Imus be an idiot . . .

[andyandy]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Nappy

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Kinky


As far as my "mininformed" opinions go...You might try actually opening a book for once. It helps. Trust me.

funny you left off this definition from your linked source.....

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source
nappy (adj.)

"downy," 1499, from nap (n.). Meaning "fuzzy, kinky," used in colloquial or derogatory ref. to the hair of black people, is from 1950.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

as always context is important. If you choose to use a word with rascist and derogatory baggage in a derogatory manner then you should not be surprised if some people label you a rascist.

Let's take an example, "queer" is a word with homophobic and derogatory baggage - it has also been "reclaimed" to some extent by the gay community, to the extent that the mere use of the word does not automatically equate to homophobia. Nevertheless, if one was to use it in sentence with an obviously derogatory tone, then one could certainly expect to be open to charges of homophobia.

I fail to see how you can argue that "nappy headed hos" was not meant in a derogatory manner - and as such, the derogatory interpretation of "nappy" is an inevitable consequence.

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

Does anyone remember Hillary Clintons racist attempt at humor?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3890946



She seems to have been forgiven. Why not Imus? Both were just "a lame attempt at humor". Of the 2 people, I'd say Hillary has more clout than Imus.

When bad people do bad things they're generally forgiven. When good people do bad things all hell brakes lose. Imus has spent years helping fight cancer and autism raising hundreds of millions in the process. Not just for whites but for all races. Yet when he makes an off the wall remark that really doesn't mean anything and was said without though, he's thrown to the wolves.

 

[The Painter]

he's thrown to the wolves.

I thought you liked wolves?


just a little joke

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

funny you left off this definition from your linked source.....



as always context is important. If you choose to use a word with rascist and derogatory baggage in a derogatory manner then you should not be surprised if some people label you a rascist.

That's 50's slang. In the context of his discussion it wasn't meant to be racist.

Let's take an example, "queer" is a word with homophobic and derogatory baggage - it has also been "reclaimed" to some extent by the gay community, to the extent that the mere use of the word does not automatically equate to homophobia. Nevertheless, if one was to use it in sentence with an obviously derogatory tone, then one could certainly expect to be open to charges of homophobia.

"Queer" doesn't actually describe an attribute. It means "gay" in modern use of the word. If I say "You stupid queer" then it's clearly meant to attack ones homosexuality. However since "nappy" is an attribute that does not necessarily imply race, I could say "You nappy headed idiot" to someone of any race. White, black, middle eastern.

I fail to see how you can argue that "nappy headed hos" was not meant in a derogatory manner - and as such, the derogatory interpretation of "nappy" is an inevitable consequence.

It was clearly derogatory. I never said it wasn't. I said it wasn't "racist". I said Imus isn't racist.

 

[BPSCG]

The people on the team DID have nappy hair.

Jeeze, even that isn't true. Here's a shot of the team at a press conference (fourth photo in the series). From left to right, the first two have straight (relaxed) hair, you can't really tell the third and fifth, and the fourth has what looks like tight cornrows. Whence your conclusion that "the people on the team DID have nappy hair"?

What a silly discussion this has degenerated into. It could be a reasonable argument about any number of issues, but instead...

Lordie...

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

Jeeze, even that isn't true. Here's a shot of the team at a press conference (fourth photo in the series). From left to right, the first two have straight (relaxed) hair, you can't really tell the third and fifth, and the fourth has what looks like tight cornrows. Whence your conclusion that "the people on the team DID have nappy hair"?

What a silly discussion this has degenerated into. It could be a reasonable argument about any number of issues, but instead...

Lordie...

It doesn't look nappy now because they've combed it. But during the game (which I saw) their hair was everywhere and sweaty etc.

 

[andyandy]

That's 50's slang. In the context of his discussion it wasn't meant to be racist.

how can you possibly say that with such certainty?

1. The word has derogatory and racist baggage
2. It was used in the context of an insult
3. The sentence was directed at black women

why would you just happen to make reference to a group's hair type in such an insult? The simplest explanation is clearly that it was used as a racial marker - and if you use what appears to be a racial marker with racist and derogatory baggage in the context of an insult, well you can hardly be surprised to be labelled a racist.

