So Imus has been sacked by CBS for referring to some women of African descent as “nappy-headed hos” on air. Now I’m not a fan of shock jocks, and I don’t make a habit of listening to them, but this strikes me as ridiculous. Hello! What’s a shock jock suppose to do? Say things that upset people on air, perhaps? And he’s been sacked for, guess what – doing his job and saying something that upset someone.
But besides the obvious irony, does anyone else see the glaring double standard that’s applied? It’s OK for all the gangsta rappers to talk like this, but as soon as a white shock jock says it, then it’s racist and degrading to women. Or should we look at it another way. Is this a different kind of racism at work? Is it OK for black guys to call women hos, because we know all black guys are a bunch of dirty bastards, anyway, but higher standards apply to decent white guys? Either way, something’s seriously wrong.
Is it OK to call women hos? How would you like it if someone called your sister (substitute mother, daughter or girlfriend if that works better for you) a whore? I wouldn’t refer to women as hos. But then I do know people who address each other as “гадна пичка” in a perfectly friendly manner (if you don’t know what that means, ask a Serb or Croat – suffice to say it doesn’t sound nice).
Image
I regularly read complaints about negative images of black people being presented in the media. I regularly see negative images of black people presented in the media. But who’s presenting these images? For the most part, it’s black people. You can’t be a rapper if you aren’t a gangsta. The bad boy image makes you cool. Before blaming the white boys for negative stereotypes, go and have a word with Fifty Cent, Snoop Doggy Dogg and the rest of them. They aren’t doing you any favours.
The “N” Word
I’m half wog, half curry and I act, for the most part, like a ricer. Oh yes, and I’m proud of it. Wouldn’t have it any other way. So why is it so bad when white people say nigger? I mean black people call each other nigger all the time. Even worse, black people call white people crackers, and that’s supposed to be OK. I say nigger occasionally, and mean no harm by it. I’ll keep saying nigger until African-Americans stop saying nigger and cracker. Fair?
In Summary
In the words of a very famous African American (who I can’t call black, because he isn’t any more):
I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
