PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- The Rutgers administration and women's basketball team blasted Don Imus' "despicable" remarks Tuesday, but stopped short of saying he should be fired and agreed to meet with the embattled radio host.
Starting Monday, Imus will be suspended for two weeks for calling the Rutgers players "nappy-headed hos."
Rutgers' athletic director, Robert E. Mulcahey III, thought a meeting with Imus offered the team's players a chance to listen to him and hear what he has to say. Several players said they wanted to ask the host why he would make such thoughtless statements.
"Unless they've given 'ho' a whole new definition, that's not what I am," said another player, Kia Vaughn.
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer said her players "are the best this nation has to offer, and we are so very fortunate to have them at Rutgers University. They are young ladies of class, distinction. They are articulate, they are gifted. They are God's representatives in every sense of the word."
She said it's not about the players "as black or nappy-headed. It's about us as a people. When there is not equality for all, or when there has been denied equality for one, there has been denied equality for all."
She further said: "While they worked hard in the classroom and accomplished so much and used their gifts and talents, you know, to bring the smiles and the pride within this state in so many people, we had to experience racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable, and abominable and unconscionable. It hurts me."
I don't listen to Imus but have followed this on the news along with his meeting with the Rev. Al Sharpton. I also seen the MSM and various morning shows all put their two cents in on the matter. IMHO, Imus should indeed be punished but firing him where he could just go on a satellite radio show of his own where he would be filled with resentment and say even worse to divide our nation?
Here is a chance for all parties involved along with the MEDIA THAT IS ONLY TOO HAPPY TO PUT THEIR SPIN ON IT to show how people speak to each other causes pain, resentment and suffering. The young kids take the word, "ho" for granted...the word is used everywhere anymore. You see it on talk shows even. Teens pick this speech pattern up, it doesn't matter what color you....they use the word in a playful manner but when it carries over into disagreements, some people don't get how damaging it can be.
Imus, Rev. Sharpton, and even the young women from Rutgers could help today's youth and adults see that we must stop speaking this way about women or men even in a playful manner. (I'm not sure if Imus was doing this playfully either.) Every person deserves respect, Imus should look at himself and ask what makes him say such things to dis-respect himself first.
I'm sure these Rutger's ladies would allow Imus and Sharpton to play some hoops with them, odds are they will find some new respect when they are done. Part of sports is building self-esteem, Imus. Get it?
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