Didn't Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is now picketing NBC because of this, once call New York City "hymietown"? I seem to remember that he was forgiven for remarks that he thought were being made in private. I wonder, what is worse - saying something in private or opening your mouth in front of a microphone that you know is going out over the air? What words truly hurt more?

I also remember Rev. Al Sharpton making remarks after the Crown Heights riot about the "white interloper"

Imus, unlike the others was making an attempt at humor. I don't find him funny at all.   Jokes about race or religion are not funny. Yet, I do feel that freedom of speech is an important right to fight for.   Banning Imus from the airwaves would only be another chipping away of our freedom. No one needs to listen to a bigot, and advertisers do not have to put their money behind such garbage.

The only way we will truly have change is to help create change. If two men of the cloth will not give another human being an opportunity at redemption, an opportunity that was afforded to each of them, then our problems are greater than a stupid remark made by Don Imus.

The "sin" is not the issue. The issue should be what is done in the future to repair the damage. That is how you judge a persons character.