Letters to the Editor

• Thanks for reading my letter, Joan, however...

  [Read the article: Black rappers made him do it!]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  You still don't get it.

  I will concede that "rappers didn't make him do it". I don't believe that. He is 60 years old and has been a broadcaster for 20 of those (if I remember all the "background" on him correctly). He chose those words because he wanted a reaction. Maybe not the reaction that he got but he got it!

  I also concede that private communication is different than public communication. I'm not suggesting we regulate private communication. I don't think I'm even suggesting that we regulate public communication any more than we already are. My point is that what is acceptable in public communication drives

  what is acceptable in private communication. I think you would go a long way towards eliminating offensive language in a lot of private communications as well. Case in point. I grew up in the 70s and 80s (yes, I'm dating myself) and when "Pollack" jokes were en vogue. No one thought twice about using the phrase. My husband and his brother back when they were kids dubbed 2 birthdays that were 6 months apart as the "semi-annual pollack festival". That was "acceptable" in public and private discourse at the time. Now, in 2007, you can't say the word in public OR private without (rightly) raising eyebrows. It died out from the public discourse and consequently, it died out from the private vernacular.

  I agree with your fundamental premise that racism and misogyny have occurred long before this took place and will continue on even if every wrapper suddenly converted to singing gospel music. We humans are a hierarchical society and will continue to need someone on the bottom to feel superior -- sad but true! However, if we at least eliminated the language, perhaps we could raise the level of civility in this country just a tad.

  However, if the African-American community doesn't like to be called certain things by white people, then perhaps they need to look inward and admit that they are helping to fuel the fire by making it appear that such language is acceptable.

  Additionally, what I find equally repulsive is not just that Imus used the now-infamous phrase on the radio. What is ridiculous is how newscasters, pundits, and bloggers have repeated it over and over and over and over while recounting what Imus said. When Michael Richards used the "n-word", no self-respecting journalist could repeat the actual quote. So why was it ok to repeat imus' phrase over and over and over. (but that is my own pet peeve and I digress). I'm also appalled that the producer who basically set up imus' line is not even mentioned (though I suspect he got the ax when imus did)

  Two final points:

  First, after Chappelle returned from Africa, I understand that he wasn't sure whether he wanted to continue the show. However, as he told his audience after his return and signing on for another 2-3 years, "I'm a 'ho". An here we are back full circle.

  Second, here is the line from your blog entry of this title:

  <<Nevertheless Wednesday night I got a ton of e-mail and blog comments from right-wing blowhards saying I "defended" rappers' misogyny on "Scarborough" >>

  I posted on that thread (as I'm sure you probably read). A lot of thoughtful Salon readers also posted on that thread. I admit that I went out of town on Thursday morning so didn't keep up with the direction that it took so maybe the Drudgies came a'callin'. But at least in the beginning of that thread, it definitely was not "blog comments from right-wing blowhards".

  That was the part that got me. Rather than take the feedback as disagreement from people, if there was disagreement, it must have automatically been from right-wing blowhards.

  Finally (ok, I lied above when I said that I had 2 final comments)... you still have not responded to the criticism that the way Paglia referred to Hillary is nearly identical to imus yet she is allowed to continue her self-promotion thinly veiled as op-ed pieces here. Her personal attacks on so many -- left and right -- are just plain offensive and she is just flat wrong in her "analysis" of so many issues. Why do you continue to support her? Why is her mocking of Hillary less offensive than imus?

  Thank you again for responding to my letter.

  Respectfully,

  designated_knitter

  Permalink Sunday, April 15, 2007 11:08 AM

• Ah, but rap is "poetry from the soul"...

  [Read the article: Who gets the blame for Imus and gangsta rap?]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  At least that is what Snoop seemed to be saying. So let me see if I have the rules straight: If a geriatric white man denigrates women in some sophmoric attempt to be funny its wrong. But if a young black man does it "from the soul", it's poetry.

  Now I see /* rolling eyes */

  Permalink Monday, April 16, 2007 01:22 PM