how about social security? the same reason Anna Nicole Smith is all we had (have) on the news for weeks, keep the important matters off of the air waves and out of print, at one point the Smith story accounted for more than 33% of the media news coverage. the fact is that far to many tie all they believe to what they read or see in one newspaper or one news program, either they don't want to know how (or care) to think for themselves or just do not know how, the drone effect if you will. I have for years found that if you truly want to know what is going on in OUR country without any bias one way or the other you need to read the foreign press or listen / watch the BBC and other news organizations originating overseas, this is truly a sad state of affairs. as I read in another post, a better description might be the ostrich approach, keep your head under the sand with no idea or care as to what is going on around you, to isolationist for me though.

This is true. Between the Duke University fiasco and the Imus insult, perhaps we as a nation need to examine what it means to be an American. It's time to close the door on racism and bigotry on all fronts. We can ill afford this kind of hostility when so many more important issuse lay before us. White, black, hispanic, asian, jew, christian, moslem, et al, men and women are dying in Iraq and around the world. The battlefield is the great equalizer when it comes to staus--no one is safe--anyone can get killed. When you're in a firefight, does it matter who is standing next to you--your comrade-in-arms? Our planet is sick and it's going to raically change the way we live if we don't wake up. Our priorities are really mixed up. There's been poor communication and mistrust between races in this country for centuries. But do we really have the luxury to indulge in this unfortunate handringing? We need to grow up as anation, as a society of civilized human beings and start being intelligent about the things we deem worth of our combined and individual energy. Let's get on with it.

Please, enlighten us with a few names of these 'balanced and impartial personalities'.

mickey mouse

Enlightenment as requested: ANYONE ON ANY BBC OR DEUTCH WELLE NEWSCAST! TAKE YOUR PICK! THE CURRENT OVERPAID AND EGOTISTICAL PERSONALITIES WE HAVE IN TODAY'S AMERICAN MEDIA ARE ALL CORRUPT AND IN BED WITH A PLETHORA OF DIFFERENT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS AND POLITICIANS...WE ARE FED NOTHING BUT A RECONSTITUTED AND HOMOGENIZED SERVING OF SO-CALLED "NEWS" IN THIS COUNTRY. WE ARE TOLD WHAT THEY WANT US TO HEAR AND NOTHING MORE.

Just shut up. The more you talk, the more idiotic you sound. All I can say is, this is the straw that broke the camels back. I will live by NO double standard. ANY word that is good for a nappy headed goose is good for this straight haired gander. Offended? Too bad

I guess I need to spell it out for you because you obviously only respond in bitter, hateful replies: KISS OFF!

You said exactly what I wanted to say. You said it well. The most he could do was apologize. He did that over and over. That's all I can do if I say something dumb. They said this morning that his remarks would be influencing the young people. What about those "rappers" and the influence they have on all our young people...I'm sure more than those that watch Imus. I also am a white female. It would have been so special if they had met with Imus and forgave him and asked that people forgive him and not to take away his job. I would have really had a special love for their kindness and thought so much more of them.

Hello Everyone I have been reading everyones opinions and I must say that everyone has good points. I am a 24 yr old African American that listens to rap music. But before I go on I am a Christian that has respect for people of all races. I have graduated with a bachelors degree in biology, I have no children, and I have been in only one serious relationship. I am a woman with big dreams of becoming a Cancer biologist and helping the world by making better and cheaper medication for the sick. My point is that rap is real situations that people of my culture go threw everyday. I think it's really sad but true. I just wish that everyone could see that this issue is much more deeper than any of you could imagine. For example the does anyone think about some of these girls in the rap songs because I do and it saddens me that they only suffer from low self esteem and that is why they allow these men to treat them the way that they do. It also saddens me because where are these girls parents. More than likely they are drug abusers or the man of the family is in jail. Which is another reason why these young girls are letting these men mistreat them because they had no father to tell them their value in life. I also know that their are women of all races that let men mistreat them. The only difference is rap music shoves it in your face. I feel bad for those girls because they were pointed out and all they want to do is play basketball and get an education. This problem is bigger than any one person and it's sad to say but it may never change. As an African American, all I can do is raise little girls into women and raise my sons to be men and live life with respect for people. The comedy thing is also an issue to everyone, not just African Americans have family members that use drugs, have been molested or been neglected. I think that it is more dominant in the African American culture. And that is something we tend to laugh about rather than cry about. It is how we relate to one another. Again I enjoyed reading all of you opinions but I have to admit they're alot of close minded people in this world that don't look at why people are in the situations they are in.

