Everybody Hates Don Imus: FRANK RICH; The Politics of Distraction
THE COMPLETE ARTICLE WITH ALL HYPERLINKS
THE NEW YORK TIMES
OP-ED COLUMNIST
Everybody Hates Don Imus
By FRANK RICH
In the wake of Don Imus’s racist and sexist comments, there’s been an astounding display of hypocrisy, sanctimony and self-congratulation from all sides.
Story below.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Politics of Diversion
"In the wake of Don Imus's racist and sexist comments," Frank Rich points out in today's Times op ed, "there's been an astounding display of hypocrisy, sanctimony and self-congratulation from all sides."
I agree. I also think there has been an astounding and unconscionable display of diversionary politics exhibited by MSNBC, CNN, and other mainstream news outlets who have harped on this one story nearly 24/7 to the detriment of far more important news -- like a whole bunch of "missing" e-mails from the White House; or like Karl Rove, Dick Cheney and President Bush-it-for-Brains illegally using RNC emails to discuss the people's business; or like the rapidly escalating violence and deteriorating situation in Iraq -- to name just a few.
After the press initially ignored the warnings of cooked intelligence leading up to the Iraq war, after their profuse apologies and admissions of failing the people and their journalistic obligations, after all of that -- here we are once again listening to never-ending stories about Anna Nicole Smith and her infant daughter, the tornado or snow storm of the week, and Don Imus' disgusting remarks.
As the Rutger's women's basketball team has said, it is time to move on from Imus.
More importantly, it is way past time for the news media to move away from political hackdom and start reporting the news -- like the George Bush White House's blatant and continuing abuse of power -- before the neo-cons succeed in their goal of turning the USA into a theocratic, dictatorship we heretofore could only imagine in our darkest nightmares. If that happens, Don Imus and his comments will hardly matter; all free speech will be a thing of the past.
How hard is it for a News Director to distinguish which story ought to be front and center? Let's see: Continued White House lies, lawlessness and abuse of power that rise to the level of impeachment? Or Don Imus used the "ho" word? Hmmm. A real toughie....
All I can say is, thank God for the blogosphere.
Everybody Hates Don Imus
By Frank Rich
The New York Times
FAMILIAR as I am with the warp speed of media, I was still taken aback by the velocity of Don Imus’s fall after he uttered an indefensible racist and sexist slur about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Even in that short span, there’s been an astounding display of hypocrisy, sanctimony and self-congratulation from nearly every side of the debate, starting with Al Sharpton, who has yet to apologize for his leading role in the Tawana Brawley case, the 1980s racial melee prompted by unproven charges much like those that soiled the Duke lacrosse players.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: I think Rich is just trying to cover for his self-promotional appearances on Imus.
And anything Big Media peddles, the average reader(not my average reader) will click on for a look see. Sort of a Pavlovian thing. I expect to see Rich's story high in the most read on the NYT site today, not because it's good, but because it speaks to the conditioned desire for mediocrity.
Getting fired for being a pig should not surprising.
Question. Is the NYT headed for tabloid status?
There are a helluva lot of more important things too cover than some dumbass.
"Getting fired for being a pig should not surprising."
No doubt.
"Question. Is the NYT headed for tabloid status?"
Absolutely.
"There are a helluva lot of more important things too cover than some dumbass."
Which is precisely why they spend inordinate amounts of time covering this dumbass.
It's always one inconsequential thing or another - never what matters most to Americans.
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"Money" has no value - people do.
But the Question was is the NY Times headed for tabloid status?
I doubt very much that you will find an American paper that did not go "Tabloid" MANY many years ago.
NEWS and Creditability are micro commodities at this date in the Americas. Even the net is losing major Cred to this effort of ZionBuilders.
First you take D.C. Then you take New York.
Perhaps the reason Imus was destroyed is that older white heterosexual Gentile males no longer have a place in American popular media, and advertisers used this episode to purge one of them, while making a “statement” to their target market. The head of American Express (who is black) was one of the first to pull advertising.
In the USA, white Gentile males’ stock has been in decline for decades. Imus got in before that stock began its plummet, and maybe advertisers decided it was time to cleanse him. Thus, they get a new face that is not an older white Gentile male, while simultaneously posturing as “morally concerned.”
It’s all part of the ongoing destruction of the middle class. Most white Gentile males have been relegated to the lower socioeconomic levels. In the middle is everyone else. At the top are a handful of white males who control everything, and don’t want competition from below.
All paid for. And as he lounges in Elite space and plans a nice retirement to his new south pacific island some Banker dude Leans in and Mumbles hey IMUS you quitting soon?
Do you mind if we trash your name and turn you into a black girl hater bigot scum on the air? We really could use some more distractions this month to hep out. I will see that your place is finished on time and i will even pass some more Bank your way IF you go along? And He said
"Talk Bank Fatso!"
Wanna a bet with me?
First you take D.C. Then you take New York.