READ TODAY'S STORIES AND E-EDITION
SUBSCRIBE
|
CONTACT US
|
SIGN IN
news
sports
business
scene
opinion
obits
blogs
comics
multimedia
weather
jobs
autos
homes
pets
classifieds
search
OU
|
OSU
|
TU
|
ORU
|
HIGH SCHOOLS
|
THUNDER
|
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
|
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
|
NFL
|
OUTDOORS
|
GOLF
|
PROS
|
ALL
@TWSportsExtra
HOMEPAGES
OU Sooners
OSU Cowboys
TU Golden Hurricane
ORU Golden Eagles
High School Sports
College Football
2012 High School Football Preview
2012 College Football Preview
SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS
OKC Thunder
OU Sooners
OSU Cowboys
TU Golden Hurricane
ORU Golden Eagles
High School Sports
Sports Writer Jimmie Tramel
Outdoors Writer Kelly Bostian
Fantasy Football
Pro Baseball
FOR THE RECORD
Scores, statistics and standings for local and national sports.
LOCAL PROS
Tulsa 66ers
Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Oilers
Tulsa Shock
Tulsa Talons
Oklahoma City Thunder
ALL SPORTS
Golf
Horse racing
Major League Baseball
Motorsports
NBA
NFL
NHL
Other sports
PHOTOS & VIDEOS
OU photo slide shows
OSU photo slide shows
TU photo slide shows
College football highlights
OUTDOORS
Home page
Kelly Bostian's columns
Kelly Bostian's blogs
Videos
Slide shows
FIND A STORY
Search the World's archives
EMAIL ALERTS
OU Sooners
OSU Cowboys
TU Golden Hurricane
High Schools
SOCIAL MEDIA
Sports Extra on Facebook
@TWSportsExtra
@MGPeters23
@EricBaileyTW
@MikeBrownTW
@GuerinEmig
@BillHaisten
@KellyHinesTW
@JohnEHoover
@JohnKleinTW
@BarryLewisTW
@JimmieTramel
@ThePicker
@kellybostian
@TWfantasyworld
RSS FEEDS
OU Sooners
OSU Cowboys
TU Golden Hurricane
ORU Golden Eagles
High School Football
John Klein Columns
Picker columns
CONTACT US
Editors
Michael Peters
Sports Editor
Patrick Prince
Asst. Sports Editor
Columnists
John Klein
Sr. Columnist
John E. Hoover
Columnist
Writers
Eric Bailey
OU sports, Big 12 sports
Guerin Emig
OU sports
Jimmie Tramel
OSU sports, ORU sports
Kelly Hines
OSU sports
Bill Haisten
TU sports, Thunder
Barry Lewis
High Schools, Drillers
Mike Brown
High Schools, Shock
Kelly Bostian
Outdoors
BUY PHOTOS & PAGES
Buy a published photo by clicking the "Order this Picture" link on the photo. For a full-color page reprint, call 732-8198 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday or
order online
.
ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA
Learn more about the site.
Your bookmark will appear on your Profile page. Please give it a title,
and short description so that visitors to your page will understand where
the bookmark leads.
Bookmark Title :
Bookmark Text :
I-Man Needs to Go
Published:
4/11/2007 8:30 AM
Last Modified:
4/11/2007 8:30 AM
I make a living in a profession where free speech is sacred.
I sometimes write things that make people mad. My employer sometimes runs stories that irritate a large number of people.
So, I am not for anything to suppress free speech.
However, I was so offended by what radio shock jock Don Imus said about the Rutgers women's basketball team that I think it would be best if he just goes away.
I don't know if I want him fired. But if advertisers want to boycott his show, and listeners quit listening, then that's also free speech and choice and I'm all for that.
The reaction of Imus has been almost worse than his awful description of the Rutgers team.
He has given several half-hearted apologies. At the same time, he's been defending himself saying it is nothing more than what rappers and others say. He also wants to point out his charity work.
Here's what Imus is missing. It doesn't matter what others say. It is what you said. Imus says it was a weak effort at a joke. No it wasn't. It was awful and racially insensitive.
And, your other charity work has nothing to do with what he said.
He needs to go but the public must speak with their advertising dollars and choice of radio stations.
Reader Comments
3 Total
Show:
Newest First
Learn About Our Comment Policy
Sharon Marrs
(6 years ago)
I agree that Imus needs to go but he needed to go a long time ago. He has made insensitive remarks about American Indians, Jewish people, Italians and just about every culture that there is. However, I don't recall a large group of Jewish people referring to themselves as Hymies, Indians referring to themselves as savages, etc. the way it has become acceptable within the Black culture to use very derogative words and statements about themselves. I've heard the "N" word used by many more Blacks than I've ever heard from the entire total of other cultures. The Black leaders are outraged and they should be. But they need to be more outraged at the language used in almost every rap song that is played. Some of the most degrading phrases and words about women are straight from lyrics from Black rap groups. What is the derivation of the word "Ho?" Did it come from a Snoop Dog recording? Double standard? Yes. It is time for the leadership of the Black community to be just as offended and vocal about the insensitive words regarding women that comes from their own. Imus finally got what he deserved. Let's don't stop there. It's time clean up some other voices who have air time.
