As Al Queda plots our demise, we worry about Don Imus. While this will hopefully become a non-story in a short amount of time, it seems everyone except those connected to Anna Nicole Smith and Natalee Holloway have an opinion.
What led to Don Imus’s downfall was not that his words were filled with invective. It is that he attacked specific people who were not what society would consider “fair game.”
When John Edwards went after Dick Cheney in the 2004 Vice Presidential debate, it was standard politics. The same was true for when John Kerry did the same. When Kerry and Edwards went after his daughter Mary Cheney, they crossed the line. Whether or not it was a cheap political stunt or a genuine attempt to show how Mr. Cheney loves his daughter (I believe the former), many voters were turned off. Mary Cheney was not fair game. She was not in the political arena. She was a private citizen who was entitled to be left alone.
Rush Limbaugh (who I admit to admiring, although I have not heard his program in years since I only have a 10 minute morning commute) fiercely went after Bill and Hillary Clinton with regards to their policies. I supported him in this case. When he made fun of Chelsea Clinton’s physical appearance, he crossed the line. Chelsea was a kid, and from what I observed, a pretty good kid who has blossomed into a lovely woman. This does not make me like the politics of her parents one bit. However, unless she enters the political arena, she should be left alone.
This brings us to Imus, and the comparison to Snoop Dogg (in my day he was Snoop Doggy Dogg, but I am not an expert on that issue). Yes, there are times when I need an interpreter or subtitles to understand Snoop Dogg. In addition, I confess to liking him. I can’t help it. The guy is funny and personable. His commercial where he golfs with Lee Iacocca is hilarious (Fo-Shizzle Ikeazizzle). Yet beneath the humor is a guy who makes a very valid point. His music may be misogynistic, but he does not target specific individuals. I am not endorsing misogyny, but it is significantly less harmful than attacking specific individuals. In addition, attacking celebrities is less bad than attacking private citizens. Hollywood celebrities give up a certain amount of privacy. In exchange for fortune, fame and the platform to make endless moronic comments, the public has a right to respond.
These basketball players did not do anything that would put them in the public arena. They were college female athletes living anonymous lives. When private citizens, such as the “9/11 Widows” made campaign commercials, they entered the public arena (Whether or not Ann Coulter crossed the line is not the issue. The women became public). These college basketball players never did that.
It is one thing to question whether or not our government performed well in the wake of tragedies such as 9/11 and Katrina. It is another to attack the victims of 9/11 as “Little Eichmanns,” as Ward Churchhill did. Innocent victims are exactly that…innocent.
Al Sharpton has made a career out of defaming people. As awful as his anti-semitic comments over the years have been (As a conservative republican, I can call Sharpton and Jesse Jackson racists and anti-semites without living in fear as guilty white liberals would), his biggest transgression was defaming Steven Pagones. Mr. Pagones was a private citizen who had no desire to be famous, nor any desire to be slandered.
When Rosie O’Donnell attacked Donald Trump, a media war was born. We took sides (Trump was right, she was Rosie Queen of Morona). When Rosie O’Donnell blamed the U.S. for knowing about 9/11 in advance, she crossed the line. While President Bush is absolutely fair game (although one cannot begin to count the number of times the democrats have gone overboard in defaming him), to dishonor the memories of those who died is an attack on their families, whether intended or not. I doubt Rosie wanted to hurt their families, but intent is not the issue. Imus probably did not intend to hurt those women…but he did.
Asking people not to attack anybody or anything is asking too much. Some people deserve to be attacked, such as the Catholic Priests molesting little boys (although blaming all of Catholicism is way beyond the bounds of decency). Value judgments require that sometimes we stand up and criticize bad behavior, which can be subjective (although defending NAMBLA would by most normal standards be highly appropriate).
In addition, people should not laugh at others if they do not have the ability to laugh at themselves. Don Rickles, Chris Tucker, Ronald Reagan (rest his soul), David Letterman, and the guys at Blue Collar TV are masters at poking fun at themselves. Self-deprecation is humanizing. Howard Stern has crossed many lines, but one reason he is not in the same position as Don Imus is because he is ruthless on himself, attacking his own many foibles and insecurities. Stern is perceived as “tough but fair.” Imus is in this instance perceived as “mean.”
What we need to do is keep our comments to those who enter what Rush Limbaugh calls the “Arena of Ideas.” If people choose to stay outside of the arena, leave them be. I think Al Gore is an inviting target for so many reasons. The drunk driving episode involving his son is not one of them. The Bush twins should not pay for their father’s transgressions as a youth. John Edwards is a pretty boy model and a trial lawyer ambulance chaser, but he has suffered two tragedies no one should ever have to go through (the death of his son and the cancer of his wife…we all pray for Elizabeth).
If we do not draw lines, then good people will stay out of the spotlight. Colin Powell declined to run for President, in part because stories of his wife Alma’s depression were starting to surface. Alma zealously guarded her privacy, and was absolute right to do so.
I worry about blogging, because if my blog becomes popular, I might become a popular figure. Given that I have had very few good hair days since 1985, I would rather stay a lovable person adored by a precious few, and hopefully reviled by even fewer.
Then again, if I get rich, attack me all you want. As Bill Murray said in Kingpin “I’m rich. What the hell do I care?” Ok, time to watch BET and check out Bizzatches and Hos. Ok, who am I kidding? None of these women would go out with me. One day I will golf with Snoop Doggy Dogg. I better by a “Blinglish to English” dictionary so I can understand him.
Until then, Good-Bizzle Imusizzle (I have no idea what I just said). Down with Player Haters everywhere.
eric
Peace people
We love you