Bullshit. The dripping hypcorisy around here is just a little too sticky-sweet for my taste.

"The right to say unpopular or offensive things isn't dead words on a sheet of paper."

So? How was Imus denied that "right"? Nobody stopped him from saying what he said. They just responded to what he said. That you don't like the response is your problem. Apparently, to some Free Speech means Free Consequences. Wrapping yourself in the flag and hurrumping about guiding principles of the nation is a little much.

But, I'm sort of amazed at this evolving free speech "right" to listen to your favorite radio/tv personality.

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.

I posted this once already. I'll happily repost it every time a budding legal expert trots out this ridiculous argument.

What a deplorable cop-out. The right to say unpopular or offensive things isn't dead words on a sheet of paper. It's a principle that defines a national identity. When you're willing to make an exception because you're offended, don't cry and scream foul when the blowtorch is turned on a personality you enjoy/admire.

I don't know why anyone -- you included -- has not mentioned something very important about rap. It is ART. It may not be art everyone likes but as I explained to a conservative cousin of mine -- many in French society considered Impressionist Art depraved and vulgar. The Nazis and the Soviet Communists routinely categorized certain modern art as depraved and anti-social. When my young children started listening to Eminem I figured I should listen to him and try to decide whether to let them continue. I listened to his music and was mesmerized. It was violent and hit me like a hammer -- but it was a kind of poetry. Yes, this was one screwed up puppy -- but he was a talented screwed up puppy.

So, Ms. Walsh, defend the art of rapping the way you would have defended Van Gogh or Picasso. Or Manet's The Picnic -- which was accused of being depraved and anti-female in its day!

Do I like "gangsta rap?" Not much. But I also do not like the communities some of the young rappers come out of. I do not like the lack of attention our society gives to minority children and to our major urban centers. And yes, my affluent children also listen to "gangsta rap.” But they are wonderful progressive liberals who are not sexist or violent and want to make the world a better place.

Does that mean that all of us shouldn't try to encourage young rappers to find less violent ways to express themselves and to help young poor people to express themselves differently? Of course not. But suppressing art and artistic expression is not the way to do it.

And comparing artistic expression (even if some rappers get rich) to a powerful rich white guy insulting powerless strangers is just a way for white guys like Joe Scarborough to deal with their knee-jerk reaction that everything is a zero sum gain. That is: If a rich white guy like himself gets hurt -- some minority must also get hurt. They aren't used to having anything bad happen to them so they have a hard time dealing with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Heights_Riot Especially notable was Sharpton's eulogy for Gavin Cato, replete with calls for action against the worldwide Jewish conspiracy: "Talk about how Oppenheimer in South Africa sends diamonds straight to Tel Aviv and deals with the diamond merchants right here in Crown Heights. The issue is not anti-Semitism; the issue is apartheid" also interesting(to me) was, "A visiting rabbinical student from Australia by the name of Yankel Rosenbaum, 29 years old, was murdered during the rioting. Before dying, Rosenbaum was able to identify 16-year-old Lemrick Nelson, Jr. as his assailant. Nelson, who had been roused to riot by neighborhood chants of "Kill the Jews!" was charged with the murder, but acquitted. Claims that he admitted to having stabbed Rosenbaum were dismissed by the predominantly African-American jury. Even though Nelson was acquitted of murder by a state court, after protests by the Lubavitch community and others, Nelson was charged in federal court with violating Rosenbaum's civil rights and received a prison sentence of 19.5 years. In 2002, he was granted a new trial, at which he admitted he stabbed Rosenbaum, but his attorneys argued that the stabbing wasn't a hate crime triggered by Rosenbaum's religion (despite repeated cries of "Kill the Jews!"), but merely the consequence of Nelson being drunk. One other man, Charles Price, 44, was charged with inciting a mob, including Nelson, to "get Jews". Price was charged in federal court one day before the expiration of the statute of limitations for that crime. Nelson was released to a halfway house on June 5, 2004. Additionally, an Italian-American man, Anthony Gaszioli, was also murdered by the mob when he was mistaken for a Jew.

while imus surely intended it as a slur, and the word "nappy" has previous negative connotations, it been embraced by legions who wear their hair in its natural, curly state. there is no definition for "nappy" in my american heritage dictionary new fourth edition, but i surmise its roots are derivative of nap 2: "a soft or fuzzy surface on fabric or leather." but most black people know what nappy means, and not having seen the game that provoked the comment, i can't attest to what the girl's hair was doing when imus saw it, but the press conference revealed each and every player to have sleek, straightened hair -- nary a nap! .. i think he just wanted to say he thinks they're ugly. fuck him. he's a clown. and unless we're going after all the clowns who freely use the word "ho" in their “art,” there's no justification to single imus out.

his words were meant to be hateful, and it's more hateful because they're just kids, but it pains me that something like hair is being used to paint these great athletes as victims. will black women forever be victims of hair politics? Face it, the dominant culture celebrates eurocentric standards of beauty (not to mention poor sportsmanship). Let’s get the Lady Scarlet Knights some subscriptions to Essence Magazine and move on.