On the Imus Racist and Sexist Remarks and the People’s Outrage

Los Angeles—The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) and the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) stands against systemic racism and sexism in all its forms.

The racist and sexist remarks by Imus about the Rutgers women’s basketball team is not only racist in form but a like the tip of spear, in essence- the racist and sexist slur, an offensive against people of color and immigrants.

It is not only fostering stereotype against women and people of color and all minorities but it serves to trivialize insult and make it as a common language even for people concerned and the groups it is attacking. But they cannot use the race card anymore and these insults and stereotypes will not pass.

And yet if there was no visible outrage and it was not sustained by mainstream personalities and progressive organizations, if there was no mass outpouring of disgust and anger or withdrawal of advertising, the CBS and the MSNBC will not decide to pull the plug under such racist remarks and will be just conveniently forgotten.

Imus remarks is at the same vein of the statement of former speaker Newt Gingrich against bilingual education. What made Imus remarks more brazen was it took almost two weeks before the media network decided to severely punish the racist disc jockey.

The media moguls took too long to decide to let go or punish such racist and sexist remarks. It is unfortunate that the racist and anti-immigrant elements in Southern California took the cudgels for Imus is now providing for his radio show to be aired in San Bernardino.

Progressive and well meaning people’s organizations especially woman’s organizations must be vigilant and fight all forms and racist attacks especially against people of color and immigrants in the United States.

We should not let such racist and sexist remarks against any group, people of color and anyone pass and be unnoticed and always fight for the integrity and humanity of all people.

For more information please call (213)241-0906 or email@cdir_usa@yahoo.com

It was obvious when the 2 Democratic Party preachers, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, both hypocritical con artists promoting a reactionary party, suddenly decided to attack one garbage radio program while leaving all the other anti-women, racist bar room drivel and rap crap alone on the rest of the private profit radio and TV stations, that Don Imus had stepped on someone's toes and that someone must have some connection to the Democratic Party. Now we hear it was Hillary Clinton who WANTED TO BE INTERVIEWED by Don Imus, as other politicians usually were, and when Imus condemned her, the attack was launched. See http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/138639/index.php

This weekly sleaze story has ended and no problems were solved, certainly not the problem of racism and male chauvinism on the radio and TV. Considering women are 51% of the population, we should start with the anti-women and/or racist bar room drivel and rap crap and private profit radio and TV and demand that end right now. The racist and sexist slurs are first and foremost offensive to the MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION, ALL WOMEN and that includes white women as well as all men who oppose sexism. The racist and sexist comments are also offensive to ALL WOMEN AND MEN WHO OPPOSE RACISM, and that includes white women and men. I suggest these groups condemning the bar room drivel and rap crap on the radio and TV do their best to appeal to the broadest possible audience so that we can finally get rid of the bar room drivel and rap crap. And I do expect that anyone who condemns the bar room drivel also condemns the rap crap, regardless of the color of the perpetrator. Until then, WHAT IS ANYBODY DOING LISTENING TO BAR ROOM DRIVEL AND RAP CRAP? I never heard of Don Imus before this. For 3 mornings, as soon as Democracy Now and the KPFA Morning Show started talking about this garbage, I turned them off and switched to my favorite music, which happens to be classical music. Democracy Now had covered this story the previous week and I figured that was enough. Instead, KPFA gave us this weekly sleaze story for an entire week, allowing me to enjoy lots of classical music. KPFA (the Berkeley affiliate of KPFK) and Democracy Now are of course both proud Democratic Party promoters, so that is another reason why they got on this bandwagon of the sleaze story of the week, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT MOST RADIO AND TV HAS ANTI-WOMEN AND RACIST BAR ROOM DRIVEL AND RAP CRAP. I can hardly wait for the coming week's sleaze story so I can listen to more classical music before going to work as I do not have time for sleaze, bar room drivel or rap crap.