Bill Maher is talking such bull I can't stand it.

[Berry Cool]

Calls Imus a "glorious mustang"(!) and says it's "sad" to see him brought so low. He says that sure, Imus will lose "a few black listeners," but so what? There are bigger issues out there!

*sigh* That is NOT the issue...Honestly, I don't see how Olbermann stands this man.

[Cha]

1. Imus should lose all his

listeners as in FIRED. Get himself into rehab.

[TahitiNut]

4. rehab?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[NormanYorkstein]

21. I'm boycotting anyone who sponsors his show

until he's off the air. Bill's an idiot.

[wisteria]

31. have you ever watched the program? Do your really think that he is a racist?

I have watched the program and I have heard him say many, many derogatory things against many people of differing backgrounds, but I never felt that he was a racist or really hated anyone or any race.
Now, that does not mean I think what he said was right- it was actually deplorable, but I find the same words which are used in music,videos and movies deplorable also. Imus is being made a scapegoat for a larger problem in this country. He was wrong, but so are many of the other things said on radio and TV today. I just think it is sad that the problem will still be around even if Imus should be forced to go.

[Kickin_Donkey]

50. Yeah, I think he's racist ...

You say racist things, that makes you a racist.

If you're not going to fight racism, why are you on DU?

[LynneSin]

58. 110% agree with you on that one

There is no excuse for what Imus did

[tularetom]

2. Jeezus that sounds like something Tweety would say

My respect for Maher just dropped about a thousand percent.

[ShortnFiery]

43. Maher is more subdued in his evals but "the man crush" syndrome applies like with Tweety.

That is, all traditionally male oriented personality characteristics are to be prized, while those related to the feminine are abhorred. It's a more discreet undertone with Maher but his lack of regard for feminine traits (consensus building, patience, non-violence) is CLEAR.

[wisteria]

3. I agree with Bill Maher, he has been made a victum too. He knows what Imus is going through. n/t

[TomInTib]

10. I am in your camp.

I just cannot understand why this issue has grown legs.

But then, again, I also do not understand the appeal of American Idol.

Maybe I am just out of touch.

[Berry Cool]

16. Please, Imus is no victim. He's been an ass for years.

This is just the straw that broke the camel's back. Why this, and not any of the thousand million other things he's said that were just as bad? I do not know. All I know is, it did.

[LiberalHeart]

20. Why this? Because he targeted specific women, not some group with no faces.

We see who he hurt and insulted. We also see they didn't deserve to be hurt and insulted. And we see how hollow his "apology" is and how empty his "penalty" is.

[DemBones DemBones]

28. And the target was college kids, winning athletes, not college kids acting badly.

It's amazing how many WHITE MEN are making excuses for Imus.

[wisteria]

37. Black men have defended him also, not for his comment, but against the accusations and backlash. n/

[ShortnFiery]

44. Black journalist men, but NOT black journalist women. Guess the "ho" was not appreciated? n/t

[Carni]

67. Why would college kids acting badly deserve this more?

I'm sorry...forgive me, but I keep reading that because these were *good girls* and college athletes that they deserved this 'least of all'

What 17 year old would want to be or deserves to be called a *ho* in general
(on television no less) and who decides who is a *ho* and who isn't?

If he had been commenting on a bunch of kids standing around on a street corner in provocative modes of dress, this wouldn't have been any less offensive.

Honestly the comments of Don Imus were vile but this whole *class* thing from Rutgers and talking heads of the media (and even the people on DU) is just a little disturbing to me.

Young women should not have to maintain a 3.5 grade point average and play some type of college sport to be spared the moniker of *ho*

[TomInTib]

27. I have never listened to his show.

From what I have seen of him on teevee lately, he appears to be some eccentric guy who likes to hear himself talk.

I just do not understand the full-court outrage over this.

It is not as if he is running for office.

Maybe I am just out of touch.

When I used to live in a racially mixed community, I would hear black people say that sort of crap all the time.

[Kickin_Donkey]

54. If you're not outraged ...

maybe you're a racist.

[dogday]

60. Maybe you are

Maybe you are a troll.. Maybe Maybe Maybe....


Stupid statements....

[Carni]

68. He's an old out of touch windbag

I honestly think the man thought he was really being clever, urban and
manly-mannish in uttering his offensive remarks.

His brand of what passes for comedy, is not something that flys with most people currently (myself included) but I believe he's more of a social dinosaur than a Jim crow.

[wisteria]

34. Yeah, and Imus is an equal opportunity ass. Why this time? Well how about the fact it was generated

by Fox News and Clear Channel. Sure it is popular to slam Imus right now, but is it right and will it really change anything regarding racism or even sexism?

