It’s the topic de jour. It’s the flavor of the day. It’s also a reminder that sometimes, the younger they are, the smarter and more pure they are. And how our youth can make the experienced and supposedly wise seem foolish and petty in comparison.
The only group that has handled themselves with distinction in the Don Imus incident has been the Rutgers women’s basketball players. They had a level head about it Tuesday. They seemed willing to judge the incident on its own merits, not because of an agenda.
The rest involved are clearly driven by their own ambition. For Imus, it is saving his hide. It’s one thing to have humor. Or to discuss issues in a frank and honest manner, ignoring our overly politically correct world in the process. It’s another to use bigoted slurs. The line isn’t that thin. It’s obvious, and so many so-called shock jocks cross it too often. Imus got busted for it - and it was deserved. It probably should have happened long ago.
Imus has apologized profusely, but it rings hollow. You can’t help but doubt whether he is sincere. I don’t trust his motives. Do you?
But I feel the same way about Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. It seems as if they use these incidents as their own personal formats to vault themselves into the limelight. It doesn’t seem to matter what Imus says or does, they are going to get him. They won’t let up. In the process, they are playing into Imus’ hands. People don’t like bigoted comments, but they don’t like witch hunts, either. And they don’t appreciate pompous and self-righteous people telling them what to think. We’ll make up our own minds, thank you. Sharpton and Jackson are coming across as if they are on a witch hunt, and if they are not careful, Imus is going to end up garnering sympathy votes.
The transgressions against the girls were bad. But Imus wasn’t Bull Connor turning the dogs loose on the streets in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s. It is understandable the coach would be upset, but Rutgers Vivian Stringer acted like Joan of Arc burning at the stake Tuesday. She was overly dramatic with her comments. Her players were not. They were to the point. They have been the only ones to the point.
There can be good that comes out of this. One is a better understanding about sensitivity. Another is pointing to the sometimes abusive nature of political correctness. Women’s basketball can grow in stature because of the way Rutgers players are handling the situation. They seem like such good kids, don’t they? But whatever is driving this issue, must be for the right reasons.
Can anybody say what is driving Imus, Jackson and Sharpton on this issue is the right reasons, or their own personal agendas? It’s troubling. That the Rutgers women’s basketball team has handled themselves so well is encouraging. We can be thankful for that.