Protestantism

» pink101 - I Guess

In response to I Guess posted by paper_turtle:

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My point--to everyone--has been that even though Imus is a jerk, he's like a lot of other people you and I both know and we have to live with them on a day to day basis. It doesn't make anything he says or does acceptable; but, he does reflect society's reality to us.
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In my prior post I asked, What will we do with them, with them being the entertainers who use "Ho" like is is another word for female. It's repugnant to me and I wonder why it's okay for "them" but we have to hang Imus.
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It's--more or less--B.S. like why we worry about who is Nicole Smith's baby's daddy. Give me a break. Live and let live. Let people be who they are. Otherwise, people are two faced.
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-- posted by pink101

» paper_turtle - Another sobering twist on all this

In response to Another sobering twist on all this posted by BrianTubbs:

Sorry--I found the article a turn-off (couldn't make myself read the lyrics).
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I agree rap is (most often) offensive. I never listen to it--can't understand the words, and I hate the sound of the music that goes with it.
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But, rap did not come forth out of a vacuum. I would say the shock jocks came first, and the shock jocks helped create a climate which made rap more acceptable (in the eyes of some).
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There is this to consider, too: Imus and his ilk purport to be (at least marginally) a part of the press, or in some way speaking for the general public. Rap artists do not. Rap artists want to be outlaws, and they cater to a very specific niche market.
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I'd be very happy if rap and *all* shock jocks were off the air. since I don't see that happening, I'm very grateful for the alternatives--including not listening to anything at all.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» paper_turtle - I Guess

In response to I Guess posted by pink101:

Personally, I don't care what Imus does. I certainly can't control his words/actions. And it isn't any skin off his nose that I wouldn't listen to him even if I you paid me.
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I'm perfectly happy to live and let live. On the other hand, if my neighbor were someone like Imus I would refuse to speak to him if he couldn't keep a civil tongue in his head in my presence.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» Migisi - It's easy...

In response to I Guess posted by paper_turtle:
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It's easy to change the TV or radio channel and boycot the offensive (ehem) 'entertainers' and their corporate sponsors - and not allow their trash in our homes.
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It's easy to delete racist, sexist, and vulgar jokes (?) we recieve via email; NOT respond to or forward them; and block the sender who habitually sends them (that gets their attention).
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It's easy not to laugh (and perhaps even show passive disapproval) when acquaintances or coworkers repeat hurtful jokes or denigrating names in our presence.
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It's easy to explain to our kids why offensive remarks ~always~ hurt someone, and help them imagine how it would feel to be the intended target.
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It starts and ends with us.

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Migisi and Turtle

In response to It's easy... posted by Migisi:
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Here's the point and neither of you have addressed it.
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What are we to do with the entertainers who throw the word, Ho, around like its an acceptable way to represent women? And, forget Don Imus. Who cares? I live my life and I let him live his life. He doesn't hurt me and I seriously think his latest faux pas hurt anyone else.
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But, what he did was to bring attention to a greater societal problem and that is the lousy way black males are influencing our society as they are allowed--even abetted--in lowering the moral standards regarding our adolescing generation. Let's put THAT on the table.
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-- posted by pink101

» paper_turtle - Migisi and Turtle

In response to Migisi and Turtle posted by pink101:

Phil wrote:
He doesn't hurt me and I seriously think his latest faux pas hurt anyone else.
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The women of the Rutgers team were hurt. And I think anything anyone does which negatively affects another causes negative effects for all of us.
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the lousy way black males are influencing our society as they are allowed--even abetted--in lowering the moral standards regarding our adolescing generation. Let's put THAT on the table.
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Well, black males are the *performers,* but are the recording company executives who promote this stuff black males? The problem goes beyond rap music, or any other profit-making performance which denigrates another segment of society. Its not just black males.
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And I'd be curious to know just what percentage of music sales are for rap music. I have the impression it would NOT be the form of popular music with the highest sales (or air-time) nation wide. Rap isn't big here in Vermont. My son, who is a musician, HATES it (he plays blues, jazz, and vintage rock).
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I think there is a prevalent thought-mode in today's society which sees nothing wrong with being offensive. We see it in political commentators, pop psychologists, comedians, and yes, even televangelists. And further, there is a tendency to think that there is no difference between disagreeing with someone's opinion and assassinating another's character.
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As Migisi suggested, it begins with me, with the people I know, with my friends, family, and neighbors.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» pink101 - Imus Is A Weasel

In response to Migisi and Turtle posted by paper_turtle:
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Wait until Big Brother sees you as a threat.
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Do you honestly believe the hype that it's all about a group of women athletes?
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If you believe that, you probably believe that Saddam Husein hid all his WMDs in some dessert cave and you think Dick Cheney is an honest man. I say that the Imus situation is too transparent. But, what do I know?
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Not much?
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But, I do know a bum rap when I see one.
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It's called stomping the weasel and Imus is a weasel.
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I guess I should have written, SOME black males in my post up above. But, as usual, I noticed it too late to make the correction. Thanx to Brian for calling it to my attention. What I really meant to put across was that there is a particular type person who has been super macho in putting women down. And, I think it is a social issue with which we should be dealing. I understand that many minorities feel the sting of unfair treatment in our society and, for that, I sympathize with black males of all ages. Even so, women deserve at least equal treatment to men if they shouldn't be held a little higher for the efforts they put out to keep the human species going. I'm reading a particular aspect of American History that deals with the great effort women have put forth to make America as good as it is. They deserve better than they get.
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-- posted by pink101

» paper_turtle - Imus Is A Weasel

In response to Imus Is A Weasel posted by pink101:

Phil wrote:
Do you honestly believe the hype that it's all about a group of women athletes?
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If you believe that, you probably believe that Saddam Husein hid all his WMDs in some dessert cave and you think Dick Cheney is an honest man. I say that the Imus situation is too transparent. But, what do I know?
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Hey, chill, friend. What you said offends me.
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I saw the women on a news show yesterday. I feel for them. As a male you might not understand how it feels to be referred to as a whore. It cuts deep, very deep, especially if you're young.
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I don't see it the way you do. That doesn't make me gullible, or you wrong. We just disagree, OK?
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» pink101 - Update

In response to Imus Is A Weasel posted by paper_turtle:
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I redid my post, please read the update.
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:)
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I don't take any of this too personal or seriously and I doubt you do. Life is too short for foolishness--especially at this end.
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Can we talk about the dispicable way some black male entertainers and those who associate with them so such disregard for women and morality in general?
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-- posted by pink101

» paper_turtle - Update

In response to Update posted by pink101:
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Phil wrote:
there is a particular type person who has been super macho in putting women down. And, I think it is a social issue with which we should be dealing. I understand that many minorities feel the sting of unfair treatment in our society and, for that, I sympathize with black males of all ages.
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What I've been trying to say is that there is an issue which goes beyond race or gender issues. Women have been denigrated by conservative politicians, religious figures, and other ethnic groups. Imus's comments just happen to slam both women and blacks, but his comments are only symptomatic of the larger problem--intolerance and bullying disguised as news or entertainment.
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Even so, women deserve at least equal treatment to men if they shouldn't be held a little higher for the efforts they put out to keep the human species going. I'm reading a particular aspect of American History that deals with the great effort women have put forth to make America as good as it is. They deserve better than they get.
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I would definitely agree with that. But we're used to being unsung. ;-)
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Imus is drawing fire because he's an easy target, I'll grant that. Still, there is something about the way he's handling this that just doesn't feel right to me. I don't think he's the least bit contrite--and that bothers me, a lot.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle