The produce should be fired. He's the one that called the women on the Rutgers basketball team "jigaboos," at which point Mr. Imus, had he been of sound mind and body, should have said, "hey, Bernard McGuirk, shut the fuck up! But he didn't.

What's interesting to me is the premise that making sexist and racist remarks is funny or entertaining. I think that's the crux. The Rutgers team decided to call foul on this particular instance of racist slur and people are bewildered about why and why now after all these years of Imus trash. Why not? Why not be fully offended? While the tradition of humor at the expense of others is of course a universal, timeless phenomenon of human discorse, our particular U.S. history is such that remarks about black women implying a dirty (and I think illicitly alluring)sexual characteristic are aggressively charged. The process of changing the racial climate in our country has been fraught with violence and struggle, and has proceeded at a very slow pace. The push back by the Rutgers women is a necessary step toward changing the tone of what is taken for granted by millions as being funny and acceptable. Those of Imus' ilk, who favor his humor, are not likely to change their minds because of this recent flak. I for one, am heartened by women who do not accept the slimy status quo.

Don't get me wrong, I think firing Imus was the correct thing to do. But there are things about this I don't understand:

1. Why was his producer not fired? He was the person who started referring to these women as "Ho's". And why has his name barely been mentioned in all this uproar?

2. Why does it matter if the Basketball team accepted his apology, or rather, why is that enough? I don't accept his apology and I suspect many many people like me do not accept his apology. I am not African-American (I am a woman) but since when is this kind of behavior offensive only to a small group of people? If I were at work and someone referred to a coworker using racist terms I would be offended, would say something about it, and would expect an apology. Racism is not personal in that sense. It is toxic to all of us in this society and what comes out of Imus's mouth is offensive to me. I do not accept his apology because there is zero evidence that he does not think in these terms (yes, I know he hosts black children on his ranch,too, but that is beside the point). I am 52 years old and I have never 'accidentally' said something like this...a person only says something like this if they already have an internal structure that supports it.

3. Why are people screaming censorship? He was not arrested, he was fired. His services no longer matched the job requirements. If he worked in an office, and he publicly made statements that were overtly racist, sexist or anti-semitic, he would most likely also be fired. He can get another job somewhere else. And he was not fired because he was a racist. He was fired because someone finally had the nerve to stand up and say, "This is unacceptable" (Of course, he was most likely REALLY fired because sponsorship was being pulled away, but...)

Racism is everyone's business, period. There are far too many racists walking around, in my opinion, but it is not illegal to be a racist and Don Imus can proclaim his small-minded opinions to the end of his days; that doesn't mean anyone will want to pay him for it.

Well, if you're right, then you have to be right everywhere. Like a law, you've created an opinion precendent that you must apply equally to all broadcasts. Therefore, if you believe yourself correct, you must support the firing of all radio/tv hosts that meet these loose prerequisites. You will have a busy lifetime applying these loose elements and standards. I suppose the jury will be determined by the heat of the issue, the words stated, the popularity of the host, the attention of the media, the other news in the cycle on the day it was said, the power or lack thereof of the hosts enemies (government itself?), etc...

Joan, I expected a lot more thoughfulness from you!

It may be hard to do. It's like that old ballade "try a little tenderness"...but think accuracy instead of "tenderness".

No, babe, years of racist, sexist and anti-semitic jokes didn't take their toll. Imus has been equal opportunity for decades.

Oh I could go into an endless roll about Rush anyone? Savage? the felons at Faux...but for your ilk it is just easier to wring your little hands in moral outrage...."how can they talk that way", she pilled. Never mind anything about it and Revs. Al and Jesse getting and you giving some center stage..naw...disregard that.

did Imus overstep. sure. did he apologize? yup. was he sincere? i know him and his crew. yes. I can move on. Can you?

Fuck me from behind spin it round let me hit that two time.....

etc etc. The ladies do sum dat rap shit too.

Have we collectively lost our minds? This is not some "free speech" issue! This shit happens all the time. People get fired from their jobs for saying stupid things. It is all a matter of bad timing. He has gotten away with talking trash for a long time and it has helped rather than hindered the bottom line. But this time the sponsors started walking away and he was no longer a useful employee. It happens in offices all over the world on a daily basis. People talk a lot of inappropriate trash at the water cooler, but it is that one, day that Mr. Bossman/Bosswoman happens to be walking by and you let loose with that stupid Andrew Dice Clay imitation - and you get fired. It is just how it goes.

Imus is not a martyr. Just a cash cow that had to eventually be put down due to sudden and unfortunate profitability issues.