Wow, how much hate is in your response here? Eye for en eye right? Imus meant only to be funny yet your comments are meant to be hateful. If he wanted to be hatefule I am sure there are many other things he could have said. You dont know him and therefore are not informed enough to pass judgement on him. Do you respond the same way when African Americans say the exact same things to each other? Or is that ok?

There is nothing funny or humorous in what he said. NOTHING! You're right, I don't know him personally. Neither do most of his listeners...but, he still has an impression on them as he has on me. Sadly, there is a market in this country for people who want to hear others say what they would be too embarrassed to say in polite company, even though they think them to themselves and say them to friends of the same ilk everyday. As far as the many other things he could have said...well, he's said a great number of them. Go google how many times he's bashed people of minority status in the past. I don't have to know him as a personal friend in order to think he should be fired.

IN REPLY TO---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I am posting this and then I'm logging out of here. Mainly because I know that mindset in this country as of late has no respect for any minorities...black, Asian, native American, gay, lesbian, transgendered, Hispanic, or ANY minority person ---------------------------------------------------------- I HAVE ALL OF THE ABOVE LISTED IN MY GROUP OF FRIENDS EXEPT THE TRANSGENDERED ONE-AND I AM OUTRAGED THAT PEOPLE DONT SEE THE HATRED TOWARDS WHITE PEOPLE-ENOUGH IS ENOUGH----IF EQUALITY IS SOPPOSED TO BE THE WAY OF THIS COUNTRY THEN BIG CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE N.O.W.!!!!!!!! THE WHITE RACE IS TAKING THE BLAME FOR WHAT HAPPENED YEARS AND YEARS AGO-I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT SO IF YOU WANT EQUALITY THAN THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK ..I AM A STRAIGHT,WHITE WORKING MALE----I AM THE REAL MINORITY!!!!!!!!

I SPELLED SUPPOSED WRONG ABOVE AND I SAW IT-SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME ANY CRITICS OUT THERE

LOL!! I got you beat - I'm a minority too! over 50, while female... And the blacks cry cry cry....

In America today you can say whatever you want against any other race as long as you are not white. Many famous comedians make big money trashing every other race however they are all of races other than white. Imus's comment was stupid and sexist. But then again the same goes for many famous comedians who are other than white. What a double standard! Then you have the two faced Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson who have their own self serving agenda's. I am tired of the "selective" sensitivity of self righteous, self appointed African American leaders like Sharpton and Jackson. Both of these men have done more to humiliate and demean African American women with their immoral behavior than Don Imus can ever do with his ill advised language! What Imus did was give Sharpton and Jackson an opening to seize upon and put themselves in front of the cameras. They don't care about the Rutgers players. They have a vested interest in seeing it continue. At least Don Imus has in the past gotten real things done for people like the wounded veterans, autistic kids, kids with cancer, and done it all for charity! Imus was one of Harold Ford, Jrs. biggest supporters! I hope his black viewers will speak out and set the record straight! Imus was a huge fan of Bishop J. D. Patterson and took a lot of heat for having the Blind Boys of Alabama on his show. Those young Rutgers women are now being exploited by the press and by the Revs. Sharpton and Jackson, both of whom have made racist remarks in the past. It is time for people to have the courage to speak out against the hypocrisy and the double standard in race relations in this country no matter what race you are.

