Kudos to Joan Walsh for her thoughtful opinions, including tonight's posting on the firing of Don Imus and for her appearance on Scarborough Country. Joan, I had started to turn off the t.v. and read a book (I'd had enough of the Imus thing on Countdown, which I love) until I saw you on Scarborough. You make all the difference. You are MSNBC's best commentator. Thank you for your bright, clearly thought out, smart thoughts on what is going on. I'm sorry you got cut off tonight, but knew where you were going and agree with you completely.

Joan, you're the best and the brightest and your appearance tonight was a nice complement to your Salon piece.

Thanks!

Although I may agree with you on many points regarding the firing of Don Imus, your arguments defending hip-hop music against the charges that it is largely responsible for the problems with racism and sexism that we struggle with today were dead wrong. No, hip-hop didn't "invent" sexism or racism, but it sure in the hell has given rise to a new abuse of those sensitive problems. And while it may be reprehensible what Imus has said in the past about Maya Angelou and many others, the black gentleman screenwriter was right on to point out to you that this was not about Maya Angelou this time.

You lost the debate tonight. And while it shouldn't really matter, I will say that I am a white, liberal Democrat. And yet I agreed with Scarborough more often than you.

What I am hearing is that the use of the term "nappy headed" is the real issue rather than the use of the term "hoes". Unfortunately, most girls from age 12-20 will tell you that being called a "hoe" is normal everyday conversation and no big deal because being "ghetto" is cool these days. However, talking about "nappy headed" is all about "curly black hair" and therein lies the problem. There is nothing in the current culture that will give you a pass from this type of a racial slur. However, when you put the two together, you get confusion because there are a lot of folks who think that the hip-hop culture is largely to blame for our depraved culture, anyways, and that Imus is just "along for the ride" and should get a pass. And Don is also clever in that he assumed he would get a pass because people in powerful positions would never really understand what he said and what he really meant.

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.

It seems the lynch pin (pardon the irony) of everyone's double-standard standard lies in whether Joan, Imus, Jackson and other immediate players in this incident have all committed comparable infractions against the PC Gods. But what about the larger context?

Guess what: Racist humor is so hot right now. And it seems that if you're Hispanic or Black, you can get away with anything. Think George Lopez, or Dave Chapelle. But if you're White and you make the same comments, you're racist. That's not right, because if ethnic entertainers are allowed to bank off of denigrating their own races, chances are their acts were intended to resonate with pop culture in the first place. So why does everyone balk when racist slurs become part of the vernacular?

There are so many more people to blame than just Imus here. So many more, or most everyone who makes racist statements in passing should get off scott-free.

I just saw you on with Joe on MSNBC....What a bunch of Crap.

you want to look into,hold meetings,have discussions about the

rap music that is aired daily which you defended....Talk about double standard,you should be FIRED....Your probably a Republican,and that would

explain your inability to see the damage done daily by the lyrics you were defending on MSNBC just a few minutes ago....When will you write and demand that the record company exec's be fired,the radio stations lose their license,the D.J. who plays this filth be fired,oh I forgot you need to look into it, hold meetings,have discussions....