Bravo, Cherie, from Port St. Lucie!

When you think about it, the remarks made by Imus & Co actually ridicule the people who consistently use them in their "artistic" expression.

I find it surprising that these accomplished individuals (the students and coach) could have been affected in the slightest by these jokes. I have a fraction of the accomplishments, talent and abilities these women appear to have, but enough self-esteem to have laughed if anyone, publicly or privately, made a joke about me being a "ho," since the term is so widely used, it almost seems like a term of endearment.

mm, bx,

My memory may not be 100% in my advancing age but I recall the "Revs." Sharpton and Jackson using/abusing their celebrity against the Duke Lacrosse team last year demanding their punishment for their (assumed guilty) crimes. Have either of them apologized to the players? Why are they immune from their statements and positions?

Larry, Cincinnati,

Alan's view of the Imus dust up should be required reading by any American trying to understand the "measured, disproportionate wrath" heaped upon Don Imus. Mr. Imus should be thankful that lynching and public stoning has been been outlawed in the US for years now.

Tom Mariner, Bayport, NY, USA

I was tired of the talk radio proliferation since most of it is juvenile and sophomoric so I bought one of those new, improved radios for a few extra dollars. It comes all set up with a special switch marked " OFF ". works slicker than snot on a doorknob. As an older, white, overweight , moderate income, Euro-American male, I have resigned myself to the fact that I am part of the only unprotected majority on Earth and have to take what pride I can on what we a a group have built while defending ourselves... we had to do..not bitch. carry on ..

ron, Oneida , USA NY

So sick of Jesse and Al....who makes them the JUDGE!
Freedom of speech is going down the wayside. Just turn off the radio...turn off the rap...turn off Imus and Stern.

Tired of black and white. Can't we all jus BE. Do we need Sharpton to tell us what is right and wrong. Thank God we have options....just turn that knob.

Jeanie, Forest Lake, MN

My take on the whole thing: Put yourself in Don's mind: "I make a fraction of that bastard Howard Sterns' salary and am under heavy governmental oversite by the FCC, and I'm married to this current CSB/ MSNBC contract 'till Mrs. Thatcher's resurrection and return. My lawyers say there's not a thing I can do about it......unless....."

Do the math: Sidekick sets-up the remark and Imus jumps on it without reprimanding his microphone lackey. Imus, out of form, goes on a Kissingeresque mission of "shuttle diplomacy" to douse the flames. He's fired anyway.

My prediction: A few months from now Imus will announce his redux in satellite radio, where the tentacles of the FCC have much lesser reach. He'll laugh all the way to the bank, and the "Revs." Al & Jesse will be stuck trying to follow through on their pithy attempts at "going after the rap industry" in a pretentious attempt at even-handedness.

Don gets paid, his detractors drop the "follow through on rappers" ball. Life goes on.

Porfirio Chris Rivera, New York, NY

It's a witch hunt promoted by two shrewd manipulators.( Reverends? Now, that's an oxymoron...).They knew the Duke players case had gone down the tube for them, but rather than apologize for their part in it (please, do not insult my intelligence by saying Nifong did everything by himself:) they devised a smoke screen behind which to hide: Imus,(and his big mouth) happened to be at the right place (for them) at the wrong time.He should be reinstated, with apologies, "effective immediately".I am disgusted with CBS, NBC, MSNBC and their sponsors and I have pledged to them that I will no longer watch their programming or buy their goods.
Cherie, who is color-blind but sees things very clearly

cherie, Port St. Lucie,

Don Imus & Co. committed the cardinal, mortal sin in comedy: you do NOT direct your humor at people who don't have the means or the forum to fight back. It was one thing for Imus to joke about celebrities and politicians - both groups realize that barbs against them come with the territory. It was a whole different thing with this university basketball team - just what in the name of God DID these young ladies do to earn the racist, sexist remarks coming out of Imus's and Bernard McGuirk's toilet mouths??? One more thing: If anybody here thinks what Imus and McGuirk said was entertainment, how about giving me your wife's or your mother's or your sister's phone numbers and I'll call them what Imus/McGuirk called them? Unh hunh. didn't think so. Speech is free - consequences are not.

