Vieira Raps Rev. for Racial "Double Standard"

46. Why are gangsters and rappers allowed to carry guns and dope while the other people go to jail

Posted at 1:23PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Doogie

47. good for meredith!! i HATE al sharpton and his double standards!

Posted at 2:55PM on Apr 12th 2007 by brittany

48. I've had to avoid talk TV and talk radio since this happened.. .. except for Imus' radio show this morning.
Anyone who has listened to the man talk and observed his deeds over the past 15 years know that the humorous parts of his show are parody or comedy.
He hosts a salon every day that exposes his listeners to many points of view about current events, introduces new books (and sometimes goes on too long--to wit, Whitaker Chambers!) and hosts music performers you might not see anywhere else--eg, Charlie Robison or Jerry Jeff Walker.
The work he has done for our soldiers and the children and families affected by infirmities or disabilities cannot be matched. Imus is a fine man.
I don't enjoy some of the off-color humor, but many listeners do. It's their right to hear it. I can turn my radio off for a few minutes when the 'carninal' comes on.
I am a mother of 3 in my late 50's. 2 of my children have disabilities. My youngest girl is a basketball player. I would not like it if he called her winning group a name, but would accept his apology and move on. So would she.

Posted at 5:42PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Maryjo

49. Whoopi Goldberg condemmed Imus, and her production companies name is One Ho's Production. Someone fire her. It's a double-standard. The top 10 rap songs, encourage everything bad thing on the planet. Lets take them off the air. Go Merideth! Sharpton slurs his speech, uses bad grammar, and looks like an idiot for not stopping the promtotion of such speech in his own circles. Sharpton comes across looking like a joke.

Posted at 4:36PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Glenn

50. Again, double stanrdards have been around for awhile now, but I feel this incident has made everyone more aware of it, and voicing it. Not only about what rappers say and no one protests, but hey how about the ' Miss Black America,' contest, what do you think would happen if we would try having a Miss White America contest. Yep, Sharpton, and J.Jackson would be out there protesting and marching all over the place.

Posted at 1:25PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Double Standards

51. Why doesn't anyone ever mention Sharpton's role in the Tawana Brawley affair in Poughkeepsie NY. In 1987, Tawana Brawley was found in upstate New York covered with feces and racial slurs written in charcoal claiming to have been abducted and raped by six white law enforcement officers. Sharpton (along with Alton Maddox, and C. Vernon Mason falsely accused a local prosecutor in the attack.

The case was ultimately thrown out in 1988 when a grand jury determined that her story was not credible. The case was eventually dismissed and Sharpton and the others were found guilty of defaming Pagones. Sharpton is just as bad as many of the people he rails against.

Posted at 6:02PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Alyssa

52. Thank God someone Brought up the double standard!!!! I'm so sick of it only being one
way!!! Why don't more politicians stand up for the same standards!!!!!!!!

Posted at 3:24PM on Apr 12th 2007 by K MILL

53. You dont hear him apologizing to the Duke Lacrosse players!
What a racist!

Posted at 1:27PM on Apr 12th 2007 by carla

54. I think what Imus said was wrong and shouldn't have been said. But I have a huge problem with double standards if people don't want to see "lines" drawn between races then black leaders (I use that term very loosely) such as Sharpton and Jackson need to stop being hypocrites. They don't make situations betters ... they enflame and make the situation worse. Old Sharpton was one of the first ones to say the guys from Duke were "GUILTY" but haven't heard so much from him since charges were dropped because the players were INNOCENT not because of insufffcient evidence or anything like that because they were innocent. I don't see the wonderful young lady who accused them apologizing but yet no one is screaming, going on talk shows, protesting because of that. Thank god the parents of those boys has the money to fight this until the charges were dropped ... plus these guys will always have that episode in their life hanging over their heads. But I guess that doesn't compare to someone calling some girls on a basket ball team a negative name. So yes Imus should be fired, he should never get a job again, he should lose everything but yet that young lady who accused those young boys of that horrible act shouldn't have anything done to her. Yes I see how justice works between the races in the eyes of Sharpton and so many others like him.

Posted at 1:27PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Cindy K

55. Way to go Meredith !!! Someone has finally put Sharpton in his place.
You are an incredible asset to the Today Morning Show !!!!!!!!!

Posted at 1:32PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Annie

56. Al Sharpton's Skeleton Closet

http://www.realchange.org/sharpton.htm

See that site.

Posted at 1:28PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Jack Pearson

57. I am surprised at all the comments against Al Sharpton in lieu of the original situation that really matters. I remember vividly Al protesting the negativity in rap music some time ago. I think he has continuously taken a stand against what messages are being relayed in the music. It's amazing how we (society) try to justify one thing with another.

What I don't think people realize that this is a fight not just for Al Sharpton but for all the African American community. Unfortunately Al is the only one that can be heard at this time. News people are not reaching out to the black communities to get their opinions. If they did, I think they will realize the majority of black individuals feel the same about the need for Imus' firing.

And to say the least, whether we want to admit it or not, African Americans are still controlled as we were in the past. Yes some rappers, not all, make music that is disparaging. However I think we fail to realize who is truly behind the making of the music. This music generates millions of dollars for Sony, Columbia, Arista, J Records, Jive and so on. Caucasian executives who hold the leash to all the music that is getting made is NOT taking a stance against the negativity and as to what music is released. You have many artists that do not hold themselves in the derogatory category that never even get released because executives feel that this is not what is going to making them rich. Yes rappers do have to take a stand as well, however let’s turn the tables and see if you can decline a MILLION dollar contract, when you have feed your kids and take care of your whole family due to generations of society neglect. Let’s see how you turn that down.

Posted at 1:30PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Gloria

58. Rappers use the word ho all the time about women it's not right that they use those words but anybody can be ho's and bitches no matter what color . Imus specifically called these perticular women hos not to women in general

Posted at 1:31PM on Apr 12th 2007 by wahtever

59. Doogie--just asking that Question may mean that you hate all black people

Posted at 1:28PM on Apr 12th 2007 by dick wad

60. When is Al Sharpton going to apologize to the Duke players?

Posted at 3:06PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Yolanda