| Among the fairest and most balanced offerings | | | | Here is a list of questions that should be asked of |
| on the Imus incident hails from journalist Ellis Cose | | | | every citizen, network chief and corporation in |
| in Newsweek for the week of April 23, 2007 in an | | | | America. It may not be a comprehensive list but |
| article entitled "What Will We Learn." Another | | | | it should do for starters. |
| offering well worth the read is "Imus' Safety Net | | | | If profanity has become art, hasn't art become |
| Failed" penned by the World Net Daily columnist | | | | profaned? |
| Barbara Simpson, April 16, 2007. | | | | Does America and especially African Americans |
| TV interviews are too numerous to cite even | | | | know the difference between a mere activist and |
| though not much variation is offered. It seems like | | | | a real leader? |
| a replay of the same interview and it goes like | | | | Are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton activists or |
| this. Imus had a right to say what he wants, | | | | leaders? |
| networks and corporate supporters have the | | | | Would Jackson and Sharpton be willing to march |
| right to bounce him and why doesn't somebody | | | | around network offices, media outlets and |
| call Rap and Hip Hop out on the carpet. | | | | corporate sponsors who gain from Hip Hop? |
| Naturally when a race card pops up Jesse Jackson | | | | Do Christians believe that the gospel and gospel |
| and Al Sharpton are sure to pop up as well. | | | | music, traditional or contemporary, can really |
| Jackson is seen marching with a tiny placard | | | | stand by themselves to produce the desired |
| about Rainbow Coalition and Sharpton is filmed as | | | | effect? If so why have some groups borrowed |
| the magnanimous mediator of the Imus apology, | | | | from the Rap genre to present their message? |
| just what we might expect, nothing new in this | | | | Would the networks be willing to tone down the |
| picture. | | | | crap in rap just to give it a slap (no rap intended) |
| Not far behind these familiar scenes another | | | | in the next Hip Hop presentation? Would they be |
| recurring but worn out and highly questionable | | | | willing to cancel the next Hip Hop presentation? |
| outcome is the monotonous drone of the | | | | Are African American women any less insulted by |
| interviewers trying to assuage Rappers with talk | | | | the rappers than they have been by Imus? Would |
| about their connection to art. A lot of sycophantic | | | | they be willing to let their voices and their "Hell |
| gushing can't hide the fact that untold millions of | | | | hath no fury like a woman's scorn" be heard on |
| people believe that calling Hip Hop "art" is like | | | | the same? |
| comparing Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to Andy | | | | Have parents listened to what is being piped into |
| Warhol's Campbell's Soup can. | | | | their children's brains and what is bombarding their |
| Pop cultures' fling can produce bling but it takes | | | | sight daily by Hip Hopsters and are they willing to |
| something a little more classic to add something | | | | pull the plug if necessary? Do you know the |
| significant to a nation's culture, something that will | | | | definition of difficult? |
| endure through the ages. | | | | Has anyone at all noticed that the Imus incident |
| Others have aptly pointed out something already | | | | clearly says that freedom of speech does have |
| well known namely, that it is the big green money | | | | responsibilities connected to it? |
| machine that drives Hip Hop. Millions of bucks will | | | | Would rappers be willing to ponder the question of |
| also be lost by the networks and sponsors as a | | | | why only rap music gets a bad rap? Why haven't |
| result of giving Imus the boot. So that question | | | | other music genres that African Americans have |
| serves only to raise yet another question. Why | | | | contributed to or wholly created been spoken |
| did the networks and corporations suddenly go | | | | against? Like Mississippi Delta Blues, Black Gospel |
| moral on such a lopsided scale? | | | | and Choir music, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, |
| A few voices have been heard that dare to call | | | | Dixieland, etc. etc. etc? Why doesn't anyone |
| Hip Hop artists and sponsors to respond. Among | | | | question that these genres are actually art? |
| them has been African American poet Maya | | | | Would Rappers be willing to ponder this great |
| Anjelou. In her customary dignified and refined | | | | proverb? In the multitude of words there wanteth |
| manner Maya gracefully lambasted the rappers in | | | | not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. |
| an interview on CNN. Are there any other voices | | | | Proverbs 10:19 |
| out there like this one? We are waiting. | | | | Would the rest of us be willing to ponder these |
| Raising a plethora of new questions seems to be | | | | important words from the Saviour of the world? |
| the main product of the entire controversy. | | | | "But I say unto you, That every idle word that |
| These questions are useful only if we are willing | | | | men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in |
| to hunker down and search for the answers and | | | | the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt |
| beyond that we must demand that they be | | | | be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be |
| answered. | | | | condemned. |