We as American’s are constantly allowing the comments of others to destroy our rights to free speech. What Immus said was nothing short of hilarious. He has always used his comments to invoke controversy amongst his coworkers and listeners. For those that are disturbed by his comment should comment as such. But to allow this comment to be something that is worth fireing over is nothing more than a continuation of our demise as a great country. We will continue down this path of ‘hushing the comments’ until we are afraid to say anything about anyone. It will get so bad that when I comment to a person “Hey your hair looks monkey brown” I will have to look out for the victim or race card being thrown. Get real people and learn to live with some discomfort. That’s what makes us strong in the end!

The Imus thing is about language. We've all heard too much about "hos, bitches, skanks". Imus had a career ruining lapse in judgment. He thought it was ok to use words that shouldn't be ok for anyone to use about young women. White or black. The Rev. Al doesn't get wound up when Chris Rock uses that language. He ought to be a little more equal opportunity with his indignation. One would have thought that Imus would know that you can't, as a white person, use any hip-hop language. The very righteous Rev. Sharpton and Mr. Jackson are just ready and waiting to wind everyone up about what's racist". Anyone who's listened to Imus knows he's not a racist. He goes after everyone in an irreverent, hypberbolic manner. It would be nice if some of his African American friends might step forward with a show of support. Imus has been saying outrageous things and poking at all sorts of people and issues for years. It's not new. He's a bad boy. But he isn't mean. He's generous and inspired and fair. Was he wrong here. Of course. And he clearly knows it. In his world, Imus is around hip-hop musicians, all sorts of comedians who cross lines all the time. It's understandable that he's become de-sensitized to where you can go with language these days. Maybe that would be a useful lesson for him to be able to pass along to others. And who appointed Al Sharpton to be a spokesperson for what's right anyway? To accuse Imus of being a racist is cheap and easy and not really looking at any context. Sharpton is the racist.

Your nework has no spine for not sticking up for IMUS. What he said was too far, however how does Black Commedians such as Chris Rock and Dave Chappell get away with it??? It's only racist when a white person say's it???

It's all too clear, the Sharpton/Jackson shakedown team got to CBS & MSNBC. What did you have to promise them??? A few years ago they pulled the same thing with Toyota after an inappropriate ad made it's way past all of the sensors.

When is America going to realize that they (Sharpton & Jackson)are the racists. They should be ashamed of themselves especially since they are ministers.

Needless to say that I will be only watching ABC & Fox from now on.

whoever is without sin, cast the first stone. Don Imus is a descent man. It is just so funny that people forget all the good someone does for years and years just because he said something you didn't like. I am not racist but the black community blows EVERYTHING up all out of proportion. Al Sharpton started this whole thing AND HE AIN'T SQUEAKY CLEAN!!!! One Imus apology was enough. And the black community want exceptance and equality.This is not the way to go about it.In my eyes, they are causing more resentment in the long run. The white community is sooner or later going to get tired of blacks wining about oh well just everything.

I will support the firing of Don Imus when you apply the same zeal to black rappers and the Rev. Jackson and Al sharpton, a pair of race baiters if ever there was one.

Al Sharpton now needs to apologize to the Duke lacrosse players, whose lives were ripped apart for a whole year.

If you ask me, Al Sharpton should be the one fired from his radio show. This whole mess reaks of a double standard. CBS and MSNBC were WRONG. And as of today, I will no longer be watching those two stations.

Now we have Barack Obama piling on Imus. What a joke. These politician would cut the hearts out of their own mothers if it was politically expedient to do so. That should tell voters something about his level of tolerance should he ascend to the White House.

There is a special place in Hell for people like Mr. Imus, who use bigotry and ridicule (prentending this is "humor") to make money. The only thing the young women from Rutgers did to "attract" this bigotry and ridicule is play championship-level basketball. Well, Mr. Imus, sometimes stupid is fatal. Time for you to exit, stage left.

The "elephant in the room" should include a discussion about the participation in the Imus program by a contingent from NBC. As I recall, Imus has long supported you -- Mr. Williams. I believe you were on the air just last week threatening to slap Mr. Imus. I'm assuming that was an attempt at comedy. When taken out of context, it's a threat of physical violence.

I am amazed at the ability of NBC -- particularly Brian Williams -- to so easily sever ties with a program that you helped to define for many years. Mr. Imus hasn't receive any slack over the past few days -- nor should those who participated in the show so long as it was profitable for them to do so.

