Ralph Dumain
This story has been approached from a number of different angles. While
Ehrenreich's approach is a legitimate one, there is a slightly different
conclusion to be drawn from her argument. I don't buy the reappropriation
of language line. It's probably true that a lot of stupid white people
have borrowed a slang they don't really understand. (I see young white
boys in the subway chanting "I'm a n***a" while listening to rappers on
their ipods.) That was my initial impression of Imus' remarks. But if they
were in fact back-handed compliments, they were still insulting, and would
have been insulting no matter who uttered them. If Imus wanted to lust
over black girls, which he certainly has the right to do, better he should
have gotten himself in trouble by making a rather different set of remarks
than picking up on a demeaning stereotype to do so. One can certainly lust
over classy young ladies as I did at the Kennedy Center while all this was
going on. There's an issue of respect. The problem, however, is not merely
in the imitation, but in the original. This whole language, which nobody
will ever convince me means anything but low self-esteem, needs to be
proscribed.
^^^^^
CB; When I discuss it, I argue against gangster rap, the whole deal.
Gangster rappers are the children of Reagan, misshapen by that period's
ideology. I say it's time for the next generation of teenage music anyway.
Past the time for a new semi-generation's freedom to make their own style.
Why are continuing cohorts of youths trapped in this politically incorrect
music and lifestyle fashion ,when the tradition of teenage fashion of this
type is to have a turnover ?
^^^^
If this were a one-off, I'd say fugeddaboudit. But apparently this fellow
has a track record, so good riddance.
^^^^^
CB: He has a signficant track record that is worse than gangster rappers,
actually.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3082
Racism Is to Be Expected From Don Imus
CBS, NBC, media pundits complicit in talk host's bigotry
4/9/07
In the wake of the latest racial slur broadcast on Don Imus' show, the
question is not whether Imus is a racist-the man, after all, admitted to
hiring one of his co-hosts to do "nigger jokes" (60 Minutes, 7/19/98)-but
why CBS, NBC and top media pundits seem to feel no embarrassment over
associating with his racism.
^^^^^^^
But the hypocrisy of the media and
all of the players involved ought to be highlighted, including the monetary
interdependency of all the politicians and media people mixed up in this.
At 01:24 PM 4/16/2007 -0400, Charles Brown wrote:
>This article can be found on the web at
>http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070423/ehrenreich
>
>Nappy-headed Hos of the World Unite!
>by BARBARA EHRENREICH
>[posted online on April 13, 2007]
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