Of greater concern

We've all seen the Imus thing in the news.

The guy was making 10 million dollars a year. If he's as intelligent as much of the media make him out to be, he'll take a bigger chunk of that money (than he already has) and spend it on his kids ranch and try to benefit even more kids. There is no doubt in my mind that Imus is a good person that made a mistake, but there is a greater concern.

Here is the transcript from that portion of his show that morning:
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From the April 4 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning:

IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.

ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.

IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --

McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.

IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.

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Of greater concern, to my mind, is where is the outrage regarding the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk. Without his prompting, the remark likely would never have been uttered. Yet I have seen no media hype regarding his contribution.

Sure, we've seen commentary about rap lyrics, etc. But I don't understand why it is acceptable to call any young women "hos", preceded by any adjectives or not. Why are people not up in arms about McGuirk's leading comments?

Also, after Imus was fired from his radio show, a survey was posted asking if people agreed with his firing. I can't find the survey at the moment ( I saw it in USA Today if anyone wants to try to find it), but more people said he should not be fired, than said he should. In essence, what that tells me, is that the society (at least those polled) has moved in the direction of requiring no consequence for your actions. Use racial slurs? Just say I'm sorry and it's all good. Throw in a little violence? You did say you were sorry, right? Continue on your way. Use a weapon and kill someone. That was a sincere mea culpa, wasn't it?

What I am trying to get to, is this: at what point do you need to be responsible for what you say and do? My contention is that one should always be responsible for what they say and do.

But wait, many have said. What about the reverend Jesse Jackson and his prejudicial comments? What about Bryant Gumbel and his prejudicial comments?

That they were not sanctioned in some way for their actions, did not make them right. That they did not get the same level of attention or focus as this, did not make them right. I'll say it again, my contention is that one should always be responsible for what they say and do.

Is that difficult? Absolutely. Have I said things that I shouldn't have, or done things that I shouldn't have? I don't think anyone can say no to that (truthfully). But if there is no consequence, that level of disrespect becomes the norm, raising the bar for even greater levels of disrespect, until there is no respect for anything nor anyone.

My fear is that we are already well along this path.