Don Imus - Martyr to a cause?

Well if no one else says it - I will

Here is a comment on the Don Imus firing.

First off - I deplore his comments. Anyone who speaks in public must be accountable for their actions. So speaking as one who has at times inserted a foot into the mouth - I accept that this was not anything that has anyone happy. It was wrong! I also want to be sure - that I have found nothing on the right or the left side of the argument compelling enough to warrant firing the guy. CBS Radio - you knew that he appealed to a certain audience and that audience was fed the crap that they wanted to hear. Not my cup of tea but I defend the rights of anyone to who wants to hear that drivel.

Now the crux of my issue. Those who have hounded Imus off the air must now accept that they have indeed created another cornerstone in the Nanny state. Well done everyone! Free speech is dead - long live the power of public sensitivity.

The other day I was flipping stations on my radio dial and I heard in context the same words that allegedly offended, on several (i.e. more than one) radio station - "purporting" to be music. On the same day I watched with a 15 year old member of my family - several episodes of Fox's Family Guy comedy series. Lots of put downs there I can assure you.

My point is that you don’t have to listen to this. Free Speech says you can walk away at any time. You have a choice to speak AND to listen. Taking Imus off the air is censorship. Pure and Simple.

It is just too bad we don’t have as much sway over the current US administration. Would it not be eminently more appropriate for us to fire people for either - killing others, lying and deceit, wasting public money etc etc.

Think carefully before everyone jumps to conclusions. What has happened was a knee jerk response to an exercise (albeit in horrible taste) of a fundamental right of this country. Imus is no hero. But he has been made an unnecessary martyr in a war that should not exist.

This is my personal opinion and I stand behind it 100%



Timothy J O'Neil-Dunne
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