lindainks55 said:

 

A Letter to the Editor written by Brad Buell (whom I don't know) was published in yesterday's Eagle. The first two sentences of his letter said what I think about the recently well-publicized Don Imus story. It reads: "Don Imus' "joke" was in very poor taste. The witch hunt that has followed is absolutely terrifying."

I don't know anything about Jackie Robinson. I've heard the name and that's it. So, it seems I need to find out about him and learn why he deserves recognition. That seems a better way to spend my time than rehashing any part of the Imus story.

Knowing Will, he didn't want to rehash the Imus story either. That was an example fresh in most minds of injustices that are still occuring all too often. We aren't so nice to each other! It goes beyond race. We make any and all differences a negative when we should be embracing them. How do I grow and learn something new if I don't seek out diversity in people, ideas, cultures, ages and, and expect goodness in all?

Desiderata

A poem of peace - truth - spirit - life
How to live at peace with God
and your soul in this world
"You are a child of the universe ..."

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.


Written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s


OK, I'm off to learn about Jackie Robinson! Be back.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player in the major leagues; brought to the Brooklyn Dodgers by Branch Rickey, a General Manager with great intestinal fortitude.

I was a bit "turned off" by the publicity in the major league games yesterday. Yes, Mr. Robinson was a true "trail blazer", opening the way for other blacks in MLB, and thus later in other professional sports. I thought the commemoration of the event was somewhat overdone.

That said, it was a date worth marking. I especially enjoyed the somewhat understated way the Cubs broadcast handled it, which was coincidentally a great pitchers' duel.

 

Dave Shuck said:

 

IMO Imus should have been fired for a lot of reasons, including what sounds like was a diminishing market share and for generally being a jackass that I can't stand. However, the targeted and relentless attack on him for this 6 seconds of his career is just odd to me. Why is there no rage when a black person makes the same type of comment, be it against another black person or otherwise? I have listened to black radio in short spurts while avoiding commercials on the morning drive time and the statements that I have heard them make about white people are easily as offensive if not significantly worse. It seems like a vary lopsided attack campaign. Additionally, the ACLU (whom I am no fan of) has been suspiciously absent here. Isn't this the type of opportunity that they exist for? Here we have someone who is being driven from his career for making a statement that offended someone. Don't they usually fall over themselves for things like this? To me the entire situation just reeks with double-standards, not matter how you feel about race relations or Imus himself.

 

lindainks55 said:

 

OK, I'm ready for the test. It will be an open-book test, won't it? If not I'm gonna need mroe time... I was born in 1947 -- the year Jackie Robinson entered the major leagues.

Jackie Robinson is worth celebrating, noting and recognizing. You know what I liked best from all the things I learned? When he was faced with every kind of racial vitriol, threats ranging from not playing on the same field with him to physical harm, HE DIDN'T RESPOND IN KIND! He treated the worst of his detractors with dignity, he held himself to a higher standard, he learned to play first base (a position unfamiliar to him), he played baseball and played it well! I would have liked knowing him. I like knowing about him.

 

Gster said:

 

He truly was a class act, much nicer than I ever am, but my dogs like me, usually.

 

Predestined said:

 

I don't remember much about Jackie Robinson either, even though I watched a lot of baseball as a child. Yes, it's good that a black man/African American man/man of color (whatever is currently PC) was allowed to play in MLB. The sad thing is that there had to BE a first. I prefer to be as "color blind" as possible. It seems society won't let me.

I didn't listen to Imus. He looks like an ugly woman! I don't listen to talk radio. Or maybe I did and didn't know it. My ex used to listen to it, and I'd half wake up to the alarm he set for 4 a.m. (he didn't get up until 6) and listen to the drone of talk radio. He loved to listen to Rush. Enough said?

Linda,
Thanks for posting the Desiderata here. Words of beauty we should all take to heart. Here are the two lines that always run through my mind:

"If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself."

"Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul."

 

WSClark said:

 

A few more unqualified and uncalled for thoughts on the subject...............

Linda is correct in that I wasn't really looking at to rehash the Imus incident. I was actually stunned at the level of support FOR the comments that Imus received here in Wichita. That is was struck me as disturbing.

