What saddens me in the Imus contoversy is that the real losers are SIDS parents and kids with cancer

NBC and CBS were wrong in their actions concerning Imus.If the classy women at Rutgers could accept his apolgy,why couldn't the stations give him a chance to atone for his hurtful mistake? Why are the majority of the blogs against his firing?I hope the rev's keep up your ratings, because I am giving you a time out. Maybe with time I will forgive. Meanwhile pander to the hypocrites.

A point must be made, everyone. The coach of the Rutgers ball team fanned the flames for the media.
The tears flowed. She should stand tall. Deflect the cruel words. Realize that the youth of today are hypocrites when it comes to "mean words". Quit buying and listening to rap music. Imus' strange way of giving the women a slap on the back for being terrific athletes simply backfired. It happens to all of us.

Dear Brian,

I have been a huge fan of NBC/MSNBC. I thought you had more integrity than anyone else. No more. The way you handled the Imus situation was pathetic. What Imus said was apalling, but you should have given him time to make ammends/changes. Instead, you seem to have rushed to judgement. You also seem to have forgotten all the good he's done. As well as the quality of the interviews on his show. All of you who were eager, enthusiastic,regulars on his show but who've failed to report the whole truth about the Imus shbould be ashamed of your cowardly behavior. I'm going back to CNN.

What Don Imus said about the Rutgers women's basketball team was apalling, as is must of the humor on his show. The other aspects of his show, however, were of great value--the interviews, the discussions. They were more real and honest than most of what's on tv, as well as all the charity work. You threw out the baby with the bath water. I think you rushed to judgement, you should have waithed to see if he would make some changes. What is much more apalling than Imus' degrading humor is the hypocrisy of all the NBC people who have gone on his show and who now put the blame on him. You are just as pesponsible for this, if not more. If his humor was so bad, why have you continued to go on his show? I have been a big fan of NBC. Imus should definitely pay a price--have him pay for the education of all the women on the Rutgers team--but don't throw away the good with the bad. I'm going back to CNN. I think your spineless hypocrites.

What Don Imus said about the Rutgers women's basketball team was apalling, as is must of the humor on his show. The other aspects of his show, however, were of great value--the interviews, the discussions. They were more real and honest than most of what's on tv, as well as all the charity work. You threw out the baby with the bath water. I think you rushed to judgement, you should have waithed to see if he would make some changes. What is much more apalling than Imus' degrading humor is the hypocrisy of all the NBC people who have gone on his show and who now put the blame on him. You are just as pesponsible for this, if not more. If his humor was so bad, why have you continued to go on his show? I have been a big fan of NBC. Imus should definitely pay a price--have him pay for the education of all the women on the Rutgers team--but don't throw away the good with the bad. I'm going back to CNN. I think your spineless hypocrites.

Hi Brian

As a LONG time viewer of NBC and in particular NBC Nightly, I wanted to pass on my comments and opinions concerning Mr. Imus' remarks.

While I think Mr. Imus' comments were despicable and he should be censured, I don't believe that removing him permanently from the airwaves will resolve the problems of racism, hatred, sexism or any form of discrimination in this country. As I watched the developments of this situation over the past few days, those that have come across as the LOUDEST voices for his removal are just as GUILTY, and I refer to both Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. If Mr. Imus is removed from the airwaves then so should the opportunities for these two men to voice their hatreds be removed.

Al Sharpton talked this morning about 'hip hop' and the music industry, but what, if anything has he really done? I've heard NO major picketing of the music industry over the past few years, nor a picketing of the music awards programs. He has chosen to use Don Imus as a 'scapegoat'.

Both Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson say they are fighting for Mr. Imus' removal because he is a 'public figure' using the airwaves, well where are their fights within their own community against the hip hop rap singers, as well as the radio shows that play the music AND the television programs that promote 'awards' programs for these rap singer?? These singers are just as public if not more so. Where were Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when their colleague, Pat Robinson was promoting 'murder' over the airwaves??

I was raised in the 40's and 50's in a multi racial community. I have had many African American friends and still do. My opinion is that if you are going to fight for injustice, whether it be racism, sexism, hatred or discrimination, fight for ALL of it. I disagree with NBC's removal of Mr. Imus and I disagree with those advertisers that have pulled their ad's. I believe MORE good can come from this ugly situation if Mr. Imus were allowed to continue on the airwaves.

Just a bit of information, I am not a regular viewer of Mr. Imus' program. About the only time I turn his program on is when he has a guest of interest.

Thanks for allowing my to express my opinion.....

I am dismayed with MSNC/NBC taking Imus off of MSNBC..never have I seen more hypocrisy ....I think you've made a wrong decision and it will be apparent in the days ahead.

Dear Brian,
I feel that the ouster of the Imus in the Morning show is long overdue, dating back to the time a couple of years ago when Imus and his team were so unprofessionally rude to Contessa Brewer and other female news anchors that were placed opposite Imus to read the news. That is when I stopped tuning in to the Imus program and only watched MSNBC during the times that Imus was off the air. Prior to that, I had enjoyed the author interviews, discussions with political figures and conversations with reporters. As an aside, it was through these interviews that I learned what a delightful sense of humor both you and your colleague David Gregory have.

The problem is that there are two Imuses, and the Imus who conducts the interviews without the aid of Charles McCord or Bernard McGuirk was an asset to MSNBC and brought something unique to the network. Rather than seeing Imus removed entirely from MSNBC, I would like to have seen MSNBC exercise its considerable influence and offer a restructuring of the show, discarding everyone and everything except for Imus himself. Give him a production team made up of NBC professionals, but allow him to conduct his interviews as he always has done, and do away with the cruel attempts at humor.

I have followed this story closely and it seems that many comments deplore the hurtful attempts at humor at the expense of others, but wish to see more of the good interviewer and charitable private citizen. I do support MSNBC's decision and believe you all made the right decision in a dignified and sensitive manner.

Brian:

All businesses make tough decisions, but in dropping Imus, however, it should be noted that he had become the conscience of America in terms of philanthropy. I can think of no single other individual--not one--who could successfully raise so much money for such diverse causes.

This decision takes any heat off your company, and I understand, that. But I also think it could be characterized as pandering to the moment, and future issues, ranging from money to help rehab wounded soldiers to kids with cancer, be damned.

Thanks for listening.

Bruce Rubin

I was a soldier. I feel no one but a soldier can understand how it feels; counting down the days to their loved ones. When...oops, With one big bandaid, the politicians fixed their inability to address the problem. Viet Nam all over again? Get the politicians out of the war and let soldiers do their job. It's hard to make decisions like that when you're leading from the rear. At the very least, that 15 month tour should affect those who are going, not those who have been planning to come home soon. I suggest congress double the pay and forgive taxes of those soldiers who have to do a 15 month tour.

As a military wife, I am deeply disappointed that I had to hear of the extension through the news. I know the extension is "newsworthy" but would it be too much to ask to hold off reporting it until the families have had a chance to be told? I didn't even get the official phone call until last evening. When did we lose the right to hear stuff like this from the Army? Are you going to be at my door to notify me that something terrible has happened to my husband?

PLEASE think of what your reporting is doing to the military families out there. It is hard enough to survive a deployment, or multiple ones in my case, without the press delivering this kind of disappointing news to us. We deserve to hear it from the Army first.

Thank you

The Imus firing is another over the top reaction in our over corrected society. If these are the new rules in America, then let's demand all demeaning, vulgar song lyrics be banned. We should also fire all the record company executives that release this material, in fact I demand it.

Greatly disappointed in the NBC decision to terminate Don Imus - Yes, what he said was wrong and he deserved to be punished - not fired. After 10 years at MSNBC Imus deserved the opportunity to atone for his mistake. Brian, I hope that if you ever make a mistake that NBC is more loyal to you.

The article below is written by Jason Whitlock a columnists for the KC Star. Jason is no fan of Imus but puts this incident in the proper perspective.

Sports > Columnists > Jason Whitlock Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007

Jason Whitlock Posted on Wed, Apr. 11, 2007reprint or license print email COMMENTARY
Imus isn’t the real bad guy
Instead of wasting time on irrelevant shock jock, black leaders need to be fighting a growing gangster culture.
By JASON WHITLOCK - Columnist

Thank you, Don Imus. You’ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.

You’ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.

You’ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

The bigots win again.

While we’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos.

I ain’t saying Jesse, Al and Vivian are gold-diggas, but they don’t have the heart to mount a legitimate campaign against the real black-folk killas.

It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.

Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.

It’s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud.

I’m no Don Imus apologist. He and his tiny companion Mike Lupica blasted me after I fell out with ESPN. Imus is a hack.

But, in my view, he didn’t do anything outside the norm for shock jocks and comedians. He also offered an apology. That should’ve been the end of this whole affair. Instead, it’s only the beginning. It’s an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda$.

