When is too much, too much?
Should Don Imus be fired? This is the question floating around many Internet blogs. Don Imus captured the news media’s attention ever since he uttered the phrase “nappy-headed Hoes,” but I wonder how much, is too much?
From Janet Jackson’s infamous nipplegate Super Bowl incident, to Ann Coulter’s reckless comments about Senator Edwards, to Isaiah Washington’s homophobic statements, and now we have Mr. Imus’ s derogatory remarks about African-American female basketball players, has the impetus to police our language gone to far?
In the United States we have rights, (don’t worry I am not giving a history lesson) and as it is outlined in the Bill of rights, our first right is freedom of speech. Now, I most certainly do not agree with anything Ann Coulter has ever said; nor do I support anyone who eagerly spouts homophobic epithets. But, I will defend people’s right to express their opinions and artistic expressions in a public forum, even when those expression are hurtful and oftentimes hateful. Freedom of speech is a double-edged sword. You have to take the good with the bad.
Fortunately, the upside is that as we progress and become a more linguistically responsible and/ or tolerant nation; we will not need to resort to personal attacks or name calling to make a point. However, when people use derogatory language or “school yard taunts” as Ann Coulter might say, then I think it reveals a sincere lack of character within those individuals. Let’s not forget derogatory language is used to rile people’s emotions and it often works. Using hateful or derogatory language in a public setting has consequences and that is the upside. If we, as a public, don’t like what a public figure says, then we don’t have to buy, listen, or support anything he or she does.
I guess then the question is how far, and to what extent, should they be publically reprimanded? And that is where I will leave the discussion, where, and should we draw the line on acceptable and unacceptable speech or expression?
Should Don Imus be fired? This is the question floating around many Internet blogs. Don Imus captured the news media’s attention ever since he uttered the phrase “nappy-headed Hoes,” but I wonder how much, is too much?
From Janet Jackson’s infamous nipplegate Super Bowl incident, to Ann Coulter’s reckless comments about Senator Edwards, to Isaiah Washington’s homophobic statements, and now we have Mr. Imus’ s derogatory remarks about African-American female basketball players, has the impetus to police our language gone to far?
In the United States we have rights, (don’t worry I am not giving a history lesson) and as it is outlined in the Bill of rights, our first right is freedom of speech. Now, I most certainly do not agree with anything Ann Coulter has ever said; nor do I support anyone who eagerly spouts homophobic epithets. But, I will defend people’s right to express their opinions and artistic expressions in a public forum, even when those expression are hurtful and oftentimes hateful. Freedom of speech is a double-edged sword. You have to take the good with the bad.
Fortunately, the upside is that as we progress and become a more linguistically responsible and/ or tolerant nation; we will not need to resort to personal attacks or name calling to make a point. However, when people use derogatory language or “school yard taunts” as Ann Coulter might say, then I think it reveals a sincere lack of character within those individuals. Let’s not forget derogatory language is used to rile people’s emotions and it often works. Using hateful or derogatory language in a public setting has consequences and that is the upside. If we, as a public, don’t like what a public figure says, then we don’t have to buy, listen, or support anything he or she does.
I guess then the question is how far, and to what extent, should they be publically reprimanded? And that is where I will leave the discussion, where, and should we draw the line on acceptable and unacceptable speech or expression?
