Why Imus?

With Don Imus being forced from his show and effectively ending a nearly 40 year career one must ask why him and why now? I think what he said was disgusting but it was no more offensive than the daily ramblings of Glenn Beck, Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Neal Boortz or Ann Coulter. There isn't enough space on this page to list all the hateful rhetoric that has spewed from this group of hate mongers.

I think this incident with Imus was used by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to draw a line in the sand. Both Sharpton and Jackson have had their own share of bigoted comments so them being the spokespeople for what is acceptable is laughable but I think I understand their motivation.

Imus was an easy target because his comments were so bigoted that only the biggest bigots could possibly have thought the remarks were acceptable. Having Imus lose his career will no doubt send a chill down the spine of these other hate mongers. Will it change the discourse? Only time will tell.

I believe in free speech and I think this firing sets a dangerous precedent. The remarks of Don Imus were bigoted and stupid but who decides what is over the line and who decides where the line starts? Isn't the line decided by us all when we decide who we will listen to? Prejudice starts in the home and firing Imus will not change that but if it starts a discussion about what we as a society will tolerate than maybe this was good. If we just stop the bigoted talk in public but continue it in private than this incident has done nothing for society.