I watched the Rutgers news conference and was ashamed.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for eight minutes in 1963 at the March on Washington. At the time, black people could be lynched and denied fundamental rights with little thought. With the comments of a talk-show host most of her players had never heard of before last week serving as her excuse, Vivian Stringer rambled on for 30 minutes about the amazing season her team had.

Somehow, we’re supposed to believe that the comments of a man with virtually no connection to the sports world ruined Rutgers’ wonderful season. Had a broadcaster with credibility and a platform in the sports world uttered the words Imus did, I could understand a level of outrage.

But an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction.

In the grand scheme, Don Imus is no threat to us in general and no threat to black women in particular. If his words are so powerful and so destructive and must be rebuked so forcefully, then what should we do about the idiot rappers on BET, MTV and every black-owned radio station in the country who use words much more powerful and much more destructive?

I don’t listen or watch Imus’ show regularly. Has he at any point glorified selling crack cocaine to black women? Has he celebrated black men shooting each other randomly? Has he suggested in any way that it’s cool to be a baby-daddy rather than a husband and a parent? Does he tell his listeners that they’re suckers for pursuing education and that they’re selling out their race if they do?

When Imus does any of that, call me and I’ll get upset. Until then, he is what he is — a washed-up shock jock who is very easy to ignore when you’re not looking to be made a victim.

No. We all know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old white man with a bad radio show. There’s no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out.

To reach Jason Whitlock, call (816) 234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com

Mr. Williams,

You use this blog to express your own opinions on a regular basis. NBC's decision regarding Imus is a blow to many people.

Unless it was a complete act, you seemed to enjoy your calls to Imus. You owe it to us to give us your personal thoughts. Al Roker felt he had to.

My other question is, why did all these NBC employees just bring their problems about Imus to light now? I'm deeply disappointed in Mr. Capus' decision. I hope you stood up for Imus as much as you could.

Brian,
We've been fans of yours for years. We're also Imus fans. Disappointed in his remarks but more disappointed in NBC for pandering. MSNBC will miss him, as will his viewers. I agree with Sue - it's back to NPR. I just wrote to the FCC to make a complaint and to encourage them from participating in a double standard like Mr. Sharpton and Mr. Jackson. Everyone should write to ask to make it illegal to play racially and gender offensive music on the airwaves. At least justice was served in Durham.

I am concerned that the comments Imus might be a victim of reverse discrimination since the airways are filled with African Americans from the political, entertainment, and athletic communities who have said the exact same thing longer and more frequently.
Undoubtedly we should all have respect for eveyone however lets inforce the same standards on everyone.
This whole affair reminds me of what happens to some people who are sentenced to prison for nonviolent crimes however they may end up being sexually assaulted or killed by other inmates. The reality of it is that we are all inmates in the World and we should all strive for a higher standard of well being for all no matter what color, culture, religion, God name, or political persuasion we follow.

I am very disappointed in the decision to terminate the Imus in the morning show. It seems the big money (advertisers) dictated his fate more than any self righteous outrage over inappropriate remarks made on his broadcast. The mornings will now be quiet and uninspiring as a wave of mindless drivel fill the airwaves with political correctness and banal observations summarizing the obvious for those unable to grasp the complexities and imperfections of daily life on this planet. Don Imus is not a racist nor did he intend to hurt anyone. There does not appear to be sufficient balance in this reaction by NBC. The road to forgiveness,it seems,is a one way street in this country. What contributions have others made to environmental health, kids with cancer, SIDS, US military men and women in battle and in rehab? Name one rap artist who has done anything to help anyone to the extent that Don Imus has then ask what would cardinal Egan say? We'll miss you Don.

I must say that the decision by NBC to no longer simulcast the Imus morning show is one of the most hypocritical and spineless decisions that I have heard. The hypocrisy by the lack of the same standard applied to any other NBC programming that it televises featuring hip hop or rap music, black comedians using the same language or disparaging whites or other races, and by following the rants and ravings of black racists like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. There are many other black leaders to follow and emulate rather than these two who have their own checkered pasts regarding their integrity.

The spineless decision is reflected by NBC backtracking on its decision to suspend Imus for two weeks. This shows either dishonesty or lack of competence by NBC; NBC either rushed to judgment in deciding to suspend him for two weeks or wilted because of the advertiser and internal pressure. It appears that liberal white guilt is rampant within the corporate structure of NBC. An online poll reflected that over 60% of the people either thought that a two week suspension was appropriate or none at all was appropriate. Only 30% thought that he should be fired. You can see where your corporation lies within in the mainstream of public opinion.

