OK, I guess Imus is a reverse racist, then
OK, I guess Imus is a reverse racist, then
I try to avoid the comic stylings of Don Imus, but his latest cryptic remarks about football bad boy Adam "Pacman" Jones seem to be the only thing on the teevee this morning, and -- that being the case -- there is something that jumps out about it.
On Monday, on his radio show that is heard God knows where now, the I-Man interrupted a sports report about Jones' latest arrest to ask what race the player is and when the answer came back African-American, he said "well, OK, there you go. Now we know." Pretty lame stuff, and now today comes the inevitable explanation:
"What people should be outraged about is that they arrest blacks for no reason," Imus said Tuesday. "I mean, there's no reason to arrest this kid six times. Maybe he did something once, but everyone does something once."
Maybe he did something once? Unless Jones is the victim of the worst police conspiracy in American history, it doesn't look that way. Here are just a few snippets from a USA Today article that tries to summarize his record:
Jones has been arrested six times since entering the league and has been involved in 12 incidents requiring police intervention. He was present at a Las Vegas strip club shooting that left a club employee paralyzed during 2007 NBA All-Star weekend. He pleaded no contest Dec. 6 to conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct in a deal that reduced two felony charges of coercion stemming from the strip club shooting. The coercion charges each carried a possible sentence of one to six years in prison.
Also:
Jones also agreed to pay a $20,000 gambling debt to a Las Vegas casino to settle a criminal complaint alleging the suspended NFL player wrote three bad checks.
His problems began in college. Jones was sentenced to a year in prison for a bar fight, but the sentence was later suspended in exchange for two years of probation.
His record is even worse than that. If you have the time, and if you're at work right now you probably don't, read the Wikipedia entry on all his legal problems. One thing that strikes me is that a lot of the incidents involve violence against women -- which is really as low as it gets.
And so now Imus is claiming that Jones is being targeted because he's black? What an insult to the vast majority of successful African-American athletes out there, who not only play the game hard and stay out of trouble but also give a lot back to the community. Here in Philadelphia, how many have Jimmy Rollins or Donovan McNabb or Andre Miller or Ryan Howard been arrested? They're black superstars -- why aren't the police targeting them? Or is it reverse racism to say that "Pacman" Jones is only busted because he's black?
In other words, if you believe Imus' story, he's not insulting blacks anymore -- just the police and the women who've been harassed or assaulted by Jones. Is that really progress?
First of all, there is no such thing as "reverse racism." That implies that the only form of "regular" racism is white on black. Nonsense. Black on white racism is still racism. As for Imus, does this mean Al Sharpton is going to make a fool out of him again?— Captain Awesome
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- Once again, b.at needs very basic facts pointed out to him. Pacman is a convicted criminal. The so-called Francisville 4? No charges. Keep hoping.— Politburo
- Pacman is a criminal and a moron, he desrves a lot worse. Imus is Imus, expect nothing more from him.— Reggie Noble
- Comment removed.
- Get rid of this clown for good.While we're at it,get rid of those fools at WURD too.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- Will - are you on or off the media beat? First Alycia, and now Imus. Maybe you can get the bikini pictures?— shoeshineboy
Now that Pacman is a Cowboy, I'm sure the NFL is working hard to have his record completely expunged of all charges and convictions. As for Imus, is his latest explanation any different than what Al Sharpton would say?— jmc- Comment removed.
- Changing the subject as usual.. I never said you claimed otherwise. You asked "how is it different...?" and I pointed out the obvious difference.— Politburo
- Imus is absolutely a moron but Packman is as well.— Damgoodbodies
Forget Imus. Jerry Jones kisses this guy's a$$. Just a true Dallas Cow"gurl"!- Who even listens to Imus anyway? How is 400 year old dinosaur even relevant?— Wolfgang
- "Again, you can show me where I said otherwise...." Classic. You mean, like, when you called them vandals? "...Now, what we do know is bunch insulted cops by assuming guilt before having all the facts of the case. ..." You mean, like, when you called them vandals? "...We know this because we STILL don't know all the facts of that case. ..." You mean, like, when you called them vandals? Don't stop contradicting yourself, batboy - because if you did we'd have to assume someone else is using your screenname.— Talking point sleuth
- Andrew Sullivan
- Blinq
- Blogorrhea
- Blonde Sagacity
- Free Republic
- Instapundit
- James Taranto
- ScrappleFace
- The Corner
- Buzzmachine
- Eat the Press
- Editor and Publisher
- Media (Huffington Post)
- Media Bloodhound
- Mickey Kaus
- Pressthink
- Romenesko
- The Inksniffer
- A List of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago
- Above Average Jane
- BlankBaby
- Citizen Mom
- Keystone Blog
- Metroblogging Philadelphia
- Phawker
- Philadelphia - America's Hometown
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Philebrity
- Philly Future
- Phillyblog
- Phillyist
- The Clog
- The Next Mayor
- Welcome to Phillyville
- Young Philly Politics
- Afro-Netizen
- All-Spin Zone
- Atrios
- Bad Attitudes
- Billmon
- Booman Tribune
- CorrenteWire
- Fables of the Reconstruction
- iFlipFlop
- Kiko's House
- MyDD
- Philly (Dragonballyee)
- Rowhouse Logic
- Slacktivist
- Suburban Guerilla
- Tattered Coat
- upyernoz
- AmericaBlog
- Andy Borowitz
- BuzzFlash
- Crooks and Liars
- Cursor
- Daily Kos
- David Sirota
- Drudge Report
- Echidne of the Snakes
- Fire Dog Lake
- Glenn Greenwald
- Hullabaloo
- Jesus' General
- Jon Swift
- Josh Marshall
- Juan Cole
- Kevin Drum
- Mad Kane
- Majikthise
- Matthew Yglesias
- Oliver Willis
- Raw Story
- Swing State Project
- Talk Left
- Taylor Marsh
- TBogg
- The Carpetbagger Report
- Think Progress
- War and Piece
- Wonkette
- A Citizen's Blog
- Balls, Sticks and Stuff
- Beer Leaguer
- Dick Polman
- Phillies Nation
- Philling Station
- Shallow Center
- The 700 Level
- The Good Phight
