EDITORIAL – Imus’ comments awful, protected

Radio stations hire edgy DJs to lure listeners with their often-outrageous banter. It’s a… Radio stations hire edgy DJs to lure listeners with their often-outrageous banter. It’s a gamble they take that can mean big payoff or big trouble for companies. And when broadcast companies find themselves embroiled in a hot mess because one of their “shock jocks” pushed the public’s tolerance a little too far, do they have the right to punish him?

Absolutely.

Such is the plight of Don Imus, who recently called the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy-haired hos.” CBS Radio and MSNBC announced last night that they were suspending Imus’ morning show for two weeks beginning next Monday.

MSNBC cited what the Associated Press called “Imus’ regret at making the inappropriate comment and his stated dedication to changing the show’s discourse,” as incentive for them to keep his show on the air after his suspension.

“Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word,” MSNBC said, according to the AP.

On Monday, Imus apologized and responded to the public disapproval his comments received.

“Here’s what I’ve learned: that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it,” Imus said. “And because the climate on this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean that it has to be that way for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”

Imus further apologized on the Rev. Al Sharpton’s syndicated radio show where he said that he was “humiliated” by his actions.

“Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far,” Imus said.

Despite his remorse, Sharpton and other black leaders, including NAACP chairman Julian Bond, insist on his dismissal.

“As long as an audience is attracted to his bigotry and politicians and pundits tolerate his racism and chauvinism to promote themselves, Don Imus will continue to be a serial apologist for prejudice,” Bond said in an AP article.

While CBS Radio and MSNBC have every right to terminate or punish Imus if he’s not contributing to the editorial mission of the companies, it remains that even speech we consider horrible is protected by the First Amendment. While Imus’ statements were atrocious and unacceptable, people still have the right to say things like this. Even speech we find to be repugnant is protected. Imus has a right to say stupid, awful things, but he has to be responsible for his words and for the fallout resulting from his actions.

We have to protect all rights of speech, even the ones that we disagree with. That doesn’t mean that we have to be silent when people say things that are out of line and disrespectful. And that doesn’t mean that we have to agree with the speech. We disagree with what Imus said and hope that Imus’ remorse is genuine and he will approach his show with a greater understanding of what’s acceptable.