Official Heroes and Villains

I am confused, when did it become okay to say anything on the air? I know when it happened; it happened slowly as we drove to work, raised our children and went about our lives. It did however, not start with rap as most of America wants us to believe. It happened on the ride over (in the ships). There has never been a time that Black people were not degraded. Unfortunately we started to believe the hype and joined the chorus that called us names. The rap lyrics just intensified everything that was already going on. Sure civil rights were launched and our people were given the freedoms and rights we were denied at birth. This Don Imus thing is just the latest strike against any relations between the races. I am thinking of all the reasons why we have this problem, lack of respect for one another; lack of respect for self; ignorance and hate. No one wants to work to change on either side of the debate. We all just form committees, talk about what went wrong, play the blame game and throw insults. I must admit I have listened to vulgar rap lyrics, hateful song lyrics, nasty offensive racial jokes and myths I held to be true about one or more races. But what can I do about that? What will I do about that? I know money talks and to boycott is to punish in some ways, but how do we get this to stop happening? Will I stop listening to Imus? I never listened anyway. Will I stop purchasing from the die-hard sponsors? Maybe, but I am not sure what that will change anytime. What can really be done? You can fire Mr. Imus and another one (radical/racist) will grow in his place. I am not saying he should just be given a pass to act an ass, but we (America, black or otherwise) can not heap all the problems on one incident. Each person is different; going through different issues, living different lives. I am many things that can not be summed up in a cute or hurtful phrase. The things I am do not make me more or less African American or a woman. While I was floored just hearing that ignorance come from this one man’s mouth, I am de-sensitized by how society has changed in my lifetime. We no longer value life; we no longer hold each other in high esteem. We have no problem stepping over or even on one another to gain a stronger footing in our quest of the almighty dollar. Will I use the n-word or call a complete stranger a “cr!@#$%”? I do not know, but I do know it is my burden and responsibility to pass my knowledge on to the younger generation. Will you? 

       Many of us cried a tear the morning we heard on Fox news that your cancer had returned.
        We all celebrated the day you became the President’s spokesperson. I was betting on you from the beginning. Scott McLean is a fine man, but he was about as exciting as watching wet paint dry. I knew him personally for ten years as I ran the retirement center his grandparents Dean Keeton and wife lived. I had many challenging conversations with his mother, Carolyn Rylander Keeton on exactly what I needed to do in order to make her mom and dad happy. That was a simple one; absolutely nothing.
        Tony, press conferences had never been this exciting until you took over. I absolutely loved it when you had to use your “mean voice”. I would really love to know, did you ever just want to put a sack over Helen’s head?
        Take care of you first, so that you can take care of your wife and your precious children. The President couldn’t have been more passionate abut how he felt about you.
        So, along with President George Bush and Laura, you are in our prayers and we wish you Godspeed in your recovery.
        Yes, Tony Snow, YOU are our HERO of the Day!!