The other thing that struck me was the freedom of speech argument - Imus should not have been fired yada, yada - freedom of speech, as if his employers did not have the right to decided who worked for them.

MLB did overdo the Robinson celebration - they even had Barry Bonds wear #42 - which has to be some sort of grave spinning slap if there ever was one. MLB has a huge PR problem with Bonds and the steroids issue. I my mind, they are trying to pull out all the stops to try to gain market share from B'Ball and the NFL.

My son is twenty and hates hip-hop for the language and images it projects. He is not goody goody two-shoes, but he does respect others. Personally, I am happy that some black folks have spoken out against the hip-hop prison gangster culture. Jason Whitlock wrote a great column on the Imus subject in the KCStar.

Anyway, I will shut up and let a few others have the stage.

 

Wendy said:

 

Okay, don't shoot me. I don't think Imus should have been fired. Punished, yes. Fired no. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I think Al and Jesse took things too far. I want to know when THEY are going to apologize for all the things they said about the Duke Lacrosse players when all that first hit the fan. I am not a big fan of double standards - and I think that if we are going to call Imus out for his comments directed at specific people, we have to flip the coin and do the same for them. That said, I don't like Imus. I don't listen to him or watch him or any of that ridiculouslessness, and I don't think what he said should be excused or somehow justified by all the charity work he has done. But part of me can't help but get the impression that because he was a white male he was being held to a different standard than, say, a black radio personality if they had said the same thing. Because I seriously doubt that Jesse and Al would have been as outraged then. That is what I take issue with. Equality is a two way street, but those men make me feel like it should be only one way - theirs. And I would like to know who the hell appointed either one of them "god". Since they seem to think that they are. Okay, enough of that rant. Another thing that bothered me about the situation was someone, I believe maybe Della Reese, but don't quote me on that, I will do some digging and get back to you with specifics, went on one of the news channels to give an interview about the topic. And when asked why it is such a big deal that Imus said what he said when rap and such includes those kind of statments everyday, responded with something along the lines of "I can choose whether or not to listen to rap, but I can't choose whether or not to listen to him." Are you kidding me? it's radio and TV - you can just as easily choose not to listen to that as you can choose not to buy a rap CD... I know, because I do it!

Okay, that's my rant for the day :) Sorry if I offend anyone...

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Pre, Desiderata has always been one of my all-time favorites. My younger son did it up in calligraphy and then framed it for me. It hung in my office back when I was in the working world. I have it packed away so will have to look for it. Each line means something special to me. Among my favorites

"Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit."

"Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass."

I STILL have trouble with, "Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth." I HONESTLY don't know how old one must be to feel they should surrender the things of youth but I'm NOT there yet!

Wendy, I understand what you said and agree with most. That's why the second line of that letter to the editor I quoted echoed by feelings. "The witch hunt that has followed is absolutely terrifying." I did think Imus should have been fired IF that was his employer's choice.

 

darwinsdisciple said:

 

Thank you for this post, WSC. I would say that I agree with 99% of what you say in your post. I was astounded to see the defense of of Imus based on "bigotry" displayed by Sharpton and Jackson.

Where I depart from what you are saying, and this is a small point, perhaps, is that to say white bigotry is justified by "black biogtry" is to try to in some way to say they are equivolent.

Excuse me, but when did a white man ever in our history get hanged due to black bigotry. This whole attitude excuses and in some way justifies what was clearly wrong behavior on the white majority's part for many years.

I think there has been a regression into racial bigotry on the parts of people in our age group. I do have hope that we have managed to not pass that along to the next generation.

Any way, WSC, you have my deep appreciation for your excellent post.

Oh Linda, I have to look for National Lampoon's parody of the poem you provided. It is too much.

 

darwinsdisciple said:

 

Hope no one is offended by this. My roommate in college and I listed to this _Radio Dinner_ album before going out to vote for George McGovern in 1972. The vote was my first in a series of voting for the losing candidate.

From the CD: National Lampoon Radio Dinner Album
A Parody of the poem Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and waste,
And remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons unless you are in need of sleep.
Rotate your tires.

Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself,
And heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss and when.
Consider that two wrongs never make a right,
But that three lefts do.

Wherever possible put people on "HOLD".
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment,
And despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.
Remember the Pueblo.

Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle and mutilate.
Know yourself. If you need help, call the FBI.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you;
That lemon on your left for instance.

Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls,
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore; it will stick to your face.

Carefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan,
And let not the sands of time get in your lunch.
For a good time, call 606-4311.

Take heart amid the deepening gloom that your dog
Is finally getting enough cheese;
And reflect that whatever fortunes may be your lot,
It could only be worse in Sioux City.

You are a fluke of the Universe.
You have no right to be here, and whether you can hear it or not,
The Universe is laughing behind your back.

Therefore make peace with your God whatever you conceive him to be,
Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin.

With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal,
The world continues to deteriorate.
Give up.

 

Danny said:

 

All,

I don't know if this flies in the face of anything or not. I don't think that Imus should have been fired, I think he should have been fined. I don't say this because of what Sharpton or Jackson have said in regards to Imus, but I think this because on the basis of only what Imus himself had said. That said, I think Imus was fired in this instance for a number of reasons declining listeners being one of those with the excuse of what he said on air as the "only" reason.

Further, I think this still indicates a serious divide in our country about race and ethnicity. It is one of those things that I believe occurs on any side of race and color, and enforced on all sides. I agree that I don't think Jackson and Sharpton speak for all of the African-Americans, likewise Coulter, Limbaugh, and others don't speak for all of the White-Americans. However, there is a representative crowd in each of these demographics, and each of these sub-crowds is where we generally seem to hold the same mindset of these speakers.

If there were not listeners to these people then, they wouldn't be on the air and demand so much of our TV attention, radio attention, etc. Is this bad that these different people have the TV or radio air time? I don't think so. What is bad is those who only form their opinions strictly on what one individual says. But, in some small way, do we all not do that? Maybe not with just one individual, but maybe with a group of like minded individuals?

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Steven, I laughed out loud at National Lampoon's version. I think the world has room for BOTH. I've visited the Harvard Lampoon in Cambridge, Mass. It's not too far from the Harvard campus, is circular and last October when I was there they had put a jackolantern face on it. Fun! I like to laugh and appreciate and and all opportunities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Lampoon

 

WSClark52 said:

 

"Where I depart from what you are saying, and this is a small point, perhaps, is that to say white bigotry is justified by "black bigotry" is to try to in some way to say they are equivalent."

Perhaps I was not clear in my statement, DD, but I do not think that any bigotry is justified, nor do I feel that black resentment is an excuse for white racism.

If my lack of clarity gave you the impression that I was trying to rationalize bigotry, then I need to work on my writing skills.

Anyway, we actually are in agreement.

 

rm6046 said:

 

WSC: This is a crock, my friend. Don made an inappropriate, stupid comment. It is not the first one he has made. But, it pales in the face of Al Sharpton's defense of Tawana Brawley, Jesse Jackson's hypocrisy about his girlfriend on the side during the Clinton/Lewinsky fiasco, and so on, and so forth, ad nauseum. He was fired because the the former president of the NAACP is the "token" on the CBS board of directors. Don has done more for our society on any given afternoon than "pommade headed Al" or "da' Revern Jackson" have done in their entire careers. Both of them are disgraces to their race, (as if that were the issue). The issue is, we are Americans. Period. There should not be college courses in "Black History", anymore than there should be courses in "White History". What the hell happened to "American History"? That's what was taught when we were in school, wasn't it?

The girls and their coaches graciously, and with more class than I would have had, accepted Don's apology. I applaud them. It was their decision...not yours, not mine, not CBS's, nor NBC's. It is all about the money they were afraid they would lose.

 

WSClark said:

 

RM: I do find it difficult (impossible) to defend Sharpton and Jackson. They are embarrassing and unabashedly hypocritical.

As someone from THAT side of the aisle, I am frustrated when Jacpton shows up to "discuss" matters of race. I would have much preferred to have a Bill Cosby or a Tony Dungy or any number of respected black clergy to address the issue.

Jacpton made this an issue of strictly race when it was more about demeaning a group of young women that deserved much more than that. They were very gracious in accepting Imus' apology - far more gracious than I would be if anyone would insult one of my children in like manner.