Beatrice, New York, NY, USA

Dismissing Imus was taking it too far. If this was justified, the why should Al Sharpton be allowed to broadcast over the public airwaves? I know Al never said "nappy-headed hos" but he is a convicted felon and not even allowed to vote. Which is worse? A man of God? Give me a break.

Ben, Chicago, IL

Imus will be missed by the Dems. His show was listened to by Reps in Independents. The Dems were able to showcase their wares on the show to an audience they would never ordinarily reach. Look at the regular guests, Dems outnumbered Reps 3-1.

Be careful what you wish for.

Will R, Philadelphia, PA

Observation: The vast majority of the talking heads on television here were in there 50's. The Imus quote was made about 18 and 19 year olds. The demographic most important to network and advertisers for this type of show are younger. I am sure there are articulate knowledgeable people of that younger generation with varying views that could have added insight. That is a problem.

J Schlossberg, new york,

Don Imus is a mean, nasty, elitist snob who's been getting away with cruel, rude criticism of people for years. Immediately after he insults folks from all walks of society, he's bragging about his charitible efforts for supporting a boys ranch. He boasts everyday, ad nauseam. He doesn't just blow his own horn now and then, he he sounds a trumpet fanfare daily. You can almost hear him preening, "Am I not wonderful?" "Am I not a good person?" I have no sympathy for his firing. Most people who have behaved so crudely would continue to be employed.

Stan Stoneking, Citrus Height,

Imus has a long history of making lude, crude, and rude comments on his show. At times he was funny, but the laughs were never worth the crassness which characterized his program. I stopped listening to Imus quite a while ago because there were better shows available in the same time slot. I think the Imus show will soon be forgotten and not missed.

Ronald Shiffman, Chapel Hill, NC

Conservatives, some many years ago, tried to explain that the coarsening of the media was hurting all Americans. The were laughed at as being racist, stiff necked, old fashioned jerks, by the liberal media. They were told whenever they spoke against demeaning rap, that the were, at best ignorant of the a really great art of the black culture, and at worst racists. The conservatives argued that this stuff was not only destroying the black community but was now being purveyed to their, the conservatives, own white and black conservative's children. They were again told that they were racists, and that if they didn't like it to turn the station.

I watch a lot of cable news, with the million talking heads. I saw at least thirty, both liberal and conservative blacks, who are in media or in special interest groups. It was nice to hear some level headed voices, other than the despicable Sharpton and Jackson.

Marvin Sinclair, San Francisco, CA, USA

It sickens me that there are now, supposedly, rules governing what we can and can't say. How long before there are rules about what we're allowed to think?

White people - and black people - should be free to express their opinions. Political 'correctness' is the opposite of freedom and I for one will never accept it.

j griffiths, manchester, England

This is a very good column, the best I saw on this sordid affair. I listened to the Imus show via radio and did not know what the racial terms meant. I focused on the tatoos- neither did I see the Tenn-Rutgers game, so I took Imus to be making a differation betwee what appeared to him as the decorous and "cute" Tenn players and the Rutgers' tatooed toughs. There appared to me no racial intent. On learning what the "three words meant, I agree they went too far, but still it was not said as a racist bigot. Don Imus never had a good word for Sharpton, Jackson or Hilary Clinton. They took the opportunity to rub him out. This is too bad, not only from a loss of a sense of freedom, but also because Imus used his program to bring attention to and sollicit millions for such causes as children's diseases and autism, environmentally "green" products and policies, and soldiers and veterans' rights. It is a sorry day when sponsors and networks cave in to rogue PC police.

Donal Kinney, Albuquerque, NM

A lot of these contributors should watch the excellent Lenny Bruce film (starring Dustin Hoffman) for the section on the use of words. The PC brigade are obsessed with racism - indeed they are like those seeking out the witches of Salem. Racial discrimination means discriminating against someone on the basis of their race - e.g., selecting someone for a job on the basis of race rather than ability, not using certain words. Controlling the use of language is Stalinist in the extreme. Once someone says 'you can't say that' they are trying to control how one thinks. This is to be resisted. I regret that we continue to import this drivel from America, along with how to bring up children as well as the victim culture where people are encouraged to sue for no good reason. The Land of the Free? Don't make me laugh.

