Imus’ just deserts

In response to, “With Advertisers Jumping Ship, CBS Fires Imus” by David Bauder: Many thanks to CBS for letting go of Don Imus, crude host of the “Imus in the Morning” radio program. Imus has been making insulting, stereotypical, racist and rude comments on his broadcast for years, but the final blow came after his racist statement about the Rutgers’ Women’s Basketball team being “nappy-headed hos.”

Imus made a heartfelt apology, but how much can we really believe that? He has had years to realize that his comments were offensive and shouldn’t be said on public radio. Some people have said that Imus’ statement isn’t a big deal, that it should be accepted as free speech.

The problem is that such flip statements make it seem as though it’s okay to say them anytime and in any place. This is multiplied when Imus makes comments like these on a radio program being broadcast to millions.

There is no defense for an action like this. A person of Imus’ stature and influence should be careful about what they say; suggesting to the public that it is okay to make derogatory comments, even in a joking manner, is horribly wrong.

Our nation is made up of many different kinds of people, and carelessly throwing comments like these around is only going to drive us all further apart.

Danielle Murray

Orono