Imagine that Eminem hosts a radio show. Now imagine that Tim Russert is a weekly guest on his radio show. Can you picture that in your mind? Good. Because ONLY then would a comparison between the condemnation of Don Imus and the so called non-condemnation of gangsta rappers be valid.

If Howard Stern had said what Imus said (and Stern has said MUCH worse) it would not be a big deal and nobody would care. Imus on the other hand is afforded a certain level of stature, apparently hes a good guy to have in your corner if you need to sell a book. He has politicians, pundits, and mainstream journalist on his show every day to speak about serious domestic and foregin policy issues. These people are respected figures. They know Imus reputation, they know he says sophomoric, offensive, sexist, sometimes racist things, yet they continue to support him and continue to go on his show. The politicians and pundits that come on his show are the very same people who detest the likes of a Howard Stern or 50 Cent and would never sit down and have a serious conversation, let alone be interview by them. So why dont they stand up to the vulgarity, and ignorance of Don Imus? One minute hes doing an offensive (probably unfunny) comedy bit, the next minute Chris Dodd is on anouncing his presidential candidacy. What the heck is that?

You dont see Snoop Dogg trying to host Meet The Press.

You dont see Dave Chappelle on The Mclaughlin Group.

You dont see 50 Cent on Hardball.

The real double standard is that Don Imus, because he is a white man and liked by other more respectable white men, has been given a vulgarity pass. Hes got a liscense to have it both ways. That liscense affords him to be crude, sexist, and racist and still be taken seriously by the mainstream establishment. No black man in the history if this great nation has ever been given similar liscense.