Don Imus must go...the comments that he made on his radio show, were not only offensive to me as a black woman, his words hit me on so many levels. As a dark skinned sista, the words jiggaboo, pickaninny, and darkie set me off! And then you couple that with words like "nappy headed ho's" and its on!
But doesn't the issue for us as a community go deeper, than Don Imus. Doesn't the accountability begin and end how WE feed into the stereotypes? Lets think about that for a moment and don't for a moment think I don't feel that Don Imus should be removed, but you and I both know that he wont. If anything this only proves that the African/Black/Colored/Negro Community is constantly under the microscope of the world! Its crazy, but with this statement it is so true...especially when it comes to someone voicing a sentiment that I believe they have always felt in their heart, but was too policitically polite to state it. We have seen Michael Richards trying to back track his comments, and now we have Don Imus...why even accept the apology? He, like Richards need to own up to the fact that they said it and they meant it.
Conversely, we also need to eradicate the images that are typecasted in the music videos. Hey, its easy, just don't buy music that denegrates and degrades women. Its not as hard as you think...I don't even listen to the radio anymore and I damn sure don't watch videos, because of the images they portray. But then we have women vying to be a dancer in the video...we have sisters lining up to be the next "ho" for Jay-Z, 50, and other well known and aspiring artists. Its not just in the Rap/Hip Hop music genre, it is pervasive throughout the industry. Hell, we all know that sex sells...I know this from selling my own books...the sexier the man or woman on the cover, the more eye catching to the consumer the quicker it will sell. Its all visual and aesthetics...but it doesn't make it right. I don't want to knock the hustle of any artist, but at some point they have to take responsibility and accountability for their actions. Unfortunately, these artists have no real control over what the executives want to hear. They know that the consumer for the majority of rap music are the little white boys and girls of America, and the more offensive the lyrics, the better it will enhance their bottomline. Its all about the dollar.
A Pastor on the Today show this morning stated that if Imus had called one of the executives of MSNBC "an ugly whore" he would've been fired immediately, because the term is offensive. But since music, in particular rap/hip hop music as desensitized the WORLD to calling women, bitches, tricks, and ho's...they feel it is alright to say it. I can't tell you the number of times I am riding in my area and I hear rap music blasting from a car and its a young white boy or girl rocking to the uncut versions of various songs and screeming those words at the top of their lungs. I in turn am looking at them with absolute and abject disgust...they have no idea how offensive the N word is or the other words for that matter. Then they look over at me and kinda sorta but not really apologize for their actions with a nod of their head and a shrug of their shoulder.
Hell I can sit, talk, moderate, debate, and pontificate all day long, but what we really need to do is affect the bottomline to his radio show and affiliates.Bottomline he was wrong and we as a community need to do something about it. I have a list of sponsors listed below...take the time like myself and write a letter!
SassyScribe
The MSNBC / NBC sponsors are:
Cadillac
Wyeth Laboratories / Caltrate
Covergirl cosmetics
Aleve
Comcast Chanel One
Xerox
Subway Sandwich Shops
Capri Sun Drinks
Nasonex nasal spray
Mazda CX9 SUV
Ask.com
Verizon Wireless
Nivea body lotion
Expedia.com
Valspar house paint
Nissan Altima
Mitsubishi Lancer
Mancini's Sleep World
Chevy Silverado Extended Cab Trucks
Mercedes R350 Class Cars
Comcast Digital Voice Home Service
TRANE Air Conditioning Systems
ETrade
Dove Pro-AGe Shampoo
Imitrex Migraine Medication
Pampers Cruisers Disposable diapers
2008 Lexus RX Automobile
Claritin Clear Allergy Medication
Thompson's Waterseal wood finisher
But doesn't the issue for us as a community go deeper, than Don Imus. Doesn't the accountability begin and end how WE feed into the stereotypes? Lets think about that for a moment and don't for a moment think I don't feel that Don Imus should be removed, but you and I both know that he wont. If anything this only proves that the African/Black/Colored/Negro Community is constantly under the microscope of the world! Its crazy, but with this statement it is so true...especially when it comes to someone voicing a sentiment that I believe they have always felt in their heart, but was too policitically polite to state it. We have seen Michael Richards trying to back track his comments, and now we have Don Imus...why even accept the apology? He, like Richards need to own up to the fact that they said it and they meant it.
Conversely, we also need to eradicate the images that are typecasted in the music videos. Hey, its easy, just don't buy music that denegrates and degrades women. Its not as hard as you think...I don't even listen to the radio anymore and I damn sure don't watch videos, because of the images they portray. But then we have women vying to be a dancer in the video...we have sisters lining up to be the next "ho" for Jay-Z, 50, and other well known and aspiring artists. Its not just in the Rap/Hip Hop music genre, it is pervasive throughout the industry. Hell, we all know that sex sells...I know this from selling my own books...the sexier the man or woman on the cover, the more eye catching to the consumer the quicker it will sell. Its all visual and aesthetics...but it doesn't make it right. I don't want to knock the hustle of any artist, but at some point they have to take responsibility and accountability for their actions. Unfortunately, these artists have no real control over what the executives want to hear. They know that the consumer for the majority of rap music are the little white boys and girls of America, and the more offensive the lyrics, the better it will enhance their bottomline. Its all about the dollar.
A Pastor on the Today show this morning stated that if Imus had called one of the executives of MSNBC "an ugly whore" he would've been fired immediately, because the term is offensive. But since music, in particular rap/hip hop music as desensitized the WORLD to calling women, bitches, tricks, and ho's...they feel it is alright to say it. I can't tell you the number of times I am riding in my area and I hear rap music blasting from a car and its a young white boy or girl rocking to the uncut versions of various songs and screeming those words at the top of their lungs. I in turn am looking at them with absolute and abject disgust...they have no idea how offensive the N word is or the other words for that matter. Then they look over at me and kinda sorta but not really apologize for their actions with a nod of their head and a shrug of their shoulder.
Hell I can sit, talk, moderate, debate, and pontificate all day long, but what we really need to do is affect the bottomline to his radio show and affiliates.Bottomline he was wrong and we as a community need to do something about it. I have a list of sponsors listed below...take the time like myself and write a letter!
SassyScribe
The MSNBC / NBC sponsors are:
Cadillac
Wyeth Laboratories / Caltrate
Covergirl cosmetics
Aleve
Comcast Chanel One
Xerox
Subway Sandwich Shops
Capri Sun Drinks
Nasonex nasal spray
Mazda CX9 SUV
Ask.com
Verizon Wireless
Nivea body lotion
Expedia.com
Valspar house paint
Nissan Altima
Mitsubishi Lancer
Mancini's Sleep World
Chevy Silverado Extended Cab Trucks
Mercedes R350 Class Cars
Comcast Digital Voice Home Service
TRANE Air Conditioning Systems
ETrade
Dove Pro-AGe Shampoo
Imitrex Migraine Medication
Pampers Cruisers Disposable diapers
2008 Lexus RX Automobile
Claritin Clear Allergy Medication
Thompson's Waterseal wood finisher
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