Bill
(6 years ago)
Sharon, I agree with you completely. The world gets into an uproar over something a shock jock says, but conveniently overlooks statements from "leaders" such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
Have we already forgotten that Jackson referred to NYC as "Hymietown?" He was let off with a simple, "It was a slip of the tongue."
While Imus' comment was blatantly racist and doesn't belong, we need to start attacking this problem where it spends most of its time: in the black community.
Glenn Murray
(6 years ago)
Klein,
What Imus said was reprehensible. It's absolutely your right to wish Imus "just goes away." I would simply say this. While in college, I was with some friends of mine, several of whom were african-american. At one point during the evening I said the "N" word. Even though it was said in the context of a joke, they were extremely hurt and disappointed in me. I immediately apologized and suffered for days. But then something wonderful happened. Because they knew me, they knew my character, they reasoned that I had made a mistake. And they forgave me. That still sticks with me today. It helped forge a part of my character and to understand that words are hurtful.
Imus doesn't need to go away. He absolutely deserves the chance to make amends and change the culture on his show.
I've watched his show every morning for five years. Ask Cronley if he thinks Imus meant what he said. Ask him if he thinks Imus is genuine and sincere in his apology.
I had friends who stood up for me once upon a time, and I'm glad they didn't make "just go away."
3 comments displayed
To post comments on tulsaworld.com, you must be an active Tulsa World print or digital subscriber and signed into your account.
To sign in to your account, go to
tulsaworld.com/signin
.
To activate your print subscription for unlimited digital access and to post comments, go to
tulsaworld.com/activate
.
To purchase a subscription, go to
tulsaworld.com/subscribe
.
Submitting your comment, please wait...
Klein's Korner
Tulsa World senior sports columnist John Klein is in his fourth decade of covering sports. He started his newspaper career at The Daily Ardmoreite in 1977 and moved to the Tulsa World in 1978. He served 10 years as sports editor for the Tulsa World before being named to his current position in 2005. He also spent five years as the Southwest Conference beat writer for the Houston Post. He has won many writing awards and is a former Oklahoma Sports Writer of the Year.
Follow John Klein on Twitter
Subscribe to this blog
Archive
Past Articles By John Klein
2/17/2013
John Klein: Intense Bedlam battle is reminder of what rivalry used to be like
2/15/2013
John Klein: LeBron, Heat show they're still the ones to beat
2/14/2013
John Klein: By cutting wrestling, IOC makes a serious blunder
2/11/2013
John Klein: Expect the unexpected in college basketball
2/10/2013
John Klein: Eddie Sutton discusses declining basketball attendance
2/8/2013
John Klein: Schools play numbers game by recruiting out-of-state
2/7/2013
John Klein: Cowboys overcome rough performance with win over Baylor
2/4/2013
John Klein: Victory at KU makes Cowboys a team to watch
2/3/2013
John Klein: Loss proves OU still short of Big 12 elite
2/1/2013
John Klein: Marcus Smart and OSU could use big win at Kansas
1/31/2013
John Klein: Big 12 at peace in 10-team structure
1/21/2013
Classic still just 'catching fish'
John Klein's Blog Archive:
2/2013
1/2013
12/2012
11/2012
10/2012
9/2012
8/2012
7/2012
6/2012
5/2012
4/2012
3/2012
2/2012
1/2012
12/2011
11/2011
10/2011
9/2011
8/2011
7/2011
6/2011
5/2011
4/2011
3/2011
2/2011
1/2011
12/2010
11/2010
10/2010
9/2010
8/2010
7/2010
6/2010
5/2010
4/2010
3/2010
2/2010
1/2010
12/2009
11/2009
10/2009
9/2009
8/2009
7/2009
6/2009
5/2009
4/2009
3/2009
2/2009
1/2009
12/2008
11/2008
10/2008
9/2008
8/2008
7/2008
6/2008
5/2008
4/2008
3/2008
2/2008
1/2008
12/2007
11/2007
10/2007
9/2007
8/2007
7/2007
6/2007
5/2007
4/2007
3/2007
2/2007
1/2007
12/2006
11/2006
10/2006
9/2006
8/2006
Home
|
Contact Us
|
Search
|
Subscribe
|
Customer Service
|
About
|
Advertise
Copyright
© 2013, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.