April 16, 2007

Imus: Sharpton’s Latest Carnival Attraction

If anyone thinks for a second that the Don Imus furor was a case of spontaneous national outrage, I’ve got some swampland and a bridge for them. Racial politics in America has transformed over 40 years from a historic fight for justice to a carnival act. Part of that carnival act is a national network of media attention-seekers ready to act on orders from the top.

Consider this passage from a Detroit Free Press story on the matter just days after Imus’s infamous words:

“‘Not having him on radio completes the penalty or response that was commensurate with what was done,’ said Rev. Horace Sheffield III, who's been involved in local efforts to call for Imus's firing.”

Involved in local . . . what? Who, exactly, is the Rev. Horace Sheffield?

Just days after Imus inexcusably referred to members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos,” the “movement” to have him fired – Rev. Sheffield’s word, not mine – had already set up local chapters?

This reminds me of when Ross Perot appeared on “Larry King Live” and claimed he had not considered running for president, but would do so if “volunteers” asked him to. Less than 24 hours later, 800 numbers were in operation – which can’t be done in less than 24 hours – and petitions were circulating. Wow! The “volunteers” sure move fast – especially when there’s nothing spontaneous about it, because the apparatus for the “movement” was in place waiting for the marching orders.

When Imus uttered the infamous words, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were ready to pounce with denunciations, boycott threats, shakedowns and the whole shebang. This surprises no one. It’s what these men do. But it wasn’t just them.

As the story gained steam, reporters around the country knew exactly where to go locally to get comments. The establishment in Detroit of “local efforts” to have a guy in New York fired got up and running with lightning efficiency – quite the achievement in a city where it often takes more than 20 years to tear down an abandoned building. Priorities, you know.

What is being presented here as the Fire Imus Movement is more correctly the Take Down Anyone We Can Movement Starring Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Imus was just the latest dufus to say something you’re not allowed to say.

CBS, which broadcast Imus’s radio program, bought it hook, line and sinker. CBS president Les Mooves was so gullible as to actually issue a statement containing the following: “In our meetings with concerned groups, there has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society.”

Right. Because we don’t want people hearing that anyone said “nappy-headed hos,” which is why Sharpton and Jackson made sure that millions of people would hear it hundreds of times during the course of the week by keeping the story alive day after day after day.

As their local chapter coordinator Sheffield said, “It wasn’t going to die a slow death. If anything, it was gaining momentum.” Yes. Because it was being directed by the best in the business, with the support of a national network that probably has more affiliates than CBS. They know the drill: Call press conferences, stage demonstrations, enlist local chapters to put heat on affiliates and sponsors, demand public apologies and then, having exacted said apologies, declare them insufficient. Rinse. Repeat.

Sharpton and Jackson live for this. When some stupid white dude lets slip a racial epithet, Race Mongering 911 swings into action. It’s a shame they don’t have their own emergency vehicle, with sirens blazing and the heads of Howard Cosell, Al Campanis and Dave Lenihan mounted on the hood. (Lenihan, a former St. Louis talk show host, was fired because through a slip of the tongue, he uttered the phrase “big coon” in reference to Condoleezza Rice while praising her. The movement makes no exceptions.)

How does the average black person in America benefit because these stories go on for weeks and these people eventually lose their jobs? Well. It’s obvious. Al Sharpton becomes more famous. Al Sharpton raises more money. Al Sharpton gets more reporters showing up at his press conferences. And the national movement is better prepared to take down the next guy.

What was the question? How do average black people benefit from any of this? Oh. Got me. What makes you think it’s about them? The average black person can surely handle the utterance of an insulting, stupid phrase by some moron with a national platform. But if such utterances ever stopped, what would Al, Jesse and Horace do for attention and money?

Carnivals always have another engagement waiting, and the show must go on.