Yesterday, the statement (audio assist by RTNY)…

“During a conversation about Jones’ run-ins with the law, Imus asked, “What color is he?” Sports announcer Warner Wolf said Jones — formerly known as Pacman — is “African-American.” Imus responded: “There you go. Now we know.”

ABC’s head honchos didn’t respond yesterday, instead electing to have faithful listeners & all others who were seeking an explanation to tune in today (“Yes! Tune in! Click us and boost our ratings!”).

On today’s show, the clarification…

“Don Imus said Tuesday morning on his radio show that he was trying to “make a sarcastic point” with his latest on-air remarks about race, but that they had been misunderstood…What people should be outraged about is that they arrest blacks for no reason,” Imus said Tuesday. “I mean, there’s no reason to arrest this kid six times. Maybe he did something once, but everyone does something once.”

Al Sharpton, who speaks for all wronged & unfairly treated Blacks, said…

“We will determine in the next day or so whether or not his remark warrants direct action on our part as we did in April of last year.”

In other words, he needs a day or two to get his hair pressed & gators resoled with Vibrams for the upcoming march.

The player formerly known as Pac-Man…

“I’m truly upset about the comments,” Jones said. “Obviously Mr. Imus has problems with African-Americans. I’m upset, and I hope the station he works for handles it accordingly. I will pray for him.”

Pac is just praying because he’s thankful that this time he’s the victim in this situation & not the perpetrator.

The verdict…

Growing up in the gentile South, I think I’ve heard & seen worse in terms of racism, as sad as that is to say. I can remember encountered older White people who still referred to Blacks as “colored.” As hard as it may seem, I couldn’t be mad @ those decrepit old minds. Hell, during their lifetime, Black folks went from niggers to colored to Black and probably African-Americans but these people were well set in their ways & past their prime for taking in & processing new information. When you get that old, you go for what you’ve always known and let the chips fall. “Colored” it was.

I think of Imus as one of those people.

Imus isn’t alone or not being attacked because “he’s white & he said…” and can’t hide under the guise of comedic license. On the brink of having a Black male being nominated for the nation’s head political office (and a woman put “18 million cracks in the glass ceiling”), offended individuals, regardless of race or gender, are no longer small voices, looking for a bigger voice to speak for them. They have started to speak for their collective selves, even critiquing each other when in the wrong (See: Eddie Griffin and D.L. Hughley).

Imus is under attack because he’s heard nationally and easily in the sights of media watchdogs waiting for him to slip-up & make these types of statements.

Eight months after the “nappy head hos” incident, who I am more smh @ is ABC for hiring him. His time is past him & he would’ve been perhaps better suited for AM radio, where his sideways rants would have lesser impact and he could babble away in obscurity.

Sooner than later, let’s hope someone has the courage to put Imus’ horse out to pasture before he speaks again.


Don Imus Says He Was Making A ‘Sarcastic Point’ [AP News]

Don Imus Once Again Brings Race To Airwaves [AP News]

Previously Posted — “The Enemies Of Hip-Hop In 2007″