I "Mus" Comment Says Sharpton On Imus

The following is AN EXCERPT of a discussion between the Reverend Al Sharpton and Don Imus on Reverend Sharpton's radio show regarding racial comments made on the Don Imus radio show, as recorded by The New York Times. To read the entire transcript, www.nationalactionnetwork.net.

SHARPTON. This young lady just graduated . . . , went to Temple. She is not a nappy-headed ho, she's my daughter.
IMUS. I understand that.
SHARPTON. And when I heard what you said, I've got to defend my daughter. This is not about whether you're a good man, it's about how you devalue, how my daughters and the daughters of a lot of people listening are going to be looked at in this world. You have anchormen from news, network news, you have senators, you have presidential candidates that come on your show. Are we now saying it's acceptable in the middle of these kind of candidates and these anchormen for you to sit up and call my daughter a ho? That's what we're talking about here?
IMUS. Absolutely not. But why aren't -
SHARPTON. But then, then how can we then say the answer to that is a good guy?
IMUS. Why listen to the same kind of outrage, let me ask you, in the black community when rappers and other people in the black community, athletes in the black community defame and demean black women?
SHARPTON. I am one of them that is outraged.
IMUS. And call them worse names that I ever did.
SHARPTON. I am absolutely outraged by it. I attack it, I disagree with it. I've had friends of mine that used bad raps on radio that was fired. And I do not think that there ought to be two standards. I think you ought to join them.
IMUS. O.K., I think what makes a difference in this context - and you can still call for me to be fired, that's fine - but I think what makes a difference, a crucial difference, is what was my intent? Am I some rabid, racist, vicious person who's on a rampage screaming and got on the radio and turned on the microphone and said, here's what I think these women are? That's not what I did. What I did is repugnant and repulsive and horrible. You know what's horrible about it is here are these young women, who, at the pinnacle of their life and their athletic accomplishment, they played for the national championship of basketball -
SHARPTON. And really suffered to do that, worked hard to do that.
IMUS. - and I ruined it.
SHARPTON. Yeah, and that's the point.
IMUS. Yes, sir, I know that.
SHARPTON. But the point is this: The question is not whether you're a rabid racist with intent. If you commit a crime, intent may be an element, but the crime is still there.
IMUS. I understand that.
SHARPTON. To go to court and say, Your Honor, I didn't intend it. I got up this morning and I really was going to go to work, but I got mad and killed a guy. You still are guilty. The question of intent, you yourself said it was repugnant and all of that. Here's what I hear you saying, Mr. Imus: It is repugnant, it is unbelievable - but let's get past that, go on to the next commercial and I live to curse another day.
IMUS. I didn't say that.
SHARPTON. What are you saying?
IMUS. I didn't say anything.
SHARPTON. That's exactly right.
IMUS. No, I'm -
SHARPTON. You and I agree, you're not saying anything.
IMUS. I'm not saying anything about firing?
SHARPTON. About what - if you don't think your resignation is in order, what do you think the price should be that you pay? Not that I would agree with it. I'm just curious. What do you think?
IMUS. I haven't thought about that.
SHARPTON. I know. Let's bring Reverend Buster Soaries up. Reverend Soaries, you talked with Mr. Imus last -[blip in transmission]
BUSTER SOARIES. . . . whether or not Mr. Imus is a good or bad person.
SHARPTON. Not at all.
SOARIES. And so I'm willing to concede that he's done some good things and perhaps did not intend to offend anybody. I think I'm a good father, but if I'm speeding on the turnpike and get a ticket, I still have to pay for the ticket. In other words, you don't get fined based on your previous good act; you get fined based on your current bad acts. And I think Mr. Imus has proven to be a progressive thinker, probably a liberal, you know, in philosophy. But it really doesn't matter if you slap me with your left hand or your right hand, I've been slapped. And so if Rush Limbaugh slaps me or if Don Imus slaps me, I've been slapped. And I think what we're having problems with is that Don Imus does not fully understand the depth of the impropriety because if he did, then he would understand why you and I can be civil but at the same time ask for his removal -
IMUS. Well, if I understood that, I wouldn't have said it in the first place.
SOARIES. Well, well, and that's our problem.IMUS. Yes, sir.
SOARIES. I mean if a person in your position -IMUS. Yes, sir.
SOARIES. - you've got about 10 million listeners; as Al said, president candidates stop by because they respect your ability to penetrate the marketplace. And if someone with you ideological bent and philosophy can say something that mean-spirited and that damaging, my God, then we don't need enemies.
IMUS. No, I know, you said that last night and I agree. I don't have a good answer.
SHARPTON. Mr. Bryan Monroe is also on, Mr. Imus, who is the head of the National Association of Black Journalists. Byron[as spoken].
BRYAN MONROE. Thank you, Reverend Sharpton, and thank you, Mr. Imus, for coming on Reverend Sharpton's show and standing up and -
IMUS. Yes, sir.
MONROE. - looking us in the eye and telling us what were you thinking.
IMUS. Yes, sir.
MONROE. Mr. Imus, I have a daughter. I think you have a daughter. What would you do if a 67-year-old man went in front of millions of people and called your daughter what you called these women? Mr. Imus, what do you think the consequences of those words should be? Should an apology be enough?
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Jesus Saves Ministries discusses the Imus firing, race, and gender in America Friday, April 13th with guests Rev. Robert Thomas, Director of Evangelism, St. Stephen Church, and Karen O'Bannon, author of A Song for You: Parables and Pearls on Jesus Saves Ministries LIVE! 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. on 1350 WLOU. Call 502-776-1350 and say, "I-Mus Comment" and let your voice be heard.
Remember, it is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves!