Racist Attacks We must respond - Articles - Zimbio

Don Imus Does It Again

Mon, 24 Jun 2008 09:52:35 GMT

posted by fnfamous

Don Imus, the radio host who caught a lot of heat last year for calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball some “nappy headed hoes,” is back at his racist rants again.

Months after returning to the radio with a pledge to mend the wounds caused by his past comments, he is once again defending on-air remarks regarding race.

During an on-air conversation Monday (June 23) about the arrests of suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback Pacman Jones, Imus asked a co-host, “What color is he?” The co-host responded by tell him that Pacman was an “African-American.” To this Imus responded: “There you go. Now we know.”

In an attempt at damage control, Imus released a statement shortly after, saying his statement was misunderstood.

“I meant that he was being picked on because he’s black,” Imus said in a statement released by his spokesman.

This guy doesn’t get it does he? He should definitely watch his mouth.

Filed under: How Rude! |

“Nappy-Headed Hoes” Still fighting the media representation war…

Fri, 7 Apr 2007 15:22:00 GMT

posted by lexilex

By now a conservative radio host making disparaging remarks about minorities should not be a shock. However, the reports from the Associated Press stating that Imus, from the nationally syndicated Imus in the Morning radio program called the women of Rutgers basketball team “nappy headed hoes” should shock all of us. I’m sure many have not read this article (I only stumbled upon it during my daily reading of Race in America now called Race and Ethnicity tab on MSNBC) and my fear is that this will just get swept up under coverage of other “important topics” like Newt Gingrich attempting to speak Spanish in an apology or people’s opinions about what John and Elizabeth Edwards should do about their situation. (Leave them alone people! respect their decision) We should not continue to tolerate members of the media representing us in such a negative fashion.
The comments when as follows, “That’s some rough girls from Rutgers,” Imus said. “Man, they got tattoos...” “Some hardcore hos,” said McGurk.
“That’s some nappy headed hos there, I’m going to tell you that,” Imus said.
What!?!?! Why is it okay to discuss women in this manner on a national show? These are young African American women who are succeeding athletically and academically at a respected university. Even if they were not, there is absolutely no reason to call these women out of their name. Although Imus and his program issued an apology (due to the outrage of the National Association for Black Journalists) should we now just relax and not take it too seriously because after all he is sorry? When will we as a people stand and say that we will not tolerate being represented in this manner? Do we have to wait for the next “unacceptable” comment? Oh wait a second that is what we are already doing… Okay, Black America time for a new approach! When do are so called empowerment groups stand up TOGETHER to fight these atrocities? Where are you NAACP, National Urban League and Black Student Unions across the country????
Interesting, enough a paper I am writing this semester is a research study on print journalism in sports and how columnists refer to minority athletes in comparison to their white counterparts. Pretty interesting findings so far there are definitely more negative or stereotypical (sexual, animalistic, lazy) adjectives used to describe black athletes or coaches than whites. If an athlete does not appear to have any negative aspects there is often a surprised tone or phrases used within the article. Then funny thing is you think I would be talking about articles from 20 or 30 years ago while in fact they were written from November 2006 to January 2007. We must understand the ramifications of these types of representations, over half of black youth today want to “go to the league or now throw some d’s on every vehicle they obtain from hustlin”. These aren’t generalizations, but researched conclusions and if we don’t find a way to value education our youth will continue to crumble. My fear is that this same comment will be made 20 years from now and our youth will think it is normal and won’t have any feelings of outrage or power to address it.
The long-standing war against biased media representation does not seem to have an end in site and so far I feel like we are losing almost every battle. Even if Imus was removed from his show these comments would not stop. Modern diversity training can only do so much and has not proven to be extremely effective. What are we to do? Who is responsible, Imus, Black America, Media? I say it’s a combination, it is essential to educate ourselves and to stand up for our treatment. We all complain of being discriminated however, after the hour or so of being upset we go back to living a life of uninformed drones who go to work and provide for their families because for some reason we can’t fit social justice in at all. Too busy to even have this discussion that I pose right now. How do we stop hearing our promising young black women being called “Nappy Headed Hoes”? I’d love to hear your comments…
I hope you N’Joyed

read the orginal article at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17982146/

NHH: The Aftermath

Sun, 9 Apr 2007 16:17:00 GMT

posted by lexilex

So, by now the other news outlets and blogs have picked up on the "Nappy Headed Hoes" Imus comment that I posted on Saturday. Now everyone is so "outraged" including the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton, even the NAACP has called for his dismissal. Interesting that there is no talks of rehabilitation or education only termination. When did we stop educating? And why is the answer now "to get rid of the problem"? I always thought problems were solved not thrown away because they will come back.

So now I pose that we discuss the following: should Don Imus lose his radio show due to his inappropriate comments? After careful consideration I realize that if Imus is fired the problem ultimately is not fixed or solved. In fact the band aid hasn't made it across the wound. This could be a chance to create a public forum to education his millions of listeners across the country who might secretly feel the same way. Consider the Audience for Imus who is syndicated in over 70 radio stations across the country including MSNBC TV. If we can help Imus see the error of his ways on air, we might be able to start changing the way we are referred to in the media.