However since "nappy" is an attribute that does not necessarily imply race, I could say "You nappy headed idiot" to someone of any race. White, black, middle eastern.

Context is important in language. Please remember this. He described a group of black women as "nappy headed" as part of an insult .

 

[Darth Rotor]

Try actually watching his show. He said that in the context of what he said it was not racist.

That is incredibly bad advice. Imus has a face made for radio, as do his team. McCord is the straight man. The others are deliberate caricatures of New York stereotypes.

Watching Imus' show is painful in the extreme, partly from boredom, partly from lack of anything worth watching.

Listening to his radio show? I can't get it in my area, but I enjoyed listening to it when I lived near NYC. I actually miss my dose of Imus in the Morning. He plays the curmudgeon well.

WFAN, New York! AM 600 on your dial. I don't miss the Joeseph Aboud fashion ads.

On the drive home from work, Mike and the Mad Dog, the world's most obnoxious sports talk radio pinheads. Fun to unwind with mindless rot on the way home.

DR

 

[GroundStrength]

When did it become a crime to use a racial slur? or to attempt to be funny?

You are all a bunch of nappy headed ho's.

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

how can you possibly say that with such certainty?

1. The word has derogatory and racist baggage
2. It was used in the context of an insult
3. The sentence was directed at black women

1. The word CAN be racist if used in specific contexts.
2.I know it was an insult.
3. It wasn't directed at specifically black women because even the white women during the game had their hair everywhere and it looked nappy.

Here's the full context.

IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.
ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.
IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --
McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.
IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.
McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
IMUS: Yeah.
McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes -- that movie that he had.
IMUS: Yeah, it was a tough --
McCORD: Do The Right Thing.
McGUIRK: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
IMUS: I don't know if I'd have wanted to beat Rutgers or not, but they did, right?
ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors.
IMUS: Well, I guess, yeah.
RUFFINO: Only tougher.
McGUIRK: The [Memphis] Grizzlies would be more appropriate.​

Notice how Mcgurk mentioned "hos" first and Imus just used what he said and added in "nappy haired". Also notice how the whole context is centered around their "tough" look.

​

why would you just happen to make reference to a group's hair type in such an insult? The simplest explanation is clearly that it was used as a racial marker - and if you use what appears to be a racial marker with racist and derogatory baggage in the context of an insult, well you can hardly be surprised to be labelled a racist.

The simplest explanation is it was a thoughtless remark meant to imply they are tough looking and barbaric with hair everywhere and tattoo's etc.(Like maybe vandals or goths) It had nothing to do with race.

Context is important in language. Please remember this. He described a group of black women as "nappy headed" as part of an insult .

He described a group of WOMEN both black and white as "nappy headed" when their hair WAS nappy and when in the context it was meant to convey "roughness" and had NOTHING to do with race.

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

That is incredibly bad advice. Imus has a face made for radio, as do his team. McCord is the straight man. The others are deliberate caricatures of New York stereotypes.

Watching Imus' show is painful in the extreme, partly from boredom, partly from lack of anything worth watching.

Listening to his radio show? I can't get it in my area, but I enjoyed listening to it when I lived near NYC. I actually miss my dose of Imus in the Morning. He plays the curmudgeon well.

WFAN, New York! AM 600 on your dial. I don't miss the Joeseph Aboud fashion ads.

On the drive home from work, Mike and the Mad Dog, the world's most obnoxious sports talk radio pinheads. Fun to unwind with mindless rot on the way home.

DR

I listen to him every morning. His voice is synonymous with morning.

 

[Mephisto]

I'm not Jewish (To my knowledge, many of my family are catholic) and I wouldn't care even if I were. I don't get offended by such nonsense.

You're not African-American either - are you the purveyor of what words should offend African-Americans? Your cultural background also doesn't include lynchings based on the color of your skin, slavery based on the color of your skin, and I'm pretty sure none of your relatives have been dragged behind a pickup truck by drunken rednecks because of the color of their skin.

This is officially no longer an issue - Imus has been fired from MSNBC for his insensitivity. It should have happened long ago. That's what happens when you put a half-pint brain in a ten-gallon hat. Good riddance!