I have also had it with the National Association of Black Journalists and all the other National Association of Black Whatevers. These groups very existence reflects a racism of uninclusiveness. My God, the uproar of the formation of a National Association of White Whatevers!

If you want to see what minority mob rule incites look at the young men at Duke railroaded because of minority and white guilt pressure. Where are the black leaders saying a wrong in the name of race was committed in Durham?

I will no longer watch MSNBC or NBC News programming, which I did watch a fair amount of.

As Imus has stated, his remarks were insensitive and wrong, he apologized, and was facing punishment with a two week suspension and the humiliation that he was going through. NBC's decision does not fit the punishment with the crime.

Dear Mr. Williams:

I am truly saddened that NBC has chosen to fire Don Imus. I am also disappointed in the coverage by those of you who appeared on his show with some frequency. Those who watched "Hardball" with David Gregory but didn't watch Imus would be shocked to know that David is (was?) one of Imus' favorite people. And those of you who appeared on his show know not only the great things he has done for cancer patients, SIDS research and Iraq war veterans (to name a few), but could also provide some insight into the notion that Imus is a bigot. I've heard no mention, for example, of Imus frequently expressed opinion that Harold Ford (who is black) lost the Tennessee Senate race because he was the victim of racism. Imus recent comments were disgusting. He has said so himself. Those of you who appear on Imus know there is much more to this story and this man. Objectivity is one thing, but your seeming reluctance to tell us about your own personal experience with Imus leads me to believe that you are telling the truth but not the whole truth. All of you owe Imus and (more importantly) your viewers more.

Brian
It's great to see when Americans stand together on an issue we get results. Two issues Imus or the troops? Imus got fired as the troops will continue to stay on extended tours in the middle of the Iraq civil war. As the Iraq people march for the US to get out Bush continues to keep the soldiers there. Iraq soldiers are marching for US to get out so I guess the country's only military is the US. The Military said they gave millions in bonuses maybe a reporter should ask what happen when the soldiers re-enlisted as the about offered wasn't the amount given. It's another one of those say one thing do another. No problem they most likely will get an apology from the President like the injured troops got for their lack of treatment at Walter Reed and other hospitals.
As for Fred Thompson he should stick to acting he's not doing a good job right now at playing a candidate. I hope he fires his Hollywood script writer, the West Wing writers are better. At lease it might help Law and Order get more viewers for ratings.

Many are cheering at the firing of Don Imus. Finally the network is seeing what the public has seen for a long time..that the media is allowing the airwaves to contribute to the coarsening of the culture.

The Rutgers coach put it so well when she said that adults have the responsibility to guide our youth. It seems that so many adults today are more concerned about fitting into the coarsened culture than thwarting it. Sadly, many of those adults are public figures.

Parents are fed up with the language used by the Hip Hop community. Imus is a parent. Why wasn't he denouncing those lyrics rather than attempting to use them as an excuse for himself? As Vivian Stringer said, he's 3 times the age of the rappers. He should know better.

Ms. Stringer also conveyed that the media doesn't care how their messages hurt individuals. All on air personalities should find a lesson in her words by weighing theirs.

Blatant or subtle negative messages hurt individuals. All NBC employees need to keep that in mind (day and night).

I am very disappointed that MSNBC will not be carrying Don Imus. There is nothing else in the morning to compare with his show. Although at times the so called funny comments made me cringe; on the whole there was alot more information given that more that made up for the crass comments. Well, I guess it will be back to NPR for me. I would think Don Imus's good deeds would more than make up for his stupid remark.

I would like to say as a recovering alcoholic, that I think that IMUS did more for the average man than anyone else on NBC. How many of you run a camp to help kids with cancer, or a SIDS telethon, or run a company that all the profits go to charity?

Brian -

Thank you and NBC News President Steve Capus for removing Don Imus from NBC.

I could see Steve tonight and you, Brian over the last few days both doing your very best to make the right move for your company and for your viewers and listeners. I know this was not an easy decision, but it was the right one. Imus' words have affected families all over the country - I will never forget the young woman at Rutgers who began her comments by saying "I am someone's child ........ and I am not a 'ho'".

I can only hope that CBS and WFAN will follow your lead to elevate the level of responsibility of the broadcasts networks to provide programming of which every American can be proud, and remove Mr. Imus from their broadcasts.