16 April 2007

The Real Nappy-Headed Hos

I have had exactly one experience with the now-fired DJ Don Imus: a year or two I stumbled across the TV broadcast of his show and found myself hypnotized by the sheer, mind-numbing awfulness of it. It made me feel like gouging out my eyes and puncturing my eardrums with knitting needles, but for about five minutes, I couldn't bring myself to shut it off. I kept thinking, "No, nothing can be this bad, this stupid. It's probably a setup for a joke that's going to come along any time now, or maybe it's some kind of high concept art. I'd better keep watching a bit longer to make sure I'm not missing anything."

But no, I wasn't missing anything, and he really was that bad, but even still, I found myself getting annoyed as the clamor about firing him mounted last week. I thought it was hypocritical; the guy didn't say anything that people don't say, or at least think, all the time. But by the time he actually was fired, I realized I didn't care that much, and that while his crime was fairly minor, women who had done nothing more offensive than playing basketball didn't deserve to gratuitously be called "hos."

At the same time, I also realized that the only reason I'd initially felt any sympathy at all for the guy was because I found the leaders of the chorus calling for his ouster, the twin harpies and Madame DeFarges of racial hysteria, so much more offensive.

I'm referring, of course, to Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, who someone even less politic than me referred to as "a modern-day Amos and Andy show." The idea that a couple of hustling con men, who've trafficked for their entire careers in stirring up racial unrest, could be accusing someone else of racism for an ill-considered remark was bad enough. What really got to me was that THEY KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT. Sharpton and Jackson, two of the biggest embarrassments to African-Americans, and who between them have done more to set back the cause of black America than any Ku Klux Klansman could, continue to rake in the big bucks for fanning the flames of ignorance and reducing discussion of racial issues in this country to a phony-baloney, crocodile-teared sob session.

Oh, but how do I really feel about it? If you've been following this case closely, you've probably already heard about sportswriter Jason Whitlock, a black man who's had the courage to speak up - and more articulately than I could hope to - about why it's time for the black community to look elsewhere for its leadership and to turn its attention to issues that really matter. Read what he has to say here, here and here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

We've been talking about how Jackson and Sharpton have now been getting death threats over Imus on the Highbrid Nation website and it got me thinking. Sharpton and Jackson may need to stop tryin to speak on behalf on all black people. I'm starting to feel like that are very out of touch with the average black person. Especially Sharpton who I feel is a joke.

David HD said...

If Al Sharpton wants an apology maybe he should finally apology for Tawana Bradley.

Why doesn't he protest something that would be useful to blacks like the fact that Washington, DC one of the largets black cities has no vote in Congress. Probably because of the lack of coverage that would get.