Bluebear, Your reply to me was totally non-substantive. I'm not an apologist because I have a different viewpoint than yours. I think Imus is being scapegoated, and I've said so, with a few links. And I'm not the only one. Don Imus: the good-natured racist

I've said that Imus' problem is that he was talking black while white, that there is a double standard here, and I meant it. Black rappers commonly call women hos, boetches, and more, and that speech is tolerated. Those lyrics spread throughout our youth community. We don't react to that as uncivil speech, and the rappers aren't fired for using it. But let a white shock jock (why do you think he is termed that?) say the same thing, and all hell breaks loose. That's a double standard.

It's more than a bit ironic that McQuirk parodied a black director's work. "Meanwhile, there was little mention of the remarks made by Imus's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, who seemed to instigate the controversial comments during the April 4 broadcast (a video of which quickly found itself onto YouTube and other video websites). McGuirk used language from Spike Lee's School Daze to refer to the women's teams as "Jigaboos versus the Wannabes." Imus's defenders pointed out that the Lee film never touched off a similar uproar."

Rev. Sharpton makes a good point when he says that the public airways shouldn't be used to spread racist and sexist language; it's all uncivil language. That also means that gangsta rap would be off the airways. If we really want to fight racist, sexist language, we should expect the same standard from all people, regardless of age.

Rev. Sharpton also made the point that major networks don't have black commentators. Does he have an ulterior motive? Who can know? But it will be interesting to see if Imus' firing opens up a time slot for Rev. Sharpton in the national media.