Ian , Bristol,

All I can say is things have moved a million miles away from my youth. I am a white woman, 68 years old, from a small town of 1500 people in the lowcountry of South Carolina. We were taught at a tender age to respect all folks, black or white, older than we. We said "Yes, ma'am" and "Yes, sir" and "No ma'am" and "No, sir" and we most certainly said, "Thank you, ma'am" and "May I help you?" and "I beg your pardon." Parents today have failed not only to teach respect but to demand it from today's youth. Balme anyone or anything (TV, etc) but it all goes back to parenting! You can teach a child to hate or you can teach a child to love and respect. It's that simple, folks.

Eleanor Tillman, Beaufort, South Carolina

Virsen states;

"A very amsing account! But on a more serious note, the real racism is revealed not in words (slip of tongue) but more in the quiet, consistently apathetic attitude and subtle body language. And yet, to be absoutely fair, we the Indians have caste based discrimination that goes far beyond what would raise a storm in the US. Wouldn't say the same about UK though"

Beauty, cheers for that Virsen.

My intellectual observation to all this is;

where's Jade Goody when you need her?

Jez Walton, Leeds, England

Don Imus shouldn't really have said what he did, but naturally the whole thing has been blown out of all proportion, with the oh-so-principled Hillary Clinton leading the pack of critics whilst chasing the black vote. Quel surprise! As for Alan Davies's Edmonton friends, they appear to be the peculiar self-loathing type which is often found in liberal circles, with their "not trusting whitey" comments. Such people are of course socially inadequate, and it would be best if, like Don Imus, their comments weren't given coverage by the media. Davies's comment that "Whitey is too dumb to know where the line is" was also rather idiotic, and does nothing to foster good race relations.

David Harris, London,

Poor Dom Imus. For decades, CBS radio effectively sniggered as they shoved him out on the 'stage' - saying, "Go insult a bunch of folks, Don, and make us tens of millions of dollars doing so." (This is not, by any stretch, the first time Imus has used racially insensitive language).

So first CBS say they are 'going to stand by' Imus. Next, as Sharpton and the other racial whores stirred it up, CBS said they'd suspend Imus. Finally, when MSNBC pulled their tv simulcast and American Express pulled their sponsorship, CBS radio were outraged! Distressed! Saddened by the effect on young women of color!

Did they offer to donate even a fraction of their profits to Rutgers or the NAACP? Of course not. They were probably too busy looking for the next Don Imus.

John Blackley, austin, TX, USA

Enjoyed the column. You're an excellent writer.

Pat Narcisi, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Dear Elaine,
Don Imus' "Ho" comment should not have cause his dismissal!. How is it the Afro-Americans can use the "N" word but others are guilty of racism. The "Ho" word and definition was not orginated by Whites but has an origin from Black slang. Give Imus a strong penalty, time away from work or demand a financial contribution towards 'people with needs'? He has confessed and apologized,may he sin no more? We all have made slip- ups in speech and meaning?
Just as the definitions of the " N" word has different meanings from i.e. friend, empathy, pathos to harsh ignorance and racism! I believe the 'Ho" word lives in a particular jargon and characteristic idiom of a lost and meaningless group.
There is no intrinsic value in poor choice, foul language?
Let it go?

Frank, Pittsburgh, USA

What is far more offensive is the prejorative "hos". To demean these women with such a word is far, far worse than "nappy-headed". It says much more about the state of relations in America (and around the world) that the pundits focused on the racial implications of Imus' remark, but not the sexist implications.

LS, San Francisco, CA

Note to Elaine:

Would Don Imus have been happy with his wife being called a White whore?

Don Imus and his cohorts regularly refer to Deirdre Imus as "The Green Ho." Comments such as this pass as humour on his program.

Lorraine, Los Angeles, CA

The most ironic thing about this whole incident is that it was effectively caused by a Media Matters for American auditor prying through the night in earphones funded, in part, by U.S. taxpayers. Media Matters for America bills itself as a "progressive" institution which protects the public from "conservative misinformation". Imus' remark occurred at 6:14 in the morning and was perhaps heard by all of 1,000 people who would have forgotten or dismissed it before they had poured their first cup of coffee if the auditor had not torn off his earphones and rushed to up front so Media Matters for American could minutes later send a blast fax to practically every media source in the U.S.

