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Read other letters about this article
King Kaufman asks "What I mean is why do the idiot rantings of an out-of-touch gasbag have such power?"
Here's why: The out-of-touch gasbag is speaking into a microphone that is heard by millions of people. Don Imus is still completely free to speak offensively as often as he wants to. But he won't be broadcasting his offense to millions of Americans.
Here's another difference: Don Imus wasn't talking about Hillary and Bill, or Al Gore, or any other public figures, who expect to be in the fray and catch crap from blowhards. He was talking about some exceptional young women who should be role models for their peers. Who came within a few points of accomplishing something magical. And who have lives outside of sport that are also something most of us would be proud to claim.
And Don Imus, that dirty old bigot, trashed them for the hell of it.
Well, screw him. Getting rid of him may not fix everything that is wrong with public discourse, but it sure as heck won't make it worse. If it stops one dirtbag from crapping on other completely innocent victims, then we've done something positive.
We didn't lose anything by getting rid of Imus.
