Quote:
Originally Posted by James Anthony
Why are we Americans so damn sensitive to this crap?
Don Imus is about as much a racist as Don Alm is a liberal.
But when he makes an innocent comment, all in fun, his big sponsers like Staples and American Express pull out and cause him to get fired.
I don't get it.
What I do get is that I'll be cutting up my American Express card and my Staples card tonight and will never do business with them again.
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Hi Jim,
The way I see it is...
A lot of people were apparently offended by his remarks... And it made the news (so even people who weren't his listeners knew about it)...
I think there may have been protests - to him AND to his sponsors. Of course, people are free to protest all they want...
Sponsors are in it for the money. If they feel this will hurt the bottom line, then they're going to make a decision based on that. And similarly, the radio station is in it for the money too - without sponsors, there's no money.
Anyway, basically, I don't see the "problem". Everyone was free to do what they did. Don Imus was free to say what he said, people were free to protest, sponsors are free to pull out, and Don Imus's employer was free to fire him.
Of course, you're also free to cut up your American Express and Staples cards in response too.... If you're incensed enough, you can even start your own "rehire Don Imus" campaign... Or maybe offer to run some of your own ads on his show, if he gets a new one...
Also, Don Imus is still free to say what he wants - he can even start his own radio station if he has the means. Or another radio station can hire him, if they want (which may happen, who knows, if he has a loyal enough audience)...
By the way, I know nothing about Don Imus apart from this incident. We don't get his show "downunder"!
- Dien