Poor Don Imus

John Donald Imus, Jr.

It seems the controversial syndicated radio talk show host has put his foot in his mouth again. Apparently, this happened when he was being told about the legal troubles of newly traded Dallas Cowboy, Adam "Pacman" Jones (Jones has had numerous run-ins with the law and could easily become a topic of one of these blogs). Imus was doing alright at first, when told that Jone's last altercation occurred in a night club. He said, "Oh well, a nightclub... there is drinking going on there and sooner or later something is bound to happen." He should've stopped there but, he didn't. He then asked, "What color is Jones?" When told that Jones is African-American, Imus replied, "Well, there you go." So, from this, another controversy is born.

This incident is not as bad as the "nappy headed hos" remark of last year that cost him his job. Imus claims that he was actually defending Jones. He said that he meant that Jones was targeted so many times because he is black. You know what? I'm going to go out on a limb here and give Imus the benefit of the doubt.

The big question that everybody was asking last night... Why bring up race in the first place? We all know the answer to that... because race is still America's dirty little secret. Race is still the skeleton in America's closet. Race is still that thing that we really don't want to talk about anymore. (When did America want to talk about race?)

Race was a controversial subject in 1908, one year before the NAACP was founded. Now, one hundred years later, it is still just as controversial. America may be on the verge of electing its first African-American president and while that will say that America has come a mighty long way, it won't change much for the other 34 million African-Americans who still remain almost invisible sometimes. Those of us who aren't running for president, running to catch a touchdown, running to shoot a three pointer, or running across the stage to do a split are invisible to some white Americans. If you're not running, you're marginalized.

Imus is merely a reflection of our times. While I won't go so far as to call him any kind of crusader, he is an agitator. He's the drunken uncle that we all have who says something totally outlandish that we've all been guiltily of thinking but, would never say because we are sober. Are we?

I don't care if it's Don Imus or Rev. Jeremiah Wright... they both say things that we all say in private when we are amongst our own but, would never say near a hot microphone. (Most of us, whether we are black or white will never get near a hot microphone.)

The point I'm making is... a lot of what these men say is viewed as truth to some. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have an honest discourse on all of these things? Take it out of the "tribes" and put it out there in an open but, (painfully beautiful) discussion. Just get it all out. Not gonna happen! We can't take it. We would be too uncomfortable and that's why it's so cool to have Don Imus and Reverend Wright. We can just chuckle and say, "Boy, those guys are s-o-o crazy!" (wink-wink)

Don Imus, Howard Stern, Rev. Wright, and all the other flame throwers will continue to say controversial things and we will publicly and hypocritically hang them out to dry, while winking and agreeing with them in our barbershops, churches, beauty parlors, and neighborhood bars. Seems kind of unfair, don't cha think?