Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Everybody gets to have an opinion.

I don't use the word "ho" to describe anyone. I don't think I know anyone to whom the word actually applies...but then I was not at White house press conferences in 2003. Because I don't know anyone of whom I think such things, I do not use that word. Ask Don Imus again why he uses that word. And why, of all things, he uses it to describe college educated and athletically gifted young women. Apology works better when sought for out-of-character things one does. What he said was not out of character, just a little bit to the right of the out-of-bounds line.

The man strung up his own noose. I would not advise the Rutgers Women's basketball team to entertain Mr. Imus' attempt to get forgiven and duck the abiding contempt his entire career has miraculously avoided so far. It might be too late anyway: the real powerhouses of America's public conscience, soap and stationary have just given a thumb$ down. Leave him swinging. He does not operate his mouth differently than me or anyone else: he said what he said because at some level, that is who he thinks those women, or all women, or black women are or he has a very sick sense of how to sound "cool".

Everybody gets to have an opinion. Who doesn't have to be responsible for their own opinion?



This post is gratuitous piling on. I didn't go to Rutgers. I don't follow basketball. I never listened to more than a minute of Imus at any time in my life...that was about as much as I could stand. For people who get rich pandering to ignorant angry middle aged white men, all the negative Google hits are deserved, so here is mine. Now, bring on those GOP candidates that want into the Imus spotlight.

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