Everybody has a track record. If this was the first time Imus had pulled something like this, then maybe he'd deserve another chance.

But his track record is dismal--it's not the first time for him by a long shot. Being outrageous may be his stock in trade--and up to now good for ratings. But it's time for that to stop--and this is as good an incident as any to make a stand against it.

You can be entertaining--even controversial--without not just stepping over the line but barrelling through it--which is what Imus, Michael Savage, dear Ann Coulter--and a long list of others--have done and still do.

He richly deserved to be fired.

I just read a quote in the WSJ very gemane to this--Free speech is enhanced by civil discourse. Something Imus--and many others--need to learn.

And those who defend Imus on free speech grounds definitely need to learn it.