Blogger1947 to Imus & Sharpton: Just Go Away

I still have mixed feelings over the whole Imus ordeal. Part of me believes he's getting what he deserves and the other part of me thinks its really that big of a deal. If you haven't seen it already, you should check out this story over at <a href="http://highbridnation.highbrid.com/?p=1723">Highbrid Nation</a>. The guy who wrote it worked at WFAN with Imus and gives some interesting insight into whether the man is really a racist or not. You all should check it out if you get a chance.

evorgleb:

The link, as you originally gave it, was broken. But I found the story and repaired it. Other readers who clicked that highbridnation link prior to around 1900 EDT should try again.

I was in radio broadcasting myself when Imus, Stern and some of their ilk got started. Here in Baltimore, the leader of the shock-jock crew was known by the air name Johnny Walker.

Now, I have as ribald as sense of humor as anyone, but in my opinion broadcast material is sacrosanct. I never found this stuff entertaining, and have been surprised at the amount of money it has made people. Stern, in particular.

As for Highbrid Nation, I would have a lot more respect for your opinion if the blog did not contain so many obvious spelling errors. It's that death of a thousand cuts thing: someone who does not sweat the spelling is likely not to sweat a lot of other details.

Do I believe Imus is stuck on himself, and snubs his subordinates? Of course. Comes with the territory. As a jazz musician, I can tell you that any performer needs a huge ego in order to cope with the ever present performance anxiety. Will I hit that high note? Will it be funny? Etcetera.

But to call someone a "racist" is far more complex, IMO. You can be racially prejudiced without especially being a "racist." That is, as a white guy you are perfectly free to dislike most black people, provided that you treat them the same as you treat non-blacks whom you don't like. I'll go so far as to say a person can feel a genuinely visceral dislike for blacks, as long as he recognizes that legally blacks and whites have the same rights, and does nothing unfair.

It's also quite possible to throw around racial insults without being a "racist," i.e., someone who actively discriminates solely because of race. When you're in a heated verbal exchange, you often reach for the insult that is most handy, whether it's race, gender, baldness, weight.

But my original point is that Imus ought to be considered irrelevant, just as Sharpton should. Neither of these guys has done a single thing that will be remembered five years after their death, good or bad. Hustlers who make a living by inflaming people's emotions are never worth worrying about, unless they happen to hold some political office. If Imus or Sharpton were to run for President--different story.