Imus and the Question of Reverse Racism

  It was a great day for the civil rights movement, as CBS decided to fire Imus. Finally, the people cut the purse strings of the casual hate-monger, and set an example of what is appropriate language for a major network. It is a big step, and yet it is only the first step in a journey of a thousand miles.

The issue of course leads to the question of reverse racism.

  To this, it is absolutely imparative to say that the standard applies to all. It is no more acceptable for a musician to make racist or sexist remarks than it is a shock jock.

  It is also important to say that the right to free speech should be protected. This is of course the underlying issue. The facts are that the bottom-line dictates what is acceptable. The shock-jocks have been allowed to continue because they make money, and it is the same for musicians.

  Entertainment is big money. Further-more, it is not the governments role to legislate morality That is to the people, and in this, Reverand Al Sharpton was appropriate in his actions. His protest was targetted at the companies that profited through advertising on the Imus show. When the people stood up against those companies, action was taken, not by the government, rather it was by the coorporations themselves.

  It is through this course of action that real change for a better society can be reached. And in this, I commend the O'reily factor for promising to expose the companies that profit from the exploitation of gender violence through rap music.

  However, that said, I would hope That the O'reilly Factor does not fall into the game of promoting racism, through targetting the advocates of sexism in the name of reverse racism.

  This is an important step, because ultimately the two causes are linked as one and the same. Only through the unity of both the conservative and the liberal can this dream of racial and gender harmony be achieved, because in the end it effects each and every one of us, despite our differing views.

Kozzmo