Now, tell me what does Fox and CNN gain by continually running this story about a supposed "racist" that appears on a CBS affiliated radio program and TV broadcast on a MSNBC- a popular rating competitor?

[wisteria]

32. Too many Americans have allowed others to do their thinking for them and

accept the popular idea or media generated POV as truthful and factual.

[Kickin_Donkey]

55. And instead of being outraged by the racism of Don Imus,

you let the racists do your thinking for you and apologize for racism.

Or maybe you're just racist. Why are you on DU?

[dogday]

59. Why are you on DU?

One thing everyone knows about DU... Everyone does not agree on anything...

Now, go ahead and call me a racist too because I am telling you a well known fact about DU?

[LisaL]

5. What do you expect Maher to say?

He lost his job over what he said. Of course he is going to sympathize with Imus. It's only human nature.

[Berry Cool]

12. Yeah, but at least Maher had a point in what he said.

The 9/11 terrorists were NOT "cowards." Evil? Yes. But not cowards.

[LisaL]

23. I don't think he should have lost his show over that either.

After all it was called politically incorrect. I guess some things are too politically incorrect to say.
Whatever happened to free speech?

[wisteria]

35. He actually lost his program over remarks he made against retarded people. n/t

[Ecumenist]

30. Ummm ....What Maher said was that the people

who perpetrated the attacks of 911 weren't cowards...Nowhere near the same as "NAPPY HEADED HO'S"!! I'm a caramel skinned woman of mixed African descent and I WOULD NEVER USE THAT TERM TO REFER TO ANOTHER BLACK WOMAN!! As it applies to rap "music", I have ALWAYS loathed and hated it and feel that my world would spin a bit better without that racist, (yeah, I said RACIST, Damn it!!), Misogynistic bullshit.

So, when I hear someone like this idiot, Imus trying to rationalise and justify his disgusting name calling by using the fact that some people from a thuggish gang subculture who have managed to convince the world that oversized, "waistline at the knee" pants, , pendants that look like car emblems, more gold on their teeth than at Fort Knox, shaved brows, T-shirts that have "bitch and Hoe" written across them as if it elevates the wearer to the level of a Scholar-- my personal term for these "fashions" is "BUCKWHEAT CHIC"; always looks like the victim wearing them happened to be the unlucky schmuck at the end of the "hand me down" line-- pisses me off to the nth degree.

It ain't right when black folks do it and it's not right when anyone else does either. Imess just got caught in the perfect storm of his own mess. For Maher to imply that somehow Imess is a victim is ridiculous.

[wisteria]

36. Um, Maher was left go from his program because he made comments about retarded people.

Seems to me that discrimination is discrimination- it isn't exclusive to just one minority.

[Ecumenist]

39. Umm, no...Completely wrong

In fact, he lost his show, "Politically Incorrect" when the following happened,(Per Wikipedia)--{The demise of the show came after Maher's September 17th comment about the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center:

"We have been the cowards lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it's not cowardly."

A firestorm of controversy erupted following his statement, despite his almost immediate apology. Maher asserted that he had been criticizing U.S. military policy, not American soldiers, and pointed out that whether the attacks were cowardly was irrelevant to whether they were morally right or wrong. Many found his remarks deplorable nonetheless, and the controversy was considered to be a key element contributing to the show's cancellation.}

Again, there is no real comparison between what he said, which literally is a true statement and what Imess said, which is neither true nor correct. As a black woman, I know about our hair and what reality is. The things that he said were meant to hurtful and humiliating. Disparaging those young ladies as it applies to their beauty and their reputation was meant to do just that.

So, sorry there is no relativity between the two comments and though you're completely correct that discrimination is discrimination, the comment made by Maher was not discriminatory but Imus' and McGuirk's was.

[Evergreen Emerald]

61. well said Ecumenist

It was racist and misogynistic. I am tired of those sentiments being acceptable on my airwaves. And when you humanize it--by looking at those talented young girls (who are my daughter's age)--it makes it worse. They do not deserve to be treated like whores. Disgusting.

[Dunedain]

41. Something irreverent. n/t

[montanacowboy]

6. He also defends Ann Coulter

This guy is so dam schizo it's hard to imagine

He is a woman hater from way back and that is why he loves Mann Coulter

I can't stand to watch his show, I quit a long time ago

[Kceres]

63. Maher also recently stated on his show that a lack of sexually available women for American

men serving in Iraq causes the soldiers to rape their female comrades (3/16 show, I think). He habitually refers to "pussy." He makes me sick.

[bdamomma]

7. like Keith said he is reserving judgement on this case until

Imus meets with Rutgers Team.

