Of course, the discussion was about Don Imus and what he said about the Rutgers female basketball team. He called them "hos." The team members objected, advertisers withdrew their ads and Imus was fired.
But the story continues. Why? Because prominent politicians, both Democratic and Republican, as well as pundits, have appeared on the Imus show throughout the many years of its existence. Always, Imus performed his schtick of denigrating gays, blacks and other minorities. And still these prominent people appeared on his show.
Since both Tim Russert and David Brooks were among those previously appearing on the Imus in the Morning show, Gwen Ifill let them have it:
You know, it’s interesting to me. This has been an interesting week. The people who have spoken, people who have issued statements, the pop—the people who haven’t. There’s been radio silence from a lot of people who’ve done this program who could’ve spoken up and said, “I find this offensive” or “I didn’t know.” These people didn’t speak up.
Tim, we didn’t hear that much from you.
David, we didn’t hear from you.
Wow! I could not believe it. Two direct hits. One of the targets was the host. My opinion of Ifill shot straight up. She was not going to take this guff. Blacks and women should be treated with dignity. Hooray!
Lots of nonsense is being written about the Imus incident and lots of excuses are being presented for Imus and his people-denigrading schtick.
They talk about free speech. Doesn't Imus have a right to free speech? Of course, he does. And he has exercised his right. The problem is the kind of speech he uses. The FCC does not allow obscene language on the air. What Imus talked about was worse than obscene. It was boorish.
They talk about PC. The issue is not PC. Even conservative Jonah Goldberg says it's not PC, but the degradation of discourse:
The reality is that most political correctness — the successful part — is a necessary attempt to redefine good manners in a sexually and racially integrated society. Good manners are simply those things you do to demonstrate respect to others and contribute to social decorum. Aren't conservatives the natural defenders of proper manners?
Decorum, good manners, civility - these are what we expect from roll models on the radio and television shows. Not the character-destroying language of Imus and other hosts.
They talk about other individuals, such as rap artists, being just as bad and perhaps worse. Maybe so. But is it possible that these artists get their cue from the awful stuff coming out of the mouths of prominent politicians, prominent pundits and prominent hosts - like Imus?
David Brooks used a lot of words to explain to Ifill the actions of Imus and himself. Essentially, he was going round and round. I won't bore you with all of it, except for this sample:
I mean, and, and the big picture is that cultures are organisms and they change. For a while in our little world of talking heads, we had the world of “Crossfire,” and I think that’s waning, the, the real shouting shows. In the movies, we had the “Porky” movies, a lot of boob movies. And that waned as, as audiences got sick of it. Things come, and then people realize we’re in an environment, it affects us all, we’re all connected by it, and let’s police it, let’s clean up the environment. And I do think this is a step, a big step in a motion of cleaning up a certain sort of a rottenness, and then a new form of rottenness will arise.
Gwen Ifill takes a stand for civility in the media. I think this may be a turning point. From now on, maybe pundits will be careful to attend more civil shows. Maybe radio and TV will use less horrible language and become more civil. I hope so.
Comment here.
