The comments that Don Imus made about the Rutgers basketball team are unacceptable. But in my opinion, I believe that the world is over reacting just a little bit.

Imus is known for making outrageous comments about all races. And in times past, he has never received all this publicity. Calling other women hoes and B@$$@ is accepted in the black/urban culture. And because it is accepted in black/urban culture, we co-sign for others (people from other races) to address us by those vulgar names. I believe prominence plays a big factor. If the rapper Eminem would have said the same thing in one of his song lyrics, the black community would not have a problem, and maybe they would have found the comment hilarious. But because the person was a middle class white man, we (black people) now have a problem with what was said.

On the IUP campus, some African-American students made a presentation on abolishing the N word. A comment that was said during the presentation that I love so much is we are destroying ourselves. Often times we experience racism and narrow-mindedness within our own race. WE SAY FOUL THINGS TO EACH OTHER!!!! And if we want to effect change in the way that people view us, we must start correcting inside our race.

When I think of this issue, this scripture comes to mind. It is in the book of Matthew chapter 7. (Hah I did get all spiritual) It says:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay
no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

We are able to notice all the bad things that others do, and the things that others do seem so monumental to us; but the things that others do is really sawdust (or some thing small) compared to the major issues that we have ourselves (our plank).

So here it is in a nutshell, don’t throw all the blame on Mr. Imus. Please think critically and honestly about the contribution that the black community is making to the way that others view us. And as I black person, I am going to try harder to make sure that the things that I say and the things that I do represents my race in a manner that brings respect. Please join me.