[Berry Cool]

13. But it's obvious that Keith bears no love for Imus

whereas Bill is practically drooling over him and saying there are bigger issues in the world than this.

Well, duh! I think we all know that! But this is not an either-or thing. It's not a matter of all we hear about is this and there is NO news about anything else that is more important. Sure there is. But what is happening here DOES matter, too, because it's about our whole level of public discourse and how much we respect one another. Then again, I have a feeling Bill Maher doesn't know what that is.

[Cha]

29. "Bigger issues than this" is a

stawman, imo. This needs to be addressed..they're our airwaves.

[DemBones DemBones]

45. You are so right in all that you said.

Especially this:

"But what is happening here DOES matter, too, because it's about our whole level of public discourse and how much we respect one another. Then again, I have a feeling Bill Maher doesn't know what that is."

I think that a lot of people don't know what respect for others is and don't realize how low our level of public discourse is.

I lost any respect for Bill Maher long ago. He was funny at one time but the longer he was on the air with "Politically Incorrect," the more he attacked people who didn't deserve it, just like Imus attacking the Rutgers women's basketball team. Maher and Imus both have some serious personal issues, do not respect others. It's too bad they don't know how to be funny without sticking a knife in people who have done nothing to deserve such treatment.

[Mend]

8. it is better to turn off the tv after Olbermann....the rest of the night is

garbage. I wish that MSNBC would put a deserving show to follow KO as he draws a great crowd and scarborough is such a letdown.

[minkyboodle]

24. its gotten worse

Joe Klein and Pat Buchanan on now. Good god its awful.

[bdamomma]

25. I shut off the TV too, but Malloy is a best of show tonite.

but the media is fueling this thing about Imus. Even watching it, I was getting a headache. Not to be insensitive to this whole thing, there are other things to think about. I think I am more upset with what * is doing to put the blame on the Dems, and doing nothing for our troops, nothing new though, sorry I'm not on topic.

[cosmik debris]

9. Imus had Black listeners??

When did that happen.

[LiberalHeart]

22. Today he said a black person should be on each of his future shows.

I agree. In the host's chair.

[Ecumenist]

38. Good question, Cosmik

I happened to flip across channel during a particularly rough bout with the flu and swear to G-d that I thought I'd lost my senses because I coun'dn't for the life of me understand what the hell he was talking about and what the hell the idiot he was speaking to was saying...

[arewenotdemo]

49. LOL. Good one.

[Venus Dog]

11. I am thoroughly convinced we are in the midst of the Apocalypse

Apocalypse (Greek: Ἀποκάλυψις -translit. APOKALYPSIS, literally: the lifting of the veil) - Wikipedia

All the fascades are dissolving to reveal the true nature. It's really quite amazing to watch this.

[greyghost]

14. Damn...

I hope you are wrong, but I have a bad feeling that you are right.

[AlCzervik]

15. i waiting for him to call Oprah.

[blondeatlast]

66. No kidding--and it's be broadcast from the "Ranch," no doubt. Blechhhh nt

[mooseprime]

17. mostly i like maher's courage

but i find no use for his opinion on this subject. or, for that matter, of any white men: these shows should be interviewing black women. it's what they have to say i want to hear. we minority types aren't really wild about hearing the ruling class's opinion on our circumstance. that's what we hear all the time as it is!

[Berry Cool]

19. Maher seems to think that only "a few blacks" are, or should be, offended.

He thinks everything else is "fake outrage."

I have a few choice words about that, but I won't repeat them here.

[Ecumenist]

40. Mooseprime...

Bravo!!! Exactly.... Exactly my point. How can Maher make any comment about how women like me feel about being insulted by Imus. You are completely right about the fact that black women should be interviewed to see how we feel. BTW, welcome to DU:hi: Right glad to have you here...

[kwassa]

57. The irony is the Maher dates black women ...

you would think he has a little more of a clue about them.

There is something very adolescent about him; he is like a case of arrested development.

[Ecumenist]

69. I know....This is the thing that neither my husband

nor I can understand. My husband who is white and has always dated black women, found himslef appalled and more than a little pissed.

[mooseprime]

65. thanks

for your kind words.
for me the most astonishing part of this is that here in the 21st century this should be obvious to one and all; not pointed out by some voices on a message board somewhere. all these white male faces defending imus should be red hot with shame, not trumpeting their pronouncements from on high. that there can be anything but condemnation of such poison turns my stomach.
when i finally saw a photograph of those young women i experienced the whole thing all over again. surely every one of us would want our daughters to grow up to be like them. and how can it be that their precious moment, one that cost them so much time and effort and overcoming such obstacles, should somehow be overshadowed by one hateful old wretch with a microphone? i've encountered his name countless times in the media; but the names of the women not at all. this only adds insult to injury. this issue should be framed about how even model young people like these can be the focus of anonymous hatred. but how it stands now it seems like they're just going to be "the basketball team that imus insulted." so here, too, they are seen with reference only to that one sorry excuse for a man.
perhaps another very real point here is how far behind we really are. but if we just need an honest place to begin -- again -- in bringing genuine equality to our country, this is as good as any, i suppose. banishing hatred from our public discourse is way, way overdue.

