http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/13/martin.imus/index.html

Commentary: Imus might be spark for debate on sexism




By Roland S. Martin
CNN Contributor


Editor's note: Roland S. Martin is a CNN contributor and a talk-show host for WVON-AM in Chicago.

No one would have thought that when Rosa Parks opted not to give up her seat to a white man in 1956, a dozen years later blacks would have the full right to vote, the ability to eat in hotels and restaurants and see Jim Crow destroyed.

We might look back in a few years and come to realize that the removal of Don Imus from the public airwaves put America on a course that changed the dialogue on what is acceptable to say in public forums.

The downfall of a long, successful and controversial career, on the surface, took eight days. But for Imus, this has actually been 30 years in the making. He has used his sexual and racial schtick to pad his pocketbook. Only this time, he ran up against a group of women who presented such a compelling story, his bosses couldn't ignore the reality of his sexist and racist rant.

Although the National Association of Black Journalists led the fight to oust Imus, there is no doubt that it was that moving news conference by the Rutgers University women's basketball team that cemented the demise of Imus. Vivian Stringer was poised and strong in demanding that America look at the 10 women and see them as the real face of Imus's slurs.

And that is really the issue we must focus on. So many people tried to make this a race issue. But for me, that wasn't the primary point. I never wavered from the attack as one of a sexist. It didn't matter that he was trying to be funny. He insulted a group of women who are already accomplished.

Then again, that happens to women every day.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, a New York Democrat, is smart and talented, but to many, she's nothing but an opportunist. She's called too aggressive, not cute and is slammed regularly. But she should be praised for being a woman who has achieved a lot in her career.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is portrayed as a bumbling idiot, but her academic credentials are impeccable. You can disagree with her ideology, but to question her womanhood is silly.

Women all across this country have to play by a different standard. They often make less than men, even when doing the same job; are accused of being too tough when they are the boss; and are treated as sexual objects.

America, we have a problem with sexism. Don't try to make this whole matter about the ridiculous rants made by rappers. I deplore what's in a lot of their music and videos, but hip-hop is only 30 years old. So you mean to tell me that sexism in America only started in 1977?

Now is the time for this nation to undergo a direct examination of the depths of sexism. My media colleagues shouldn't go just for the easy target ­ rap lyrics. That is no doubt a logical next step, but sexism is so much deeper. It is embedded in our churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, Fortune 500 companies and in the political arena. We should target our resources to this issue and raise the consciousness of people, and expose the reality.

Don Imus should not be the period. He can be the comma. Civil rights organizations, media entities, women's groups and others have an opportunity that they can't pass up. We have the chance to seize the moment to begin a conversation ­-- an in-depth one ­-- that has the opportunity to redefine America along the lines of race and sex.

I hope and pray that we have the courage to do so.

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If CBS wants to fire Imus then we must outlaw rap music! It's only logical!

To equate what Imus said with rap lyrics is just so dumb on so many levels ...

Why is it so hard to understand that context is EVERYTHING when it comes to whether or not someone is "offended" by "racist" remarks? Language isn't purely objective. Why would it be? Curse words aren't. For example, the words "fuck you" are much more subjective than they are objectively offensive. There are times and places where such language is completely unacceptable (that's the objective component), but other times and places where it is not. If someone tells me to "go fuck myself" should I be angry and/or deeply offended? You can't answer that question without knowing the context. My reaction will depend entirely on the context of the encounter, my own tolerance for cuss words, and most importantly, who is saying it to me. In other words, what matters is the intent and meaning that I believe is being conveyed by the "offensive" language, not the words themselves.

Context matters.

Exactly. A song that is intended to be serious should be more offensive than a lame joke.

Nice.....a little piece from my home state of South Dakota.

My favorite part, is that in 2 of the top 3 songs, R Kelly, who had sex and used a 14 year old girl as a toilet, is considered less degrading to black women than Imus suggesting they had poor hair and loose morals.

I'm not, neccesarily advocating it....one way or another. I know it may be hard to imagine, but I actually own some rap music--and, yes, I even "like" it.

However, I'm just wondering how far society is willing to go, in permitting a very obvious and hypocrital double-standard. Because, no matter how loudly or often you repeat that it is not.....most of us (even some of us who like some of the music) recognize the blatant hypocrisy of the situation.

I don't appreciate the language in either case. However, I do see a small difference. Although I have no idea who the girls are being referenced in the song, it sounds like the "author" had reason to describe the unknown folks as "hos" (if the girls exist at all). I don't believe Imus had that insight into the very specific girls on Rutgers team, and, therefore, had no reason to use that term for a group of college kids representing their school.

I don't see this as a race issue, as others do. I see it as saying something very demeaning about someone that the "author" didn't know.

Just curious, do you own any R Kelly, NWA or Ice Cube CD's?

Imus shouldn't have said what he did, and we can forget about race, but it's the double standard that's at issue here, isn't it?

There will always be a double standard for blacks as long as whites continue to encourage it.

We don't owe anybody anything.

Yeah, Imus should have just flat out called them n*ggers ... that would have been hilarious ... :rolleyes:

The gender issue pales in comparison to the race issue here. People who are hyping the gender issue here either (a) have their own agendas, or (b) are hyping the gender issue because they think it lessens the controversy over Imus's racist comments.

All this whining about black rappers calling black women "ho's" and "bitches" is just that ... whining.

What "double standard"? You mean that if a black man isn't offended when another black man refers to him as a "n*gger", then that same black man shouldn't be offended when a white person calls him that?

There's no hypocrisy. CBS Radio isn't in control of rap music. They can do whatever they like. They didn't have to fire Imus.

Just like Sharpton and alike are exploiting this whole incident, most of you are doing the same thing by trying to drag rap into this and making the situation bigger than it really is(like Sharpton has).

In private conversation that may pass....but the new standard seems to be this sort of degrading vulgarity is not to be tolerated, even in jest or lame-assed humor, in the PUBLIC arena (and FTR, it shouldn't be.) IF that becomes the standard, it should apply across the board; not selectively depending on one's skin color.

Am I advocating censorship? No. Do I think this stuff will still be "out there" on cable tv and satellite rado? Sure.

I'll tell you what though, it shouldn't be glorified and promoted in the "public square"--by anyone, of any race. If this whole incident gets us closer to that reality, that would be a positive IMHO.

Sure they can do what they want. Frankly, I'd prefer more corporations and music labels take this sort of an approach. As long as they do it across the board. I'm betting we'll see increased pressure in the coming months for just that, too.

Whether it's another blip on the news radar, and next week nothing changes....or not, time will only tell. I'm intrigued by where this could be headed though. Some good may come if it though, if we can really have that national conversation about the issue.