This whole incident is like a full refrigerator seven days after the electricity goes off--full of things which all smell bad and some of which are too loathsome to even look at.

Amercian politics are a swamp.

Michael, Silver Spring, MD

Elaine Sihera
Imus' wife is a somewhat lecturing 'green' activist. Imus and other cast members, routinely refer to her as 'the green ho'. The Sharpton/Jackson poverty pimp rent-a-mob crowd did not jump to her assistance. This is just another one of their shake down jobs. Yours is a typical comment. You react to that which you have no personal knowledge.

Rick, indiana, pa / usa

Enjoyed the article. So much of the coverage here in the states is slanted to ne extreme or another that it becomes difficult to find a voice that is clear and sensible. It helps to have a view from a source outside of the turmoil to give one perspective.
America unfortunately has drifted far from the sentiment "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" . Imus' remarks were those of a teenager or one uneducated. Unfortunately it is all too common in American culture today. Was it a firing offense? That should be between he and his employer. If he has become a signifigant liability for the company, then he has reaped what he sowed. I, as a member of the potential listening audience, I can control whether Mr Imus (or any other personality) gets my ear. Allow me to have that choice to make.
For those of you in the UK, take what you see in the American media with a bit of scepticism.

Kevin Zelhart, Kelso, Tennessee

"People of color" is a term supposedly non-racist US white liberals use to distinguish sons of immigrants like myself from them. They do their best to convince us that life in the US for "us" is unsupportable without their condescending assistance. The idea that the greatest danger to me and my "kind" comes from white racists is laughable. That honor goes to white liberals and their identity politics- liberals view "minorities" as proletarians, whose votes can keep them in power. All "we" have to do is let liberals do our thinking for us and they will take care of us. No thanks.

mhr, burbank, US

In the history of American comedy, there is a tradition of mockery of all groups. Some of our finest comedians, Groucho, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, and most prominently Don Rickles based their careers on mockery of other people. Rickles is the most insulting man in the history of comedy. He insults everyone, including his own ethnic group, the Jews. And yet, he is beloved.

Don Imus, like Rickles, is an equal oportunity offender. He needs to be viewed in context. He's genuinely funny when he plays the curmudgeon and attacks others. Everyone understands he's joking or, on occasion when he's being political, half-serious and exaggerating.

To Tina of Wales above and to the Rutgers women Imus insulted, I ask you: are you going to give people the power to hurt you by insults? Are you going to go through life so vulnerable and prone to misery if someone says a disapproving word about you? If so, then you empower the racists among us, you give them the power to wound.

Duke, Pala , California USA

This is such crap. What was Imus' crime? He was white. Whitey dasn't say what Blacky says seven ways to Sunday and ten times worse. We now have Sharpton, an out and out race hustler, as the moral arbiter of America. And what's to blame. Cowardice. Specifically the cowardice of our political leaders, both liberal and conservative. God forbid you should call a spade a spade. You'll be lynched. A reverse lynching: black on white.

ricpic, New York, USA

If Imus loses his job (and he has), then surely all the rappers and hip hop performers should lose their recording contracts if they sing about 'hoes' and 'bitches,' which most of them do.

What Imus said was no better and no worse than what is said on late night TV, other talk radio shows, films and as mentioned, cd's.

Seems to me if this is the standard, there are thousands of people out there who deserve to be fired.

gb, Austin, USA/TX

The term whitey is wrong---I have never seen a white person--white color is of Milk or snow. I have seen light or lighter colored people ranging from very light to very dark but never white. I thing the use of white in race color is propaganda to promote whites are pure---only the history could talk back and state the obvious.

a. kakar, post falls, idaho,us

The trouble with the word "guy" it refers to both male and female in America. I wrote an article about this abomination of the "English" language known as America speak some time ago.

