Don Imus wasn't that bad?

Run time: 05:08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrbdxVsu0ow   Posted on YouTube: July 05, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: November 07, 2007 By DU Member: ihavenobias Views on DU: 601

 
No way I'm defending what Imus said. But since he's scheduled to come back soon, it got me thinking about how many horrible, hateful radio show hosts there are out there that nobody says a thing about.

In this case, Cenk plays and breaks down a clip (with his former co-host Ben) of Michael Savage ranting about Muslim women.

After you watch it, ask yourself how insane it is that Savage (supposedly) has millions of listeners.

nor that plenty of other bad apples are still on the air. It's just that there's no need to make him into a martyr just to point out that there are still plenty of people out there saying things like he says and worse. And getting rewarded handsomely for it...look at Glenn Beck and his new $50 million contract.

What makes the difference between those who stay on the air and those who get canned (at least temporarily)? Sponsors. These haters can say anything they like so long as they continue to pull ratings, because so long as they continue to pull ratings, they will have sponsors. But when the public outcry reaches a tipping point that makes the sponsors get scared and start to bail, that's when the whole house of cards falls down. Ask Dog the Bounty Hunter.

And don't expect any amount of ranting about Muslims to create such a tipping point, either. This country is still too full of fear and hate toward Muslims for that to happen. The best bet is for one of the haters to go off too far on a rant against people whose forces are organized and capable of grabbing a microphone in the land of American discourse and never letting go. But if that doesn't happen, we are stuck with them until they do. And we have to sit there watching them earn millions of dollars for spewing their hate for those who enjoy listening to it.

It does seem like one can safely attack Muslims without fear of any real backlash, sadly.

Still, when you listened to that clip from Savage, weren't you blown away? I mean, it was SO blatantly absurd. I know there's a lot of hate and xenophobia out there, but am I really being naive when I assume most people would also agree the clip was outrageous?

I realize this Democratic Underground demographic is, of course, going to find it absurd, but I'd *like* to believe (most of) the rest of America would as well.

PS---What about Limbaugh mocking Michael J Fox's parkinsons symptoms? You'd think that would've created more of a stir...

Parkinson's sent a Democratic Senator to D.C. from Missouri so I think it did make quite a "stir".

Only idiots listen to savage..unforturnately this country is full of them.

Well, I'd say the anger over the Limbaugh comment paled in comparison to the Imus response, obviously.

listeners.