Recently radio talk show host Don Imus made a racist remark about black American women. The remark was not an incitement to violence, nor was it done during a time of fitna (public disorder), yet for his sin he has been sacked from his program after both American Express and General Motors pulled their sponsorship of it. The right wing pundit is now pleading the victim in the whole affair.
Here in Australia, the media regulator has recently delivered a finding of “inciting violence and brutality” against radio chat show host Alan Jones. This is somewhat surprising given Jones long history of supporting Lebanese Muslims, and his principled history as a broadcaster.
For international readers, a summary of what came to be known as the Cronulla riots, is provided here . The ABC PM program has audio of Alan Jones diffusing racial tension and working for harmony, during those eventful days leading to the riot. Unlike Don Imus, Alan Jones has escaped any formal sanction.
Indeed, he has been supported by the Prime Minister and by the leader of the Labor Party, for whom most Muslims have traditionally voted. The Prime Minister has called Jones an outstanding broadcaster who says what people are thinking; indeed his strong endorsement, drove dogs wild in Sydney.
Australia has a variety of laws that curtail freedom of expression and legislate against racism, except of course they don’t. They do not have any meaningful impact in the situation described above. What is not surprising is that in the United States where freedom of speech is a constitutional right, it is the market place of ideas and public discussion that weeds out the extremism better than legislation here in Australia.
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What is not surprising is that in the United States where freedom of speech is a constitutional right, it is the market place of ideas and public discussion that weeds out the extremism better than legislation here in Australia.
Extremist talk weeded out in the US??? Are you kidding? One shock jock on his way out, 10,000 ready to fill his shoes.
I think the point is that in Australia people just expect the government to take care of the problem but in America people go after the companies who sponsor the offensive shock jock.
Salaam,
Up until now, he had only been fired by MSNBC, who simulcast his radio broadcasts on TV. His main employer, CBS, who owns the station his radio program is on, just fired him about an hour ago.
Anyway, yeah, maybe 10,000 more to fill his shoes. But this is pretty remarkable, I think, to happen to someone of Imus’s stature (in the radio world) who has a very profitable and popular show, with lots of prominent guests. He’s had presidential candidates, and big time journalists and news people on.
When it first happened, there were only calls for apology, not for him to lose his job. The negative press though was enormous, and it built up day by day (Barack Obama, for example, called for him to be fired). Unfortunately I think now it’s inevitable there’s going to be some backlash in the other direction, and much more symptahy for the guy, now that his radio show has been cancelled.
It’s very interesting, particularly as you have academics and others arguing that the response indicates a more tolerant US. Over time, attitudes have shifted, and that Ibus’ remarks have been met with such censure and backlash suggests people won’t accept such prejudice in the media. Further examples to support this include the reaction to Michael “Kramer” Richards’ outburst at a comedy club last year, as well as Mel Gibson’s tirade against Jews.
On the other hand, others are arguing that it’s only white Americans who think the US is increasingly tolerant; black Americans (African Americans (?)) don’t see it that way at all.
The other thing to note is that the response is so “American”. No offence intended to American readers. My point is simply that it’s such an extreme response; sure, Ibus shouldn’t be saying such things, and I daresay any country is better off without shock jocks like that gracing the airwaves, but he’s not the only racist in the US. He’s just articulated his prejudice (which he denies) in public. But apparently this has had 24-hour coverage, and sponsors didn’t wait before pulling the plug. Damage control to the extreme.
I think the Cronulla riots in NSW forced Australians (Muslim and non Muslim) to examine their prejudices; maybe the US needs to do the same?
Anyway, Ibus was wrong and I think there is a sense of justice for those affected by his pathetic remarks.
This is what wider society can expect if they racially abuse someone (and rightly so) :
but if Simon had racially abused a Lebanese Muslim and incited violence against them he would have got an unsolicited glowing public tribute by the Prime Minister.
This contemptible double standard is the legacy of a man whose only fidelity is to his own vainglorious place in history., who is prepared to wreck every public standard of decency and the traditional boundaries of Prime Ministerial public speech and to vilify anyone who gets in his way.
Here’s an interesting article at the Manhattan Institute about Imus and his “enablers”.
JDsg,
I am not kidding. The tide is turning against this sort of bigotry and it is public pressure through private advocacy groups that is the agent for change. Here in Australia our welfare culture extends to expecting government to police and regulate public speech and even when it does so in a manifestly inadequate manner, we don’t seem to mind, because at least it has done something.
Update
Mediawatch go through the Alan Jones saga:
here Alan Jones says two “Wongs don’t make a white” i.e. that chinese people are less than half a Caucasian
here he uses the word “nigger”
This is how to become an “outstanding broadcaster” in the eyes of the Prime Minister
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