For continuous coverage and a video of the Imus in the Morning radio program: click here

Of Pots & Kettles

Wed, 10 May 2007 10:02:00 GMT

posted by DaveLucas
Tags: Al Sharpton,Rap Music, Rap Culture, black mass culture, corporations, hip hop

From the Washington Post:

When Al Sharpton publicly harpooned Don Imus for his "nappy headed hoes" remark, a lot of American's wondered: "is the pot calling the kettle black?" Confirmation of that question may have come during a debate, Monday, when the Reverend said the following about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney:
"As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways, so don't worry about that; that's a temporary situation."

Not Your Father's Recording Industry: In the aftermath of Don Imus' "racist" remarks and subsequent dismissal from his braodcast duties*, many came forward to compare Imus' unfortunate choice of words with Rap Music. In all that I've read and heard since, nothing compares to an article I came across on AlterNet:

As "conscious" rapper Paris wrote, there is no viable alternative to the corporate nexus for hip hop artists seeking to reach a mass audience. "WHAT underground?" said Paris. "Do you know how much good material is marginalized because it doesn't fit white cooperate America's ideals of acceptability? Independents can't get radio or video play anymore, at least not through commercial outlets, and most listeners don't acknowledge material that they don't see or hear regularly on the radio or on T.V."

That quote is from mid-article. It starts off with a clever analogy:

On a Spring day at McDonald's fast food restaurants all across Black America, counter clerks welcome female customers with the greeting, "What you want, b***h?" Female employees flip burgers in see-through outfits and make lewd sexual remarks to pre-teen boys while bussing tables. McDonald's managers position themselves near the exits, arms folded, Glocks protruding from their waistbands, nodding to departing customers, "Have a good day, mother****ers. Y'all my n****s."

Read it all...

*On the 12th it will have been a month since Imus was dropped by CBS.

Michelle Malkin continues her fight for the right to free speech:

Hot Air and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are challenging copyright law abuse by music giant Universal Music Group--the record company for R&B; misogynist Akon. Last week, I noted that UMG forced YouTube to yank our video report criticizing Akon's onstage antics and vulgar lyrics claiming copyright infringement. The non-profit EFF has agreed to represent Hot Air in contesting the takedown. Here's the press release:

Since when did "racial identity" become one with "national identity"?

Mon, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

posted by iludiumphosdex

PERHAPS THE LOWEST OF IDEAS TO COME DOWN THE PIKE AS AN "ELECTION ISSUE" IN INDECISION 2008 is that which certain weird and unwholesome types are pushing about "racial identity" being in the same league as "national identity."

Which, it just so happens, is the pet argument of racists and white supremacists Who Should Know Better, and who better to advance such illogic than Ku Kluxer apologist David Duke, who has been quoted in the Southern Poverty Law Centre's Hatewatch blog as suggesting that

[Barack] Obama will be a signal, a clear signal for millions of our people ... Obama is like that new big dark spot on your arm that finally sends you to the doctor for some real medicine. Obama is the pain that let's [sic] your body know that something is dreadfully wrong. Obama will let the American people know that there is a real cancer eating away at the heart of our country and Republican aspirin will not only not cure it, but only masks the pain and makes you think you don't need radical surgery. My bet is that whether Obama wins or loses in November, millions of European Americans will inevitably react with new awareness of their heritage and the need for them to defend and advance it.

Such a notion of "racial identity=national identity" as is encapsulated in the racist acronym ORION (as in "Our Race Is Our Nation"), which could easily be right out of apartheid South Africa, come to think of it.

But when you get right down to it, perhaps we should do well to recall the warning from history known as the German-American Bund, which the Nazi regime back in Germany supported with significant financial and moral backing by hoping to establish Nazi beachheads among German expatriate communities across the United States and in cities with substantial German-American populations like New York, Chicago and Milwaukee.

In any case, the Steuben League, which was traditionally the most conservative of German-American societies, expressed serious reservations about the Bund and its use by the Nazis for peddling influence and support for their cause.

But in the end, it was the Bund's president, Fritz Julius Kuhn (himself an American citizen of German descent), as would be the Bund's downfall: Rumours of Herr Kuhn diverting Bund funds to personal use (and Kuhn's defence that, by virtue of his absolute leadership, he was above reproach, legal and otherwise) would be enough to bring them down towards the end of 1939 ... but not before a rather notorious rally @ Madison Square Garden in New York as was replete with anti-Semitic comments which would degenerate into fisticuffs and violence. And soon after Pearl Harbour sent America into World War II, Bund members would be interned for "aiding the enemy," among them Herr Kuhn, who would subsequently be deported to Germany.

Remember, boys and girls: We ignore history @ our own peril. Even if there are arguments about equating "racial identity" with "national identity."

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