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

When did it become a crime to use a racial slur? or to attempt to be funny?

You are all a bunch of nappy headed ho's.

It's a crime since the politically correct hypocrites like Sharpton and Jackson decide to protest against Imus because they have no lives and like to prey upon people. They're like vampires. They can only draw attention to themselves when they prey on others. Martin Luther King would roll over in his grave if he saw this is what our nations major civil rights leaders are doing with their time.

 

[Lonewulf]

When did it become a crime to use a racial slur? or to attempt to be funny?

I don't know. When did it?

No one has even suggested that Imus should be punished by law. The law has not punished Imus. There was civil action and public opinion putting pressure on his workplace, where he PLEDGED to not make racial slurs (but yeah, I know, the workplace shouldn't be free to expect him to keep his pledges to them), and the place he worked with put pressure on him to apologize in order to keep him in business.

The law has no effect here.

 

[Darth Rotor]

I listen to him every morning. His voice is synonymous with morning.

Did you ever order items from the Auto Body Express catalogue, run by his brother Fred out in New Mexico? I used to order the medium salza and tortilla chips, by the case, since they happened to be my favorite.

DR

 

[Mephisto]

When did it become a crime to use a racial slur? or to attempt to be funny?

You are all a bunch of nappy headed ho's.

You risk labeling yourself a redneck - kicker.

 

[Lonewulf]

It's a crime since the politically correct hypocrites like Sharpton and Jackson decide to protest against Imus because they have no lives and like to prey upon people.

And the NAACP...

And NOW...

Let's attack all the civil rights organizations that were involved while we're at it, k?

And no one has suggested that it was a crime. The fact that you seem to think of it as a "crime", shows how ignorant you are. No one is even suggesting legal action.

 

[hgc]

It's a crime since the politically correct hypocrites like Sharpton and Jackson decide to protest against Imus because they have no lives and like to prey upon people. They're like vampires. They can only draw attention to themselves when they prey on others. Martin Luther King would roll over in his grave if he saw this is what our nations major civil rights leaders are doing with their time.

Now you speak for what M.L. King would think. You, and not Jesse Jackson, who knew King personally. You.

You can criticize Jackson and Sharpton just fine without invoking the voice of a long-dead hero who's opinion on this contemporary matter you or anyone else can't possibly fathom -- because HE'S BEEN DEAD FOR 38 YEARS.

 

[Dustin Kesselberg]

You're not African-American either - are you the purveyor of what words should offend African-Americans? Your cultural background also doesn't include lynchings based on the color of your skin, slavery based on the color of your skin, and I'm pretty sure none of your relatives have been dragged behind a pickup truck by drunken rednecks because of the color of their skin.

So because blacks have had a rough past it gives them the right to be offended at nothing?

This is officially no longer an issue - Imus has been fired from MSNBC for his insensitivity. It should have happened long ago. That's what happens when you put a half-pint brain in a ten-gallon hat. Good riddance!

Imus' show is one of the most listened to shows out there. 20 hours a week and many years at this and he makes a few slip ups and a few words come out that are offensive. He apologized. He's a radio shock jock and if he can't be offensive, who can?

BTW, Would you be rallying against him if he were to of said "Dumbass Christians" instead? Let's say he called christians "Dumb ass Christians" and Sharpton protested and he got fired. Would you still be saying he should of been fired for being insensitive? Or would you have a thread protesting against his being fired? I already know. I can smell your hypocrisy from here.

 

[Lonewulf]

Christianity is not a race or a gender, genius. This has been explained to you, but I guess it didn't sink in.

But hell, what the hell are you talking about? Dawkins has been criticized several times for being "aggressive" in this forum, even when he isn't being aggressive. Dawkins has even been (completely unfairly) compared to Ann Coulter and the like.

I can smell your ignorance from here.

Second of all, he apologized (though I'm not sure if he was sincere on the apology). That's great. I'm glad he apologized. I have no problem with that. He didn't even lose his job. So what are you railing about here?

I don't think he should have said what he did. I'm glad he was called on it, especially when me made a pledge that he would not be racially insulting to those he worked with. I'm glad that pressure was put on him by the people he worked with.

So can we just move on already?