Don Imus has become the latest in a long line of celebrities and media personalities to have their insensitive comments show up and define their public image. Insensitivity should never be tolerated in our society and should be addressed wherever it is found.
Imus has repeatedly apologized and has done his best to mend this situation and get back to some level of normality. He made incredibly insensitive comments concerning the women's basketball team at Rutgers University, and he has certainly not heard the last of it.
Calls for his resignation have come from leaders in America's black community such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as well as members of the media. NBC has cancelled his morning show due in large part to pressure from several major sponsors who stated that they were pulling their ads in the wake of Imus' comments. Although he has a job, for the time being, with CBS, he is on an unpaid two-week suspension for his comments and CBS may very well follow suit and cancel the Imus program altogether. This shows just how powerful public opinion can be regarding the media.
The ever-expanding world of the media is something that we as a society must come to terms with. Internet and satellite radio are relatively new additions to the media world, and their impact is still being assessed. The world of uncensored talk is a major draw factor for the people who now get their entertainment this way. Where this gets tricky is finding that perfect balance between sensitivity and censorship. Both can make the world of media a bit more comfortable for us all, while they also can quickly take us as a society down a very dangerous path. When we hear comments such as those made by Imus, it should be up to each of us how we react.
Taking Imus off the air would send a bad message to those of us who see the media as our future. For those in the journalism and telecommunications departments, the expression of beliefs and opinions is a major part of everyday life. Taking him off the airways says that in the world of media, your opinions should fall in line with those of the general population or else you will face repercussions. This could be a very discouraging message for those who may in fact have something very worthwhile to say.
I am in no way defending Imus' comments. I think he is an angry and ignorant old man. He has a very narrow-minded view of the world around him. In our society, though, where freedom of speech is so highly valued, we should allow him to say what he is thinking. If Imus gets on the air for hours on end each week and chooses to use that time to demonstrate his ignorance, he should be allowed to do so with few repercussions. Our freedom of speech should only be limited when it is a matter of safety, not of taste. Anyone and everyone should have the right to sound foolish and ignorant in front of an audience if that's what they choose to do.
Imus was insensitive in his remarks - that is a given. But the second we tell people that their opinions are not allowed, and they can't speak their minds, we have already lost.
Sensitivity and comfort are wonderful on their own, but the media should serve as forums for all ideas, no matter how unpopular.
Write to Alex at apcarroll@bsu.edu
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