have an opinion and freely say it wherever we please. I do think this she be turned into a lesson, and I think he will be punished in ratings, and in radio and tv ratings are everything.
 

I definitely believe he should get fired. For a man his age, what he said was very ignorant and sounded very uneducated and was completely rude. His bigot comments were so insensitive and irrational. The reason he's even apologizing is to redeem himself in the 'public eye'. While I also do believe he should get help with changing his mindset, I can't help but to think that whether or not he gets help he still won't change. Why? ...because although he grew up in a time where our country was divided, he's about 70 years old now and I'm most certain he has seen a change over the years with the way things are now and if his mind was too narrow for him to carry on and grow with the evolution of today's world after 70 years then he probably won't be changing anytime in the near future.
 

i somewhat agree with what you're saying. maybe we (or whoever) should work with him so that he will understand why what he said is unacceptable and extremely inappropriate. but in a way, i don't think that's good enough. i <i>would</i> give him the benefit of the doubt if that was his first-time offense, but it's not. like you said, "and this wasn't just a one-time show of poor judgment..." only suspending imus for two weeks is indirectly supporting his behavior, because that consequence does not measure up to the racist (or prejudice) comment that he made. maybe with being fired AND with someone working with him imus will truly reap what he sowed.
 

I think there's a blurred line when firing a person based on poor performance and poor judgement. Imus made a bad judgement call, and while I agree that his apparent racism is something that shouldn't be tolerated, I do think that there are better ways to go about the situation. Firing him isn't going to end racism. Like you said, it will only be a termporary solution. Who knows, maybe the next person fired will make the same bad judgement call. If nothing is done to point these problems out to people like Imus, nothing will change.

I agree with you. Someone should be helping him find out why he said such a thing. If he's opinionated enough to make such a bold statement, I'm sure he won't have a problem opening up as to why he said it. Everyone deserves a chance to explain themselves and make things right. It's not up to us to pass judgement on someone like Imus and seek revenge. We should be helping people him realize their mistakes and try to right a wrong. Together. People like him can't make a very drastic change without help. They need support and a boost in the right direction. He's definitely living in the past and needs to see this world for what it is now, with the help of others who are willing to work with him.
 

he should definatly be fired. there is no tolerance for racism. it shouldnt matter what color your skin is everyone is still a human being what he did was wrong very wrong.
 

I think he should get fired. He may be a nice guy, but people have to learn how to take responsibility for their actions. I know that he has apologized but he still said what he said. If he doesn’t get fired, what is that saying to the future of this country, us teens, and kids? That if you just apologized, that everything is forgotten, that everything is suddenly ok. Its good that he apologized but he should still be fired.
 

wow why the hell would you say he shouldn't be fired? if a black man would have said that white smelled like wet dog and fired bologna would you still feel the same way?

Imus is ignorant and his ignorance should not be tolerated. NOt only was is rude but I bet it hurt all the little black girls out there to know that that's the only way white people view them. Someone needs to get him some serious help, but at the same time they should fire is dumb ass to even think about making that stereotype.

Just goes to show how many ignorant people are really living among us.
 

Fire him!!! it isnt right to talk to anyone that way. These are adults here! He should be the example; having him fired will send the message that using that kind of conduct is not takin lightly. And why is every1 focused on the the fact he called them "nappy-head" he also called them "hoes" ummmm yea..thats terrible. And why take it easy on him b/c he is older. I read comments of people saying "hes an old guy who grew up in a different time period" thats a lame x-scuse!!!! so if he was a 30 yr old guy would we react different? I say fire the guy!!!!!! FIRE!!!!!!!
 

No i don't think he should be fired he made a mistake just move on he didn't mean it to be offensive he an entertainer hes just trying to entertain just move on
 

also to agree with the girl above, if an older black coach had said " you bunch of smelly static-frizzy head crackers" this would be a complete different story. He'd be fired without question and you all know it!!!!
 

hes an entertainer trying to entertain????? who exactly is he entertaining??? this is entertainment? X-SCUSES GIRL..GET REAL!!!!
 

You're right about the fact that he's not the only racist person around.
I agree that there should be some light shed on the reason why he says these things and why he thinks them. But some people are so unbelievably thick-headed and sometimes their opinions can't be changed. I think he should be fired if he can't see the reality of what he's said.
 

