So how many women feel complimented by that headline? How many people feel that this comment was humorous? This isn’t targeted to any one race. It could be your mother I’m speaking about. Or your daughter, sister or girlfriend. Or just you. Yes, how much joy do you have now that you know this was directed personally?
The fact is that it isn’t personal. I don’t intend to insult anyone. But what is the difference between my headline comment that can be insulting to any woman on the planet and the words of Mr. Don Imus and Mr. Bernard McGuirk? Obviously I’m not as famous, though the fact that this blog is read by people in over 50 countries in the world and coast to coast in the United States makes me more than unknown. Beyond that what is the difference?
I’ll tell you what I think it is. I run the risk, with that headline, of alienating readers forever. I could be losing my base for life and thus crushing my business to make a point. Mr. Imus though got a 2 week vacation. Yes, he was suspended. But he is keeping his job and not, as far as I’ve seen, losing any pay. That is a vacation in my opinion. Just enough time for the media to find a new subject to pump up. Probably the Anna Nicole Smith case, with who is the daddy. You know really substantial news that affects the lives of millions.
Think about that for a moment though. I am risking everything to make a point; Mr. Imus lost nothing (beyond temporary embarrassment that he has gone through before) for saying far worse comments. Does that make any sense?
I’m sure Mr. Imus, and Mr. McGuirk, understand that they are paid to be confrontational. I’m sure that the comments felt completely natural, and/or funny, when they were said. Obviously neither thought this would get as much attention as it has. But I think they, and NBC or General Electric, never were worried about how it may affect them and the current “punishment” reflects that they still don’t think this is an issue.
I know, some will say “But Rev Jesse Jackson held a protest,” or, “Rev Al Sharpton took him to task on the radio.” Well with all due respect that just makes it somewhat farcical. The inclusion of both these men in this matter just makes this less serious, not more. If President Bush made comment, or both Senators for New York, or any number of other legislators were critical of this punishment and the comments that would be serious. I say that because neither man is representative of Black culture or the majority of the Black community. Both do grab the headlines though.
I’ll detract a moment more. Mr. Malcolm X was a leader. Dr. Martin Luther King was a leader. Mr. Bill Cosby has assumed a position of influence. Senator Barak Obama, Representative Keith Ellison, Secretary of State Condolezza Rice and her predecessor Mr. Colin Powell are persons of influence and leadership. But there is no leader of the Black Community today. There is no one person that speaks for all African Americans. There is no one person or group that is recognized. Both the reverends are far from the levels the abovementioned are at. They just get a lot of media attention. So does Anna Nicole Smith, but that doesn’t mean it’s justified or worthwhile.
Continued in Part 2...
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