"This man and his opinions are like monkeys flinging what monkeys do. Ignore him and he goes away. Of course maybe that's me being naive."I think that this comment pretty much sums up most of squawk radio and TV ... unless you are fair and balanced of course :)
4/11: Like most people I was saddened when I heard of radio broadcaster Don Imus' insensitive racially charged comments about the Rutgers' womens basketball team. I was also saddened last year by Michael Richards' racist rant at a comedy club. I guess that I have always looked at shock jocks like Howard Stern as the extreme examples of our culture and have never thought that they are at all representative of most Americans. But I am beginning to wonder ... wonder if these episodes might reveal a not-so-subtle and ugly racist underground stream running through our culture.
I guess I also wonder if I am just naive. Have I mistakenly bought into the idea that, unlike our parents, most baby boomers (like me) are more accepting of people who are different than we are? Are these celebrity outbursts more revealing than I want them to be? Are people nastier and more racist than I give them credit for? Cloistered in my suburban home ... going to my mostly-white church ... living out my evangelical-like Christianity ... am I just in denial of the intense racial problems facing our culture?
seems that you and I both are in denial
ReplyDeleteHi Bob,
ReplyDeleteI don't want to assert or suggest that you are naive...but...the shock jocks and the talk radio political "quasi" pundits who daily demonize and speak pejoratively about their opposition are very popular, taken as a whole. Ever listen to Michael Salvage?...Frightening...and...the fact that they dominate the airways and do have loyal and devote followers is significant, imo...and...should concern us all regarding the state of our nation...
Hi Bill,
ReplyDeleteYes I have heard Michael Savage's radio show and, though I hadn't thought of him as a shock jock, I heartily agree with your assessment of his show.
Seems that both sides of the aisle have their share of wackos ... even if they do wear 'fair and balanced' blazers :)
Bob
My thought is, why are people (particularly the advertisers) surprised? This man was hired specifically to be shocking. He was shocking and got fired for it. That's...shocking. As reprehensible as his comments were I have to ask how they devastated the young ladies who they were aimed at. They all seemed rather upset and my question is, why? This man and his opinions are like monkeys flinging what monkeys do. Ignore him and he goes away. Of course maybe that's me being naive.
ReplyDelete