The point of my commentary, my friend, was what seemed to me a majority of Wichitans were apparently in approval of Imus' remarks. That is frustrating to me. It was a nasty comment to make about ANY black woman, nonetheless such a great group of women like the B'Ball team from Rutgers.

As a society, we can do better than this. Jackie Robinson was a shining example of an individual that rose about racism. We have to do better.

Yes, my friend, Imus did a lot of good things. For that, he has been justifiably commended. My question to him would be why - why insult and demean a group of young ladies that had fought so hard to reach a dream?

 

Wendy said:

 

Will,

I would say it comes down to something as simple as this: he simply didn't think before he stuck his foot in his mouth. I know we are ALL guilty of that at one point or another. He's a shock jock. He's PAID to make controversial, derogatory comments. That's his JOB. It doesn't make it right, but it is what it is. He admitted he was wrong. But honestly, he wasn't the only person on that show to call those women "ho's", so why is he the only one we are hearing about?

Maybe this is a closeminded stance to take, but honestly, if you are going to encourage the man to say outrageous things, then what the hell is your justification for firing him when he does exactly that? That is my issue with the firing. It seems to me that the heads of the media bowed to pressure from two men who had absolutely no bearing on the situation anyway. If the women from Rutgers had called for his firing, that would be something ENTIRELY different. They didn't. And really, it wasn't even a racial issue (although I will concede that the deragatory term has racial connotations) because there were black women AND white women on the basketball team.

Lest you think I am "in approval" of Imus's remarks - absolutely not. They were inexcusable, and they should have been punished. I am not convinced that the punishment fit the crime in this case. Perhaps I am wrong, and I am willing to concede that point. But I also take exception to the idea that I am using white bigotry to say it is the same as black bigotry. I am not. I understand that blacks have in the past, and sometimes in the present, faced unfair treatment in ways I cannot begin to imagine. However, I think to say that we need to hold whites to a different standard than blacks because they have not experienced those things is a crock. If you want equality, that means EVERYONE gets treated the same, regardless of what happened in the past. If you are going to hold a white man to a standard, you have to hold a black man to the same standard, or where is the equality?

I demand an apology to the Duke Lacrosse players from Sharpton and Jackson for the things that they said. They were wrong. It's the same situation - and if you tell me that they did not discriminate against those men because they were white, well I have some oceanview property in downtown Wichita to sell you...

 

WSClark said:

 

How much? How much for the oceanfront property?

(wink!)

I really don't care much for Jacpton or Imus or anyone else that traffics in hate speech. I have already gone on record with my frustration with the Rev's. To my way of thinking, they do the clergy a great disservice.

We have to do better than this - black or white.

But back to my original point - I wasn't rehashing Imus v. Jacpton - why were so many Wichitans so anxious to defend the comments?

I do not defend bigotry on either side - each is equally reprehensible.

So where do we go from here?

 

rm6046 said:

 

Wendy: YOU GO GIRL !!!!!!!!!

 

WSClark said:

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......................... what if it had been your daughter, your wife, your mother, your sister that had been called a "nappy headed ho?"

Feel the same?

 

WSClark said:

 

By the way, I have four nieces and nephews that are African-American - if anyone were to call them a "nappy headed ho" to MY face, they would find themselves on their butts. And that goes for blacks or whites, young or old.

This is not an abstract issue for me - it is personal.

 

Wendy said:

 

Clark,

Believe me, I have personally been called plenty of deragatory names. Intelligence intimidates people, I have found. I even had one person, one of your favorites, I'm sure you can guess who, tell me DIRECTLY that MY SON is an abomination in the eyes of God and that I have condemned him to a life in hell because he is bi-racial. So don't for one minute think that I don't "get it". That said, my post never excused any of those - I said it was more a sexual issue than a racial one. I don't want you thinking that I in anyway condone what he said, because I don't. But what angers me is the whole double standard about the situation. If these women had called for him to be fired, then fine, I would feel it is justified. But to bow to the pressure of two men who in my eyes are HUGE hypocrites is not. And I don't give a crap about race. I don't care about the color of your skin or your eyes or your hair or your teeth. I care about the "color" of you character. And that is it.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

(Nearing the finish line; clearing the mind)

Back to Jackie Robinson and what was accomplished by his being the first to break the color barrier in MLB. Listening to the various tributes, etc., Sunday, I was struck by the comments of someone, don't recall who, mentioning that the number of U.S. citizen African-Americans in baseball is continuing to drop to where there aren't as many as there once was. That got me to thinking (dangerous at times): with all that Mr. Robinson and those who followed closely behind had to put up with in their brave actions, is it not ironic that some 60 years later, there exists a declining number of U.S. born African-American players in professional baseball? No sociologist I, but wondering if the lure of the NBA, and to a lesser degree the NFL, has diverted these young folks from baseball. Not too good a legacy, it seems to me, if the decline continues. Any thoughts?

(Now back to the infernal form...)

 

WSClark said:

 

If Charles Manson were to condemn the Carr Brothers murders, the killings would still be heinous.

If Adolf Hitler were to condemn anti-Semitism, the Holocaust would still be a cause for shame.

If Barry Bonds were to condemn the use of performance enhancing drugs, he would still be an idiot.

Because the primary condemnation of Imus came from two men of dubious reputation does make his comments any less reprehensible. Among respectable people, calling another a nappy headed ho is unacceptable. The same rules apply to Don Imus.

That having been said, the point of my commentary was that far too many were willing to defend Imus' comments, rather than condemn them. Two wrongs will never make a right, no matter how many times we do the math.

 

Wendy said:

 

WHERE have I ever in this post DEFENDED his comments?? The only thing I said was that I felt the basis for his firing was wrong. I believe I have pointed out MANY MANY times that I think what he said was wrong, and there is no excuse for it. I did state that if we pay the man to say shocking things, why are we so surprised when he does exactly that? I don't see how that is defending it. Now, I know that there are many on the WEBlog and elsewhere that have defended his comments and to me that is just as reprehensible as what he said. But even calling those people out on it isn't going to change their point of view. I have to do what I can to teach others about why it is wrong, instead of just saying it is wrong.

 

WSClark said:

 

WHERE have I ever in this post DEFENDED his comments??

Damn, I must be losing it. I again have failed to adequately express what I was thinking.........

I never meant to imply that YOU or anyone else specifically was defending Imus. I did not have YOU in mind when I wrote the commentary, nor was the comment above mean to suggest that YOU were defending him with your response.

At the risk of offending again, I was trying to note that I wrote a commentary about SOME PEOPLE'S defense of Imus' comments - not about Imus' comments specifically. I was writing about things I read on Opinion Line and WE Blog. It was a commentary about SOME racial attitudes in Wichita and Kansas IN GENERAL.

I am not sure how I got off on the wrong foot with you, Wendy, but I apologize for the misunderstanding. Again I never meant to suggest in any way that you were defending Imus' comments.

 

lindainks55 said:

 

I gotta tell you guys a story. Now in my usual pretty stupid way I MUST fill in some background. I'll try not to tell you what color dress I was wearing while providing enough (or way too much) to make the story mean what I intend.

BACKGROUND: I was wearing a yel

My sister has a grandson whose father is a black man. Eli is bi-racial. Eli and my granddaugher Madeline are the same age. They live in different cities but love when the bigger family gets together and they pick right up where they left off having cousin fun.

Madeline has an older brother, Austin, who has a medical condition that causes his skin to be very dark and dusty.

We had never talked about Eli being bi-racial. We don't know Eli's father. Eli is just like Madeline is just like everyone else. (Trying here to let you know any conversation about anyone being different just never happened.)

FINALLY GET TO THE STORY:

We'd had a big family Thanksgiving gathering where Madeline and Eli played and played.

Several days later Madeline said to her Mother, "Isn't it funny we have a black person in our family?" Tonya wanted to handle this question in the best way possible and as a delaying tactic she responded, "Who are you talking about?"

Madeline gave her the kind of look that indicates how absolutely clueless adults can be and said, "Austin."

 

Wendy said:

 

Clark,

Yeah, and I may have overreacted to your response as well. Been debating with a few people on a few "touchy" subjects, as it were, the last few days and I think your response may have hit a hot button that I was not aware was there... I am sorry if I jumped down your throat either... It's been one of those weeks...

I do you think you are right about what a sad state of affairs this has shown in our city however...

I think i am going to leave it at that...