It can't, unfortunately, be escaped. It's like manure on a farm and we step in it daily.

http://www.liberallyconservative.com/?p=441

Don Bistrow, Chicago, IL

Elaine rhetorically asked, "Would Don have been happy with his wife being called a White whore?" Scanning the articles about this incident, I see that Imus regularly called his wife "The Green Ho". I sincerely doubt he's a racist. I think that as a comic, he had become too comfortable with the idea he could insult virtually anyone with impugnity, and make good money doing it. Sad thing is he was mostly right.

Rick, Maryland, USA

It is misleading to describe Al Sharpton as a "black activist/pentecostal minister". He is a disgraceful demagogue who has used racism and anti-Semitism to gain political influence. If you want to learn something about his record, search on "Sharpton + Freddie's" or "Sharpton + Brawley".

Imus should have apologized, but it was absurd for him to apologize to Sharpton, a man who should spend the rest of his life apologizing for his misdeeds.

Jim Miller, Kirkland, United States

I'm responding to the comments of Elaine Sihera about the term "hos." That was not the offending term,it was "nappy Headed" that drew the scorn. Imus would refer to his wife as the "green ho" during his show. Right before the Imus comment Bernard McGurk said the girls were some rough looking hos and that comments drew no fire.

jim aaron, Canton, Michigan,USA

For the uninformed Elaine Sihera, let me inform her that Mr. Imus' wife is referred to on his show as the "green ho " (She is very ecologically 'green'.) That's how Imus refers to her also, So that answers your question about how he would feel if his wife were referred to as a whore.

Gary Marantz, Winnipeg, Canada

Another gratuitous swipe at Bush, on an issue that has absolutely nothing to do with him. How mature.

Marty, Maryland, US

To Elaine Sihera, Maidenhead, United Kingdom:
Actually, Don has called his wife a 'Ho' on his own radio program as well.

Matt, New York, New York USA

I wonder how many people in the UK or USA know that the attack on Imus began with a liberal media watchdog group called Media Matters. They monitor TV and radio broadcasts in America. If they find something that they think is not PC, they try to stir up the pot. In this case they sent the info about Imus to the National Assn. of Black Journalists, who forwarded it to Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, America's foremost racial arsonist. Britons unfamiliar with these gentlemen should google them and read their resumes, which will help you put this matter in context. Whatever your political persuasion, are people in the UK or USA ready to return to the 1950's witch hunts? in a free society, hearing things that offends us is the price we pay for that freedom. People who didn't like Imus should've changed the channel and sponsors should have abandoned him. They didn't - not until Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson showed up in THEIR offices with threats. This cowardice is why Osama has our number.

Jim Silberman, New York, NY , USA

Speaking as an Englishman who lives in America, I think I can claim some limited immunity from the prevailing PC climate. That said, Imus who has a long history of off color remarks on every subject from blacks to Hillary Clinton's menstrual cycles, went over the line with this one. These weren't seasoned politicians or pontificating pop stars, they were a bunch of kids playing basketball. The whole inflammatory racial tenor of this piece, why else would one use pejorative terms like Whitey, indicates the writer hasn't much clue about where that fine dividing line lies. Ultimately, of course money talked when the advertisers bolted and the media conglomerates saw the danger to their brands. Imus was expendable, he was expended, and deserved to be.

John, CT, USA

Why is that right on middle-class comedians always have a tale to tell about encountering working-class racists? Is it a rite of passage? 'I know these people..let me tell you about them'.

Richard, London, England

I find it fascinating that the term 'nappy head' is clearly explained for readers by Alan but there was no mention, or explanation, of the word 'hos'. That is almost bypassed. Yet it was the main cause of the objectionable term, calling women who were desperately trying to uplift themselves and represent their university, Black whores. Would Don have been happy with his wife being called a White whore? Words which denigrate women in songs are equally bad. But this was truly objectionable because, unlike songs, they were not a general labelling of people, but deliberately - and publicly - attacked an innocent and specific group of women who were simply going about their business. Don Imus deserved to be sacked because, in that one phrase, he disregarded the Black section of his audience and insulted them too, using the power he had as a privileged White male from a platform of privilege to abuse his authority. It depends on the society we seek if we truly condone such behaviour.

