DON IMUS IS BACK ON AIR - NOW WHAT?

Content Black Woman, WAOD Contributor

Two of the most pervasive questions are: Should Imus have been allowed back on air? and Is he sincere in his remarks? Both viable questions.

As a former Angry Black Woman who works hard to stay focused on being content and at peace, this is where it is difficult to trust white people who have demonstrated a propensity to be cruel to Black people. In an effort not to rehash all the psycho-babble regarding Imus and his true intent and what's really in his heart serving as his real motivation, at first glance, I want to believe him. Not as a white man, but as a human being.

Granted, we've all made mistakes and said things we wish we could take back. I get that part of Imus' comfort level for him doing what he did - whether he knows it or not - enabled him to do so because he is a white man in America. He, at the very least, knows subconsciously he can pretty much say or do whatever he wants with little to no consequence. I'm going to go out on a limb and bet that Imus would be the first to say this does not give him a license to be cruel to anyone without the comparable resources or access to defend themselves.

There are those who would argue that when you are a white male multi-millionaire it's a little easier to be apologetic and contrite when you've been caught doing something wrong. In addition, you get a $10 million to $20 million settlement to go away from your previous employer only to find another job 8 months later. This would make few who are Black and female feel sorry for this man. He may have been made to feel very uncomfortable for a while, however, he still benefits from being a white man who has been defined as someone who has made it O.K. to be funny and cruel. Only in America.

On several occasions, I have gone to YouTube in an attempt to find a clip of the Chris Rock routine where he jokes about white people love being white and if they found out that they had to live as a black person most would kill themselves. He goes on to tell his predominantly white audience that they wouldn't even trade places with him and he's rich!

Am I angry that Imus is back on the air? To be honest, I am shocked that he even got fired. I thought that he would be allowed to ride it out. I am not angry though. I hope he can bring to light issues of race that often go untouched by mainstream media. However, I must give it to Imus. He has taken his licking like a man. Whether it be because as a recovering drug addict and alcoholic he knows what it's like to suffer; maybe he is able to manage this situation better than most. To be honest, I'm really not sure.

The world witnessed the power of the Internet for Black people spurning what I refer to as a "digital civil right movement" where the likes of Black bloggers demonstrated - and continue to do so - their power to communicate a perspective that has not been watered down or sanitized to make those who are not Black feel more comfortable.

White people may not be the cause for all the challenges faced in the Black community today, but as long as they remain the beneficiaries of a privileged head start both economically and psychologically, I am afraid the Black community will continue to struggle for a long time. However, with the new contrite Imus and an increased awareness of the challenges within the Black community, I'd give anything to be wrong.

MORE IMUS DRAMA: WE ARE NOT VICTIMS! ONLY THE COURAGEOUS STAND UP TO PROTECT THEMSELVES

Much love and a big shout to the creator of this blog, Ms. Gina. I have accepted her gracious invitation to serve as an occasional contributor to this blog. It's safe to say that we have complimentary styles, but our purpose is the same - to speak up for and protect the image of Black women.

I go by the screen name of Content Black Woman. And with the demands on Ms. Gina's time, I've decided to use this opportunity to add my two cents concerning the recent developments of Don Imus and his media status resulting from his ignorant comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team as well as the law suit filed by Kia Vaughn, one of the team members.

As expected, cyberspace is buzzing once again concerning the controversy of Imus now that he has settled with CBS regarding his suit for breach of contract. Basically, he believed he got fired for what CBS radio hired him to do. Reportedly, he was suing for $120 million and CBS settled for $20 million which some say is not true. Either way after the first $3 - 4 million in settlement money, who other than really greedy people are still counting anyway.

Interestingly enough, Kia Vaughn, Rutgers women's basketball team member is suing for defamation of character and a few other things claiming the incident harmed her presumably psychologically and otherwise.

Of course the same sexist and racist bloggers want to say she has fallen into a victim mentality.

Let me drop some knowledge on some folks. Don't fall for the psychological B.S. designed to make Black women look like we're crazy when we decide to stand up for ourselves and our daughters. Granted, who else are standing up for Black women lately. It's not Jesse. It's not Al. It's us having to protect us.

Now, if we went off somewhere in a corner and whined about it and said, "Whoa is us," then to be characterized as victims would be appropriate. However, that is not the case. Kia Vaughn has made a personal decision to get some recourse on having her life unfairly disrupted. This is not what she signed up for. So, instead of taking an AK-47 and taking out folks, she decided to exercise her constitutional right to have her case heard in a court of law. Sounds like pretty civil behavior to me.

Yet, in order to defend the indefensible, there are those who are quick to refer to a Black woman - or hell any woman for that matter - who decides to say one just can't characterize us anyway one chooses just because one has the power of the microphone. With that kind of power - whether one wishes to acknowledge it or not - comes responsibility and consequences.

So, take note, the ones who are quick to refer to us as self-proclaimed victims when we decide to use civil means to defend our honor and dignity are the real whiners and babies. They are the "victocrats." They are the true self-proclaimed victims.

Message to those whiners: Grow up! You are so quick to tell everyone else to take it like a man, start showing us how a man is suppose to take it and then - and only then - we might consider that you have some advice worth taking. Show respect and dignity to the givers of life upon this earth.

We are here to stay. Get over it!

Your permission is not necessary to exercise our basic human and American rights for self-preservation. Now that's not the talk of a victim.

Blacks 13% of Population 50% of Murder Victims -Background From West Palm Beach- How the Heck did Dunbar Village Happen?

Nearly half the people murdered in the United States each year are black, part of a persistent pattern in which African Americans are disproportionately victimized by violent crime, according to a new Justice Department study released yesterday.(SOURCE)

YES, it really is THAT BAD! Y'all we are less than a fifth of the population, but HALF of the folks murdered in this country. WHEN THE HECK ARE WE GOING TO MARCH ABOUT THAT?

Newark Massacre
Arrests have been made in the Newark case. One is 15 years old. SMH( Shaking My Head)

More on Dunbar Village.
Take a moment to read some of the recent posts over at Essential Presence(scroll down). She has actually talked with local leaders in West Palm Beach, FL to figure out how this happened on their watch. The Dunbar Village gang rape was not an isolated incident. Don't worry, our public shaming of the "List of the Immorally Indifferent" continues, but we are making plans to act if they do not. Maybe that is the way the Universe intends it because their silence is breathtaking and perplexing.

Content Black Woman is also holding it down about Dunbar Village over at Why Black Women Are Angry.