When I don't have to fight my way past the Drug Dealers and the Prositutes/the shady Cab Drivers....the worthless neighbors.. The phony Preachers and Priests... the double talking employees of a low class society I guess there might be a moment in my day to consider your wishes.. But I still need to get past the smell of alot of it.. .. So take that notion and stuff it.

You are all missing one big point. Yes, there are a lot of racists out there (and apparently more than a few on these boards) but it is a fault in logic to say that because Al Sharpton spews hate speech that it is also somehow OK for Imus to do the same. It is NOT OK for any of them, and they should all be treated equally. But what I am hearing here, over and over, is that because Sharpton, or whoever isn't being taken off the air that it is OK for Imus to remain! Wrong! They should all be gone, yes, but until that can happen, can't be at least start with ONE, and then perhaps another will follow. Using someone else's faults to try to excuse someone else's is just plain old lame, especially since most of the people named have real REASONS why they should also GO.

The real difference between Imus and "The Reverends" is that Imus actually apologized for his actions..eloquently and contritely. Anyone who knows about his personal history with Alcohol & Drug abuse can ne assured that when he commits to changing his behgavior, he genuinely means it. For example, he maet with The Rutgers Basketball team after he'd been fired and mercilessly skewered by the media. he had nothing to gain and everything to lose by meeting with the Rutgers women. But he did so anyway because he'd made the commitment to do so. Has Al Sharpton apologized for his slander of Stephen Pagonis? has hae paid Pagonis a single penny of the damages levied against him in the civil suit for the irreparable damage done to Pagonis' life and reputation. Hasn't the Rev Jackson been allowed to skate for his "Hymietown" and "Diamond Merchant" remarks about Jews? Has either of them even offered to apologize to the Duke Lacrosse players whom they wrongfully tried and convicted in the court of public opinion? Both of these gentlemen have been allowed to destroy innocent peoples' lives and livelihoods without showinhg a single shred of remorse, and without accountability. Don Imus, while quilty of a grievious error and an unconscionable lack of judgement, is at least a stand up guy who admitted and apologized for his bad behavior. Too bad that Jackson and Sharpton won't do the same....

You do not know what freedom of speech is!!!! It is the right to say things that people don't agree with. It is the right to say things that are may offend others. It is the right to speak in a negative manner sometimes. It is the right to make bad jokes without fear. We are different people and it is life that we will not agree and we can CHOOSE not to be insulted with bad jokes or negative words. I could CHOOSE to be offended all day long about lots of people on TV but I don't want them to lose their jobs or feel that they can't say something. I can't stand Rush Limbaughs opinions, he influences people but he has every right to be up airwaves so that someone that supports my opinions also has a right to be up on the airwaves. I don't want a world in which everything said and art made is optimistic and rosy. Go live in Pleasantville. I'm not offended by words they have no power over me. I know who I am and I would defend any black radio show person that went off on red head or drunken Irish, or dumb blondes or said something negative about the Hiltons and then a mob or talked about liberals or weak women or ANYTHING and then he was attacked and fired. Belive me I'm against bullies of any color. On top of that Imus is a great person who does a lot of good, he is not a racist and does say harsh almost cool dude male humor. He wasn't preaching, he was just saying things that are common. One sentence, one bad joke shouldn't be a reason to fire someone. It's so riducles. I was goig to vote for Obama but because he isn't standing up and saying words don't hurt anyone and we have to make sure we protect the freedom of speech and accept his apolgy and said lets TRY to do better and move on. But no way should he be fired, I would have respected him sooooo much more but to join the bullies, he has lost me forever. Freedom of speech isn't just saying rosy, happy things that a few people in power decide doesn't offend them. You should start a committee that bullies the corporations to blacklists e everyone for things they have said in the past that YOU see as negative or you don't agree with. Everyone would be gone and it wouldn't be America. If you take words so personally and they devastate your being, you are in for a very unhappy life.

Well said.....