[dottym]

18. bill maher made some good points.

personally i don't give a damn. i don't care for imus, don't listen to him or watch him and to be honest i'm ready to puke if they don't stop with all this crap. i'm tired of hearing his name.

[LandOLincoln]

26. I'm with you.

Furthermore, I know damn well none of this would have made so much as a ripple if

1. Imus were black;

2. The girls were white;

3. Limbaugh or Gibson or Hannity or O'Reilly had said it. Or Michael Savage, or Ann Coulter.

Proctor & Gamble et.al. are bailing on Imus, but I wonder how many of those same corporations advertise on Limbaugh's daily spew, or on Faux?

Pah. A pox on all their houses.

[Blue_In_AK]

33. I'm tired of it, too.

My husband was cursing when NBC nightly led off with the Imus story. Aren't there more important things going on in the wordl? At this point, I think it's between Imus and the athlete and NBC as for what they're going to do about his show. We don't need to hear every excruciating detail. It's just like Anna Nicole or that girl down in Aruba. Enough already!

[Kickin_Donkey]

51. What bigger issues? There are a lot of big issues.

Racism isn't a big issue? I guess you're white. If you're not going to stand up to racism, what are you doing on DU?

[Blue_In_AK]

64. Of course, racism is a big issue

as is sexism -- which I see as just as important an issue here -- but, come on, does it have to be all about Imus? All the time? And, yes, I'm white, but I'm a woman, too, and I find what he said extraordinarily offensive on many levels. It's just that I think the issue OF IMUS has been discussed now ad infinitum, and some of us are getting tired of hearing about it. If we can move on from the specific (Imus) to the general (racism and sexism), I'll say "carry on."

[Kickin_Donkey]

double post

[Kickin_Donkey]

52. Triple post

[ShortnFiery]

42. Maher, to many of us, is a first class misogynist. I've not ever heard him complement anything

of the feminine. :shrug:

[DemBones DemBones]

47. Yes, he is. I've never heard him say anything positive about women, either,

other than to remark on their looks. At least, I think he used to say "Oh, you look wonderful" or some such thing to Ann Coulter, Arianna Huffington, other gal pals.

But he would start talking about "blood diamonds," a serious issue, and wind up ranting about his own animus against marriage and his ASSumption that all women force men to buy them diamonds, suggesting that women trade sex for diamonds. raving about how worthless diamonds are, etc.

[gravity]

46. I don't like Bill Maher's view either

But I do agree that they are bigger issues out there and we don't need to drag Bill Maher into the situation.

You aren't going to find anybody who agrees with your position 100% of the time. Sometimes you just have to agree to disagree, and move on to the bigger issues.

I still love Bill Maher

[DemBones DemBones]

48. Nobody dragged Maher into the situation; he jumped in with both feet

and then put them in his mouth. But he's shown his feelings against women many times before so it's not surprising to see him joining Giuliani, McCain, Carville, Ed Schultz and other WHITE MEN in supporting Imus. Some black men think it's OK, too.

We haven't progressed much since the Seventies as far as respecting women is concerned. Older men apparently feel threatened by talented young women athletes for the same reasons that many men are threatened by Hillary Clinton. They want to believe they are superior to women.

[arewenotdemo]

53. "Glorious mustang"??????

Had Maher previously come out?

[Mushroom]

56. Glorious Mustang?

There's one for the old gag reflex.

What could be a bigger issue than fighting sexism, racism and homophobia - inequity - the basis of ultra-conservatives infiltrating halls of justice and hospitals, pharmacies, schools, places of employment and so on - the very same people who support * and his war on planet earth?

Wow, what more can I say?

[MrSlayer]

62. If Imus were not already a known racist I'd mostly agree with Maher.

But Maher blew Imus in that interview because he's an old friend of Bill's dad and gave him shots early in his career. Not excusing Maher for it but he did this for the same reason Jon Stewart lets used-to-bes like Dennis Miller come on The Daily Show and rip, it's a payback.

But Imus has been known to be a racist for a long time. Howard Stern's show on monday dealt with it hilariously. They've been saying for years how Imus would openly call his underlings "niggers" and just act like a complete racist asshole. It's been a long time coming and Maher was wrong to defend him regardless of his personal situation.