not unlike all those confederate flag decals you see in the back windows of pickup trucks and SUVs.

Imus is a repeat offender AND a media darling (because he sells their stuff).

This time, as several African-American spokespeople said, he attacked their daughters and in this case the daughters anyone might wish were their own.

Personally, I believe the NBC News Division president when he said the most important pressure came from within, from NBC employees from all tiers, and not exclusively African-Americans... They felt shame to work for a company that was aiding and abetting someone who purveyed racism, sexism, and more...

This time someone actually cared enough to ask and listen ... and act. It's not some "perfect solution" but there are, as others have pointed out, other venues available for Imus.

It's just that MSNBC is no longer one of them.

I might argue a "shock jock" was probably always a bad "match" for a news division, but MSNBC seems to fill an appalling amount of its time on tabloid trash and gossip ... yes, I'm talking about too much of Olbermann and Scarborough too.

I'm appalled that we have to go through the "but African-American rappers/comedians use those words..." discussion over and over and over and over ... if you can't tell the difference, I'm inclined to think you haven't been listening (or reading) and, yes, the issue of "gansta" style has been controversial in the black community for more than the last 10 years. Gangs and blackmarkets arise predictably where there is poverty and unemployment ... like Iraq, like East LA ...

"If blacks want respect they must earn it and that starts at home and that starts with a movement of thoughts that turns into action and results." in fact i doubt very much if Imus would attack some gun toting thug rapper. he'd be either too scared or too secretly admiring. (or would that be McGuirk?). personally, i find your overgeneralizing "blacks" disrespectful in itself. nobody would write, "if whites want respect they must earn it". yes, it's just as true, but no one would say it. it leaves the impression that, in particular, black people have to earn what white people have bestowed on them. respect unless proved otherwise. like i think most people, i'm deeply divided on this. i REALLY value free speech and i really dislike black people having to prove, a priori, that they aren't gangstas and hos. even when it's seemingly self-evident, like the rutgers' team. and the more i read of these letters, the more divided i get.

Why do those who excuse Imus not understand Imus is responsible for his pathologies not a hip-hop ebonic rapper whose genius is in flipping verses and words??

What pathologies? The guy made a fucking joke! You didn't find it funny. Personally, I didn't either. I think Imus is kind of a tool. The world is full of them. Let's all pick up our collective indignation and move the fuck on. This is not the Alamo that you would so like it to be.

I really wish that those crying Free Speech would take a look at the Bill of Rights and see what exact is meant by freedom of speech. As Ms. Walsh pointed out in her post, the government has not censored Imus. He is free to shout his views in the middle of Times Square if he so desires. Neither he or anyone else for that matter has a 'right' to be an overpaid radio personality. That is a privilege and Imus lost that privilege when he made his remarks about those basketball players. He may be many things but one thing he isn't is a poster boy for the First Amendment.

"...someone whose words *actually* incited to riot TWICE! causing DEATHS (both in harlem and crown heights) is simply insane."

Sharpton didn't have anything to do with Yankel Rosenbaum's death or much to do with the Crown Heights riots. Sharpton's speech which your dubious source selectively quoted and deliberately misinterpeted, took place during Gavin Cato's funeral which came AFTER the death of Rosenbaum. In fact, Rosebaum's death occurred shortly after Cato's death. So, it was impossible for that Sharpton's comments at Cato's funeral, which occurred AFTER the deaths of Cato AND Rosenbaum, to have played a role Rosenbaum death. Also, Sharpton didn't march in Crown heights until after the riots were over.

Now in terms of the Harlem (Freddy's) situation, protests were ongoing in front of the store long before and after Sharpton's appearance. After the tragedy, both the NYPD and Manhattan DA investigated Sharpton and found that he did not incite the incident. I'll believe them over you any day.

(the straw that broke the camel's back) and this discussion is that famous "discussion on race" that we were all meant to have. the letter writers can all pat yourselves on the back for contributing. and Salon too. it's perfect as it is - don't change it. in another thread, there was an equally open discussion of homosexuality. pretty remarkable. as for here, in these myriad letters (not ALL by me, i hasten to say) i've seen *real* change. real mutual understanding and respect. (anonymice, no one can get to know you without a screen name, please make one up.)

I don't listen to Don Imus so his temporary sacking will not be missed by my ears. I do have to say however that I am reaching the end of my tolerance of people who's selective morality is a mace to blodgeon any white male who dares step over the line. Imus is an example to the rest of us.

Political correctness means any form of speach that people like me use that is critical of anyone of the "protected classes". Don Imus was not sacked because he said the nappy headded hoe word, he was sacked because he was not repersentitive of poeple like Joan. This is why the likes of Al Sharpton (Tawana Brawley), Jesse Jackson (spitting in sandwiches), etc. are still able to circulate in the mainstream. If they were white like me they would have been declared leppers a long time ago.

Every once in a while you have to kill a chicken in front of the monkeys to keep them in line.