Sunset on Imus in the Morning
First MSNBC canceled him. Now CBS Radio has finished the show.

Don Imus, a radio icon, the first of the classic "Shock Jocks", will be off the air. Some have called it stunning, a fall. He has had a history of controversial statements and getting in trouble. But for some reason, this one hit the fan and spread so quickly and irrevocably that it took on a life of its own. Today the Rutgers basketball team accepted his apology for insensitive, racist, and sexist comments, hoping that he can move on from it. But it won't be with the radio show he has been hosting.

I find the whole issues interesting and it raises many issues. The basic issue of his using "shock" language that is offensive is only the start. He has the right to say it, of course, but MSNBC and CBS also have the right to say we don't want that on our air. (Ignoring some of the other offensive and "shocking" things that may be said on their air, of course.) What he did was stupid, offensive, and meant simply to shock and awe. Whether Imus believes what he said or was just being controversial is not even the point. I agree he should be fired for such incredible stupidity.

Then there's the issue of free speech. As mentioned above, Imus can say whatever he wants, short of yelling "fire" in a crowded theater or being libelous. He may very well have been libelous. At the very least he was insulting. Free speech, however, does not include the right to say things that are untrue or especially derogatory and untrue. That's not free speech.

Finally, there's the whole "shock jock" and related stuff. They wouldn't have jobs if people didn't want to listen to them. CBS would not have fired him if the advertisers hadn't complained and started to pull out. Advertisers were afraid of public reaction (i.e. losing money.) In the end, like with all popular culture, it is the populace that bears a certain amount of responsibility. If we weren't excited and entertained by such over-the-top behavior, they wouldn't be doing it in the first place. When our patience runs out or something like this happens we all step back in horror.

But next week- or the week after- sometime soon, we will laugh again at Howard Stern or the redneck humorists or whatever the next shocking comedian represents - left or right. We will listen to Ann Coulter or Keith Olberman and be in agreement or upset. Popular culture is popular. We need to admit that Don Imus was simply doing what at least some of us wanted him to do.

And when he said some of the things that some of us might have been thinking that was too over-the-edge, he paid for it.

I think I can see why the writers and editors of the Gospel of John added the story about the woman caught in sin. It never fails to challenge me when Jesus, not even looking up from his dusty scribbling utters those famously convicting words:

Go ahead. Those of you without sin can throw the first stone.