He's Human & we all Judge. Sometime's with our own race.
 

I don't think he should be fired. He is not the first to say something like that and he won't be the last person to sadly. I don't think you can evolve someone's way of thinking- if they are brought up a certain way it's hard to change that, but it's yet possible if they do it for themselves.

Many people may not agree with my next statement, but i strongly believe this. Issues like this will continue to happen if Black people don't stop selling the negative image of black women in music and videos just to make a profit. Imus didn't say anything that you wouldn't find in a popular rap song on the radio everyday. So why isn't anyone calling out these popular rappers? What's the difference? Aren't they both doing the same thing? We as black people have given off such a neg. image of ourselves through rap that people are embracing it as truth. In fact rap is one of the major elements associated with the black community so all they see is that negative and eventually that leads to comments like Imus'.
 

I think he should be fired but be helped out at the same time. Womens sports have come so far, especially race with that and its saddening that someone would put it down in those words. How are they hoes? It was just a dumb comment made by an arrogant man. He does need help in some way, hopefully one day he will understand why no one should say that on national radio or tv. Thanks for posting this, I was wondering if you would! your awesome, thanks!! <3 chels
 

I don't know if he sould be fired or not, but I know giving him a two week expension is not enough. But I find it funny how when Mel Gibson said what he said about Jews, people said that he only said that because he was drunk and when kramer (whatever his real name is) said what he said about blacks, he only said that because he was put on the spot, but when T.R. Knight called one of his cast members a fagot, that was just wrong (which it was) and noone gave him an excuse.

I don't know what exactly was going through Imus' head when he said the comment about the girls' basketball team. Did he think noone would care or did he do it to get attention..or maybe NOTHING was going through his mind. I can't say whether or not he's a racist, but I can say that he is quite ignorant. I have watched his show in the past. Will I watch it in the future? Probably not
 

At this point in his life I feel he will take his thoughts and beliefs all the way to his grave, even if they are racist & out dated. Actions speak louder than words and I feel like firing him would make an even bigger impact then words. Losing his job will show him that even he has to deal with the consequences despite his age or status. It will show others that that type of discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated.
 

most of the time people who get second chances say they learned but dont anyway... he should learn and get fired.. it teaches a lesson, like someone else said he is old enough to know right from wrong, i know my parents friend older than him or as old or grown up in the same time and they know better. He should keep those opinions to himself if anything.
 

hell yeah he should be fired and thats all i got to say about that damn fool.
 

I have to say that I am very disappointed with Imus right now. I had only recently begun watching his show and had grown to respect that kind of newsprogramming/talk radio that had been a bastion among talk show/radio pundits who spout ideology. Now, however, not so much. I don't think he should be fired, but that's b/c I like his show. But what he said was straight-up mean and, yes, kind of racist. I don't know in what universe calling a college student a nappy-headed ho would constitute for joke-making, and I don't think I wanna know. I've found that old, grumpy white guys say stupid s**t all the time (esp. about black people for some reason), that's probably not going to change. On the other hand, this might turn like Rather-gate (Dan Rather), who, under pressure from media, pundits, et al, quit his job after reporting news based on phony documents. On the one hand, you have a distinguishable and respected news reporter using forged docs and reporting them as the truth, and on the other hand you have kind of an old fart (one who runs a good talk radio show) who said something really stupid, really mean, and really rascist. But it seemed like a slip of the wrist. I have read quotes from past shows where he and his producer, Bernard McGuirck, said other racsist, sexist and anti-semitic things, but it doesn't quite seem like hateful rhetoric and someone who lacks common-sense (of humor) and self-censorship. There is a difference and people who are quick to jump the gun on either side to look at the issue at hand fairly. Besides, so long as Limbaugh and Hannity and O'Reilly have their jobs, perhaps consider letting Imus keep his.
 

i think neither.
nor fire him.
i say everyone involved needs to reevaluate and talk it ove.
like you said it only would be a short-term solution.
while firing him may solve their problems, wht difference is it going to make whn he actually leaves?
none.
he was wrong to state tht in the begining already but he was prob'ly on something at the time anyways.
this is why i think they should reevaluate and tlak it over.
again, though firing him is a grat solution, it was only a natural human reaction.
 

