Don Imus isn't the only one

Punishment was too harsh, show's producer made similar comment about the team

By: Jennifer Hietpas

Posted: 4/19/07

Engaging in tasteless banter is all the rage for this generation of entertainment-radio disc jockeys who are adequately dubbed "shock-jocks".

Former CBS shock-jock Don Imus is no exception to the casual slur made against women, homosexuals and other religious affiliations by members of the media, according to an article by NBC news correspondent Dennis Murphy.

However, a remark directed toward the Rutgers University women's basketball team after its recent game against Tennessee was, undoubtedly, inexcusable behavior that highlights ongoing issues of social inequality.

According to MSNBC.com, the controversial discussion that took place between Imus and three guests, including the executive producer Bernard McGuirk who spoke before Imus calling the Rutgers team "hardcore hos."

According to the site, only then did Imus make his racist and sexist comment towards the women's basketball team.

Imus gave a formal apology to the team, saying, "It was completely inappropriate, we can understand why people were offended." He said, according to MSNBC.com: "Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid and we're sorry."

Don't get me wrong, hateful comments are mean and nasty and inexcusable - not to mention unnecessary.

However, his eventual discharge from MSNBC is, at best, overcompensation for the lack of radio-personality censorship. He slipped; we all do at one point or another, but I don't think it warranted the loss of his job.

Furthermore, the remark made by executive producer McGuirk deserved to be equally roasted and scrutinized alongside Imus'.

If censorship of hateful or inappropriate language is the target here, then what about other sensationalist DJs like Howard Stern or television programs such as "South Park" that continually make crude, racist, fill-in-the-blank comments about groups in society?

If we are going to punish Don Imus for his mistake, whether or not it was a long time coming, then punish the creators of "South Park" as well.

To bring it a little closer to home, Imus's situation, though on a more grand scale, parallels the illegal downloading/file-sharing lawsuits against UW-Eau Claire students.

Twenty students at UW-Eau Claire, according to The Spectator, have been contacted alongside 805 computer users at 36 universities nationwide, according to the News Bureau, by the Recording Industry Association of America for illegal file sharing and or downloading/uploading copyrighted music.

These students, like Imus, are being made scapegoats to serve as an example for the millions of people who illegally download and are being punished for the masses.

I'm not saying their behavior is acceptable, but rather the harshness of the punishment is over-the-top in order to scare the general population.

Did Imus apologize because the public called him on it or was he reprimanded by his conscience? I say it doesn't matter either way. The fact is, he gave a seemingly sincere apology, appeared on a number of programs to answer for his actions, and suffered the gauntlet for it.

I think it's safe to say that a recurring slip of the tongue such as this would not have happened anytime soon in Imus' future had he not been fired, and it is for this reason that I believe he should be offered another chance to redeem himself and set an example for present and future DJs.

Hietpas is a senior photography major and photo editor of The Spectator.