Elaine Sihera, Maidenhead, United Kingdom

I've worked in media for nearly twenty years in America, and this story is nothing new. Mr. Imus and other professionals in our field have made a handsome living at taking well orchestrated, and at times ill-fated, shots at people in the public eye. The foul in this case was Mr. Imus picked on young ladies whom created no controversy in their own right. He picked on innocence. The sad part is these women were forced into the public eye without receiving their own opportunity to decide whether they were offended. "We" -- American media lemmings -- told them to be outraged. Now from Rev. (loosely used) Al and Hillary Clinton are trying to gain public points by joining the outraged mob. The Rutgers women showed character in accepting Mr. Imus' apology. They are the winners, and we are losers for being piranha gnawing at a 66 year old carcass. We will await the next drop of blood in the water and swim to feast on the next American foolish enough to drive in the mob's Amazon. Pity!

Jonathan Love, Forest Park, United States (for now)

I'm coloured....in fact I'm a variety of colours.Blotchy sort of white first thing in the morning, red when embaressed, green when envious, blue when cold, yellow when sick etc etc. I also grew up with being reminded by my school peers that I had big lips, big ears, red rimmed eyes in the summer (hay fever) and two left feet due to not being able to play football to an acceptable level.Something that is different to what you are, or indeed the main stream of what you are a part of, will always cause comment. Good, bad or indifferent...take it for what mostly is - a natural human response. I just wish the PC correct people in the 'western civilised world' stopped going on about racisim at every opportunity. When there is an agenda by a racist you will see it and you should deal with it harshly and quickly, when it's a comment acknowledging common thought or differences or in deed uses common local slang, just have an opnion but please don't make it bigger than it actually is!

Gary Jefferies, Utrecht,

I used to work with a West Indian who frequently refered to himself and his friends as 'niggers'. If I'd done the same I would have been sacked. I'd have no problem with this heavy handed approach if the rush to vilify people wasn't so blatantly one sided, any ethnic minority can - and do - abuse white people with complete immunity. The rush to blame racism as being responsible for all of the woes of ethnic minorities is an easy way out for people who immerse themselves in victim culture, for example a teacher of my aquaintance recently told me that a black student acused his computer of being racist because he couldn't complete his IT assignment (presumably the computer would only work for users composed out of silicone). I don't doubt that racism does exist in British socity but the constant haranguing about bogus racism white people recieve is switching us off to the authentic arguments; we hear them and just think 'God they're at it again'.

Martin, nottingham, notts

Until yesterday I had never heard of Don Imus and I have never heard his radio show, but it sounds to me like everyone has jumped on this guy to make political capital. I basically agree with Cathy from Chicago - he should have apologised if he hurt anyone's feelings and assured them that there was no ill feeling in what he had said. It seems to me that a guy like Don Imus - someone who says what he thinks - will always be an asset to a certain kind of radio show.

Mike Parsley, Pizarra, Spain

It's a wireless programme. If you don't like it, turm it off. I do this every day. When Jeremy Vine's smug whine hits the airwaves, off goes the receiver. Anyway, why is so much space being devoted to an American thing that we don't even listen to? I'd never heard of OJ Simpson until the media forced him upon me. The same with the recent demise of some rich bimbo. Is it another slow news day?

Ray, Plymouth,

With increasing censorship of notions deemed incorrect at a moment in time and in a specific cultural context and location, a language code of anodyne understatement is emerging, of which this excellent article contains good examples. Perhaps in the future humour will require an extensive resource of allusion, rather than joke, pastiche or stereotype caricature, and, possibly, an education in law, with focus on the concept of intent and, perhaps, some skill in deflecting or defusing unexpected reaction when ‘hair’ triggers of offence are unknowingly touched.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK

Hmm, difficult one, its not unreasonable to sack someone for referring to a college ladies team as 'hos, however the same media institutions that use politically correct rules against whites glorify blatantly racist and sexist material from many performers who are not white and male.

This is not only the case in the USA, but also on this side of the pond, only the other day a speaker on a BBC news program decided it was not enough to say that the black boys he helps educate are equal to members of other ethnic groups but had to go the extra mile to claim they are superior. Any white making such a statement would have been hounded, but non white racists appear to be given carte blanche.

