by Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.net
I received a call today from a producer at WVON in Chicago. My good friend Roland Martin (the black dude on CNN) and I are going to discuss Don Imus tomorrow morning at 8 am. I like WVON, it's literally my favorite station in America. There is a great deal of tradition there.
I was involved with the first removal of Don Imus from the air, as I worked with Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton on the phone to talk about ways to deal with him. I mentioned that if African Americans engage in a unified effort to challenge his corporate sponsors, we can bring him down. That is what Jesse and Al did, and it worked. As a Finance Professor, I always look to the money first. That is the most critical element of power in a capitalist democracy.
You can imagine how disappointed I was to see Don Imus back on the air so soon. I admit that when I saw Imus appear on Al Sharpton's show, I really believed he was truly sorry for what he did. For him to repeat his actions is simply baffling, and I wonder out loud if Rev. Jackson and Rev Sharpton feel the same way.
I recorded some of my thoughts on Don Imus below. The fact that this man can do what he did the first time, get back on the air and repeat the same stunt one year later is yet another reminder of just how little respect African Americans get in white media. No, it's not mainstream media, because mainstream media should reflect viewpoints from all perspectives. The truth of the matter is that most media is owned by people who are not black, so people like Don Imus and Bill O'Reilly can get away with this stuff without being forced to engage in any form of respect or responsibility. The ownership structure of American media is an artifact of 400 years of slavery and economic exclusion of African Americans. Our grandparents never had the chance to own CNN, FOX or NBC and they also did not have a chance to own the corporations that financially support these media outlets. African American wealth was stolen from us and now lies, in part, in the hands of companies that support racism on the airwaves.
So, the networks continue to insult black people and there are no consequences. Personally, I am getting tired of this crap. What is most ironic is that no matter what anyone says about black people on the air (lynching Michelle Obama, killing Barack Obama, calling Mrs. Obama a Baby's mama, calling Barack a terrorist, or calling black women Nappy headed hoes), someone is always there from the right wing willing to rationalize this behavior (some of them, like Juan Williams, are even African American). It reminds me of a relative I had with a drinking problem. No matter how much you pointed out his weakness, he always had an explanation. America's addiction to racism is a lot like the addictions of my uncle.
It's actually kind of pathetic.
The video is below:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
Hey asshole , If it walks like a duck , talks like a duck it's a duck . Pacman got arrested because he screwed up not once but six times. Not just because he's black but because he did what he did and was arrested for it , period !
imus was 100% correct it was just sarcasim,quite unlike your hero sharpton and his bs.grow up and get over it pinhead.
I love it when white people show how ignorant they are.
Are you making a list of corporate sponsors for tv shows like mtv and any other video stations where black entertainers are constantly glamorizing violence, sex, gangs, etc.. do you have a problem with black comedians cracking on white people.
How you can sit there and say Don Imus is going to "croak" soon shows your true violent character and why people like you actually make racism worse..was your comment ok? of course your black.
i guess all he has done for children makes no difference to you ..i bet those children rather see you croak before him!!
THE BLACK RACE IS SUFFERING FROM A CULTURE CANCER AND THIS PINHEAD IS PROMOTING RACISM TO A PEOPLE WITH LOW MORALS AND "ALL TO READY" TO BLAME SOMEONE ELSE. YOUR COMMUNITY IS DYING ON THE VINE AND THE MASSES OF BLACKS KNOW IT, THATS WHY THEY CAN'T DEAL WITH THEIR OWN ISSUES AND GO AFTER AN OLD SMART MOUTHED PRICK LIKE IMUS.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT WHITEY THINKS IS RACIST?
DRAGGING REV MY ASS AL AND EXTORTER WITH A BITCH AND A LITTLE BASTARD JESSEBOY.
HOW MANY NIGGERS DIE FROM CRACK EACH YEAR!LOOK AT CHICAGO GANGS!OBAMA S HOME TURF,,,,& YOU WORRY ABOUT IMUS****
Well, we too get some amusement when "African" Americans show just how ignorant they are, too! Get a grip on reality people ... there are REAL issues out there to be dealt with, like global warming, our failing economy, growing world hunger. Why in the world are you people making a big deal of what Don Imus has to say. This is, by defination, a nation of free speech. Many of us are tired of the Politically Correct, affirmative-actionism that we've had to deal with for most of our lives. You have been catered to far too long ... time to stand up and take responsibility for the things that you feel you lack in your lives, instead of crying racism and "playing the Black card". Be aware, even those of us who are NOT prejudiced are starting to think differently.
I'm REALLY tired of hearing how the black community is "offended" by every little thing. As far as Don Imus, I would like to see him as President. Maybe THEN this country could get rid of this Rediculous "politically correct" attitude about little crap.
Is it right for Don Imus to say such racist comments. People everywhere do things they shouldn't do. It is amazing to see the amount of racism still alive and kicking. The comments I read are atrocious. But I have lived with this all of my 57 yrs. I was raised not to use the "N" word. I raised my children the same way. We respect all races. And it is not hard to do. People, stop putting different races in your square boxes and realize that people are people and that's it. If you have to ask what color the person is then you are contributing to the problem and not the solution.
What a bunch of hypocrites you all are!! Why is it the only time the black community gets upset is when a white person does or says something you find offensive? You never hear of anyone getting upset when Tom Joyner or Michael Basdon or any other black personality makes comments about blacks. If you are truly offended by these types of remarks, go after every black comedian, radio personality, and musician who stereotypes blacks or makes comments that you find offensive to blacks, not just the white ones.
it's really getting ridiculous, that everyone has to be so careful on every word they say. believe me, racism exists on both sides. i just read on this website, someone called white people "ignorant". i take offense at that, if the shoe was on the other foot, there would be an outrage. i think using the race card is totally getting out of hand. is it o.k. for obamas wife to use the term "whitey", or is it o.k. for jeremaih wright to preach racism and hatred towards white, jews, and anyone who is not afro-american. how about eugene walcott,a.k.a. rev. farakhan, who was a mentor to jeremiah wright, and who makes terrible racist remarks, and refuses to apologize for any remarks of hatred and racism. the jena 6, who took a whiteboy, and beat him brutally, left the boy with permanent damage, and they were treated like they were the victims when they got arrested. there were marches, demonstrations, afro-american celebrities leading marches, not for the boy that was brutalized, but for the 6 boys that did it. al sharpton, jesse jackson are always in the media talking against racism, while there making their own racist comments. i didn't see sharpton or jackson lead a march or demonstration, when a white girl and her friend were brutalized on a bus. the group of afro-american teens would not let the two white kids sit on the bus, every attempt the white kids tried to sit, the groups of boys would jump in the seat before them, when the two white kids got off the bus, the groups of boys got off, and brutalized and beat the two white kids. but, you don't hear much about that. al sharpton or jackson, haven't said anything about the incident, leaving me to believe that they condon it. it seems to me, that the ones who preach against racism, are the ones most guilty of it.
I am an Black man and could care less about don anus but for those individuals who responded maybe this will help I know you are tired of race relations in america you work hard and see your efforts undercut evertime someone plays the race card I think the problem has been overlooked granite Packman is an idiot but for Imus to equate dumbass with the ethnicity of black males as though thats the sole reason for lack of better judgement is pretty far fetched for those of you with the nasty language and poor thought I dont belive a white people are racisits but like my man said up top if it walks like a duck
Where Imus screwed up is that he connected Pacman to all black men in America. Black men don't all act like Pacman Jones.
Post a Comment