If radio host Don Imus had to be the scapegoat for backlash against racist and sexist slurs, then I have no problem with it. We have for far too long openly accepted calling women "hos" and using derogatory names for minorities. These comments may not offend us all, but they offend some and for that reason alone they shouldn't be brushed under the table.
Too many times comments like Imus' are laughed at and ignored as "just jokes," not meant to be taken seriously. But underlying all these "jokes" are real sentiments that prevail in American society, sentiments that lead to hate crime and reinforce hurtful discriminatory actions.
The fact that Imus has made a career of making such offensive remarks, or that so many others do the same, is in no way justification for him to remain on the air. I applaud Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for helping propel this issue into national attention. Imus is only an example of the hateful language that is prominent in our culture, and I hope the attention surrounding his career will lead to meaningful dialogue which addresses why this is accepted and what we can do to stop it.
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