Atoosa i so agree with you, he probaly has many reasons for saying that many of them can be the ones you said, maybe he even had trouble with black people...of course things like that are never to be accepted but they are to be discussed and settled ! He should not get fired because he is human instead them black women he called "nappy headed hos" should be even more understanding and show him the opposite and be loving so like that he may feel even more stupid!
 

I think that he should be fired strictly on that fact that what he did was unprofessional. If you worked at a coffee shop, the mall, a thrift store or wherever - if you did exactly what he did, you would get canned on the spot. Though I do believe that he should seek help on his own for his racist behavior and his lapse in judgement.

People are always looking for someone to blame, someone to harass, someone to shun, etc. and I never really got that. It's almost as if the drama in our own lives isn't enough. We have to take the smallest things from other people and blow them out of proportion.

A lot of people in my family have very stubborn ways when it comes to issues of race, but I guess that's because I have too many aunts and unels to count that are, well, let's say senior citizens out of courtesy. When they grew up, times were different, we have to face that, comprehend it, and more importantly understand it.

Personally I think everyone is racisist in a little ways, even when it doesn't come to teh issue of race. Take high school for example. You will very seldom find a "prep" or a "jock" that's willing to associate with the "emo" kids. Why? Honestly, I couldn't tell you. I was more or ess a floater in school. I was friends with everyone. Now I know that there are tons of people that don't see eye to eye with me about all of this, but there's not exactly much I can do other than tell them what I think and hope that they'll think about things themselves.

As far as Imus goes and his insult against Rutgers, ehh, people are reading too much into it. Even though Tenessee won I was all for Rutgers. Maybe it's because I'm from Jersey, or maybe it was just hope that the underdog would win. Regardless, I wasn't saying that the Tennessee girls were a bunch of redneck hillbillies. Personally, I wanted Rutgers to win, but I didn't care that Tennessee did because they're a great team and Pat Summitt is one of the best coaches in the league.

Anyway, what Imus said was wrong, but what are we going to do about that. You cannot stop a person from saying what he wants to say. That's the downfall to our great free speech in this country. We are influenced by so much today and everyone has their own opinions on things, yet they have to tiptoe around what they say. There's no need for racial slurs ever, but that doesn't mean that people are going to stop. It's just issues of the past that are being brought up today, and that's where most things start. It's sad to say, but I really don't think things will change anytime soon. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Take a chance, go out on a limb, and hell, just live your life. It's so much easier to be friendly with people. Hating takes so much time and energy, and hey, if people want to hate you - still be friendly towards them, your enemies hate that! Case in point, everyone getting riled up about one comment from an old man - to him that more than likely just clarifies everything that he thinks.
 

While i don't think it's right to say what he said, i don't think he should be fired. As sad as it is, there are literally thousands of people out there who are racist, and firing him would help nobody. Firing him doesn't change what he said, it just shows that if you say it you get fired. Okay, he's still a racist. I think your idea of making him change is a great one. Better yet, getting people who look up to his words to change too. Instead of having someone's drug rehab being a cover, how about a racist rehab?
 

You made a good point. I don't think he should be fired just because of something he said. Bad things slip out all the time and we don't necessarily mean what we say. As you said, I think this is a good time for him to learn from his mistake and it will only make him stronger.
 

okay so here goes i think that he is a horrible person for treating these women that way but many people including women are racist i know that it will never be totally elimintaed but what i want to know is why deep down inside these people are doing it i am in 8th grade and i see many many horrible sexist comments to girls every day i think it is terrible boys are being taught that this is okay even if there mothers tell them it isnt when they hear there fathers or other male role models talking like this they find it acceptable it is a very vicious cycle and i dont feel that it will honestly will ever be stopped wether it be about whites, blacks, males, females, or other steriotyped beings it is amazing im am so horribly horrified by this thanks for brining attention to this matter atoosa as always xx =]
♥
 

He should be fired! Hello, it's 2007! If there was any chance for his thought process changing about any one of different races, I'm quite sure that it would have happened by now. Honestly. I don't think that we can evolve him anymore than he is. He should be canned.