Furthermore, didn't Imus's career begin with NBC? Hasn't Imus been a part of the NBC family since about 1995 when the simulcast began? And wasn't he about to spend the twilight of his career at 30 Rock? The decision to cut ties was made with "family" in mind? I guess the concept of family is a fluid one at NBC.

Brian I'm a big Imus fan, but MSNBC has the right to cancel anyone it wants. I find a lot of this howling funny, though. I guess I have a high tolerance for hypocrisy (have Jackson and Sharpton apologized to the Duke defendants for calling them thugs and rapists? -- just kidding). Too bad there's no humor in all this ..... but I'll try. "Don Imus was run over by a railroad train, but it didn't kill him. As the paramedic loaded him into the ambulance she asked him if he was comfortable. Don said, 'I make a living.'"
If you're too old to appreciate the play on words there, you're probably not an Imus fan, either.

Brian -

FYI, the picture of Kurt Vonnegut on the front page of the NY Times this morning that was taken by his wife, Jill Krementz is from a book of hers entitled "The Writers' Desk" which has been living in my 'home office' since 1996. It is a small book, but the pictures of the writers and the notes next to them are special.

Just thought I would mention that.

This entire incident just goes to prove what is wrong with the priorities of American values.

So Imus made some very egregious and disgusting remarks----he isn't the first person ever to make such comments and he wont be the last. It just baffles me about the double standard and hypocrisy. An old white man makes these comments and all hell breaks loose. But when Eminem makes fun of the gays in his music or when rappers proclaim death to woman---it's fine and dandy by other standards.

What irks me even more is that the news media and the establishment bow to the force of the so called Rev. Al Sharpton. What moral authority does Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have when they have each engaged in racist remarks over the years. Al Sharpton has the shroud of the Tawana Brawley Controversy over his head and the heated comments he made against white police officers. In 1979 Jackson stated that he had "seen very few Jewish reporters that have the capacity to be objective about Arab affairs." Why do we pick and choose the value of one comment over another to be deemed appropriate or inappropriate.
Imus is getting the shaft for a stupid comment---others get away with worse! What about Gen. Pace's comments that gay people are immoral--wasn't that a degradation of the value of them as human beings? If so, then why when Imus makes his comments degrading the value of women is he fired and Pace wasn't?
Hypocrisy is the world we live in…double standards all the way…and that is grossly unfair! Instead of going after the man, the community should take opportunity to highlight the positive contribution of women of color and not pounce on the disgusting remarks made.

Make no mistake---I wholly condemn what Imus said, it was disgusting and shameful--but the reaction if counterproductive if the true intent is to educate society on why what Imus said is wrong. Isn't that what Sharpton and Jackson preach---redemption--where is the chance for Imus to redeem himself?

I must comment on the situation with Don Imus. The action taken by MSNBC was completely appropriate. Imus had had over the years an attitude of invinsibility over the 30 years that I've known of his work. Yes, he was funny and as I remember as a college student when he came on the sceen at WNBC in New York he was outrageous. Not so now. His comments were racist and insensitive. CBS Westwood 1 should terminate his contract. Thank you.

Imus has made these Rutgers girls rich, In years down the road the Rutgers women will talk of their trip to the final game. The points they scored, the shots they blocked. That is what they will tell their grandkids. Imus will not be mentioned. So let these girls enjoy their season. And now their new found and undeservered riches.

Question for you Mr. Williams and the rest of the heads of NBC:

Why would you take Imus off the air the night before he has his radiothon? Aren't you being a bit selfish here and taking away from the less fortunate men and women who are benefited by the charities that the radiothon donates too? I mean these people can't even worry about public airwaves when they are trying to live day to day. I think there is a bit of selfishness in this. And then on MSNBC at the time Imus is usually on you put Gregory up there and have him interview an assortment of people and give a phone number for viewers to call into when Imus was supposed to be on raising money. I just think there is something eerily wrong there.

Just a few more thoughts on the Imus matter, but hopefully tonight we will get to more important news.

While I agree, what Imus did was very wrong and hurtful to those young women; your network is going out of its way to “hang” him.
What about the good things He has done, are you reporting any of that? NBC’s entire organization needs to look at itself in the mirror. The language used on some shows on the NBC network… especially at night is disgusting. Apply what you are doing to Imus across the board, don’t just single him out because it’s convenient.

In addition, now that the Duke Lacrosse players have been cleared, what about Al Sharptons remarks when he hung those “white boys” out to dry? Is your network going to go after him with the zest you went after Imus? Are we going to see a ten-minute report on it on the nightly news tonight, or 24/7 coverage on MSNBC, I think not.

Apply the ethical standards across the board as they should be!

Bruce Carlson

Torrington, Ct.