Edward Andrew Green, Upminster, England

Calling women 'whores' is simply bad manners. They are sportswomen, full stop. How can it ever be right to call someone such bad names? 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" If you've not been at the other end of name-calling, then you've no idea just how hurtful it can be. I've been beaten, I've had nasty words - and believe me, the beatings are not as bad as words that worm themselves into your mind and reverberate there for years, decades - especially when these words have been repeated ad nausea.

This man's remarks show him up as insensitive and bad-mannered. Why put someone like him on the radio? There are enough people like him in the streets. When I put the radio on, I want to be amused by witty and intelligent people.. people with something illuminating to say - or I want to be educated.

Tina, Deganwy, Wales

So we should not use the word "guy" - unless we are collecting pennies for one - presumably because that's an Americanism. But we can pepper an article with the word "whitey", the difference being that it is both an Americanism and offensive?

Kevin, London,

Rap singers have many songs about killing white people, but nobody complains, it's OK if you insult whites.

nick Peck, mokena, US, Illinois

I'm glad he was fired. He's too old to allow something he heard in a rap song or on the street to have that kind of an impact on his behavior. I've heard those terms used amongst blacks too, but I've never wanted to use them myself. I think the man needs therapy because something has obviously gone wrong in his membrane.

Cristiana, Miami, Florida

I alwyas thought the rhyme "sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me", was generally a good life lesson. The Rutgers team, I think, had never heard of Don Imus, so why on earth, after such a good season, would they care what some elderly DJ would say about them? What remarkably thin skins they have, or their handlers have.

The language Imus used was stupid, but that is all it was. Imus was unfairly treated, he apologize and yet this was not good enough for Sharpton (remember Twana?) and Jacksons whose own behavior has been reprehensible at times. Despite this, we are treated to these buffoons on a regular basis. If CBS and NBC had any spine, or a passion for integrity, they would get rid of the rap and their inane sexist verbage they so happily peddle or reinstate Imus with he rap crew on a new "idiot brand ' streaming channel 24/7. I'm sure it would get a lot of subcribers.

Peter Jardine, Los Angeles, CA

Please do not try to defend Imus as if his comments were not delivered with ill-will. I am Black and I have been told that hair was nappy by white women without being offended because they were saying that I should fix my hair. I was not offend because I knew them and they werent trying to hurt my feeling. Imus doesnt know these girls plus he called them "Hos" (aka Whores). Nappy doesn't just mean your hair is just kinky,it also means that it is UNCOMBED or MESSY.Some have used it to discribe all black hair as if to say "you could never make it look well kept." Please understand the word before you write an article about it. I think Imus was wrong because he wanted to insult the girls and DID make excuses when he was first confronted, but I don't think that he should have been fired. I think that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are hypocrite, make racist comments & are priest, but never forgive. They should have had a honest conversation with the man rather than a witch hunt.

Cathy, Chicago, Ill

A very amsing account! But on a more serious note, the real racism is revealed not in words (slip of tongue) but more in the quiet, consistently apathetic attitude and subtle body language. And yet, to be absoutely fair, we the Indians have caste based discrimination that goes far beyond what would raise a storm in the US. Wouldn't say the same about UK though.

virsen, Pune, India

The standard fare with Imus is: The guest comes on. Imus insults the guest; the guest insults Imus or his crew; then the guest says something self-effacing; then Imus insults someone whom the guest has come to talk about. Imus isn't a racist; this isn't about race. It's about opportunism and exploitation by the likes of Sharpton and Jackson-and the cowardice of corporate America.

Tom, California, US

Itis right that Don Imus went. I don't want to look and sound vindictive, but unless he was fired as he was, the general public simply won't take the issue of racism seriously,

Shouvik Datta, Incheon, South Korea

CBS claims that the fireing is not about money but 'moral & ethical' breach here! Hah! If they were so concerned about 'moral & ethical' material, this man wouldn't have been on TV to start with! The only reason CBS fired him is because the advertisers pulled out - bottom line, I don't care what they say! Al Sharpton & Jessie Jackson do not have that kind of the pull here, no matter what they say! As to Imus, I've never listened to him and had no intention of doing so, but this wasn't enough to fire him!

Tuija Gibson, Glendale, CA, USA