I suppose that the Imus firing will delight the masses enough to forget that he was guilty of, drumroll, please, offensive humor! I can not repeat this often enough, this firing is a threat to us, all. Hasn't there been enough history of the muzzling of unpopular ideas to satisfy that segment of society that has been, most often, muzzled? We can't ban language we dislike. It is, in a word, unamerican. This has been a costly victory for the left. In a system where money rules, progresssive ideas are, always, outre. If there is one faction that needs protected free speech, it is the left.
So, cheer the fall of a pest but be wary of the precident.
The best thing the African-American community can do is to make itself as impervious to snide attack as did other, once maligned, groups. In our society, this is accomplished through wealth and political power. We can becry the shameful origings of Black America.
We can recall and retell the indignaties, the breaking of families, the cruel Jim Crow laws. We can weep for the present state of the black community but our tears will not bring them equality, prosperity or self-respect. Only they can achieve those ends and the best we can do is get the hell out of their way while they do.
Well, there are a few things we can do. First, while African-Americans were, indeed, brought to America against their wills, other
minorities were not. The US, probably, does owe special treatment for the children of slaves (Empowerment Zones, scholarships, contract preferences,etc)but we do not owe special "Minority" status to other groups. Second, we must, at some point, realize that, neither, welfare or heartfelt hand wringing has done the black community one whit of good. What should be offered is acceptence and financial encouragement of black owned business. (This IS still a capitalist society and business is the path to success).
Every year, countless thousands come to America, seeking wealth and freedom. They achieve these by opening and operating small businesses
often employing their fellow countrymen. They buy homes and they build churches and they flourish. This should be the path of African-America but, for the most part, they have been unable to find that path. And, to tell the bitter truth, we are not helping. Since the great civil rights victories of the 50's and 60's, the plight of the urban black family has worsened in spite of Affirmative Action, bussing and a welfare program that has managed to break the spirit of a generation.
Do you want to do something positive for race relations? Get off this
peripheral Imus flap and start patronizing black business. Spend some time in the black community so it becomes your community, too.
Encourage interracial dating. Hell, marry a black person. It's tougher to discriminate against meshpuchah (family). Talk is cheap.

                           Mike