Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes said that the Rutgers women's basketball team acted like victims

[LynneSin]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200704110002

Barnes: Rutgers basketball team "acted like victims"
Appearing on the "All-Star Panel" on the April 10 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, Weekly Standard executive editor Fred Barnes said that the Rutgers University women's basketball team "acted like victims" during their April 10 press conference responding to radio host Don Imus' statement that members of the team were "nappy-headed hos." After telling Barnes, "That sounds correct," Roll Call executive editor Morton M. Kondracke added, "hey do live in a culture where a 'ho' is a commonly tossed-around term ... by the rap music industry, by black men, largely."

After saying that "this is really a wonderful basketball team" and that Imus' comment, "as bad as it was, it can't ... take away their achievement," Barnes added, "I think they make one huge mistake, and that is going to meet with Don Imus. They don't need to meet with him. They ought to flick him off like a mosquito and move on and be proud, instead of acting as they did today. They acted like victims. They're winners. They should act like winners."

[xchrom]

1. imus STOLE something from those women.

something he can never ever give back.

the success they've had for the effort they've put out for this year -- and the whole time each and everyone of these young women have played for this team.

now instead of talking about their excellence -- we're talking about imus -- and fred -- you just joined imus. you're a racist AND a thief.

[MUAD_DIB]

2. What was that line by Malcome X about What do you call a black man with

a college degree?


Racism is still the issue and not that the team are winners.

Lilly white Fred doesn't get it either.

[ellacott]

4. It's not surprising that he doesn't get

Many people on this board don't get it either.

[goclark]

6. Exactly ~ brother Malcom was right!

IMO, the Team members acted with dignity and grace.

There is one piece missing from the puzzle.

I would also be speaking to the legal defense team of the NAACP as well as my lawyer.

It is time for people like IMUS to realize that the words that he spoke with his partners have not been a single act, it has been ongoing.

The fact that these young ladies will face the rest of their lives as the ones that were called "nappy headed hos" is a serious discussion that I would have with my lawyer.

Unless I am wrong, it sounds like it is a Civil Suit to me and I would bring it on!

[LynneSin]

8. This is more than Racism - it was sexist too

I know that NOW has been involved with this!

[MnFats]

11. it might make a decent slander case...

...'reckless disregard for the truth..." and all.
...Imus' lawyers would argue that since they're 'public figures' after making the championship game, standard libel and slander laws do not apply.
....It would be an interesting court fight, no doubt.
////whatever the outcome before a jury, I think Imus' ass would be shredded before it was over. And deservedly so.

[goclark]

18. Sounds good to me, they need to explain it to a jury

They are proud of the fact that they have gotten away with it over and over again.

The reason IMUS is upset is that he got caught this time!
America is listening and watching every move that he makes from now on.

I am so proud that Proctor and Gambles cut their commercial.
I believe that Staples did too.

[Touchdown]

3. Wow. Another club of white guys lecturing...

black women on how they should behave. I never heard of that one before.:eyes:

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Let's Remember There Were White Women Insulted Too

Not every woman on the team was black. I know the comment was racial TNT. But, the white women on the team showed up yesterday too. He called them all "hos". So, Freddie is telling women in general what they should and shouldn't do. Not just black women.
The Professor

[TwilightGardener]

5. Never thought I'd agree with an arsehole like Barnes, but I do--he's

right--they should flick him off like the pathetic little pest he is, rather than give him more chances to redeem himself. His comments speak only of his character--they don't reflect on these women.

[gratuitous]

15. I'd almost agree except for a couple of points

First, this isn't the first time Mr. Imus has engaged in questionable behavior. Second, this isn't a fair fight from the get-go: Mr. Imus is a multi-millionaire with a daily national platform on the public airwaves. The women of the Rutgers basketball team are teenagers or in their early 20s, with nowhere near the resources of Mr. Imus. The only "weapon" they have in this very asymmetrical war is their human dignity, and Mr. Imus apparently doesn't even recognize that; nor do any of his defenders.

With the great privilege of using the public airwaves comes a great burden to be responsible when using them. Mr. Imus has abused that privilege time and again. He doesn't have a "right" to my airwaves or yours. It's time for him to go. If a private satellite radio company wants to pick up his show, that's on them. But I for one am fed up with giving him a platform on the radio frequencies that belong to all of us.

[TwilightGardener]

16. I absolutely do believe he should be fired--if I didn't mention that before.

He has not been using the public airwaves responsibly, that's for sure. Just think the Rutgers gals should ignore him and let him sink into obsolescence on his own. He is beneath their dignity.

[ObamaNationYes]

20. I agree with Barnes too...

and I like the term "flick them off like a mosquito"

[ncteechur]

9. Last time I checked, Fred Barnes was neither black nor a woman which entitles him to

shut the fuck up about the whole thing. Most of who I have seen debating this issue are white men who have no experience in the area of being black or female. They have absolutely no credibility on this issue and should keep their fucking mouths shut.

[TahitiNut]

12. Yep. Everyone knows it's gender and race that defines the value of an opinion.

:eyes:

[Captain Hilts]

17. He has no 'standing' in this debate, as they say in the legal profession. nt

[FredScuttle]

10. DJ Mort K. on how it is in the Black community

"They do live in a culture where a 'ho' is a commonly tossed-around term....by the rap music industry, by black men largely"

I'm surprised Mort didn't also toss in that they dance real well 'cause of their sense of rhythm and that those black men have extraordinary large penises.

Yup, that's Mort "50 Cent" Kondracke....reporting from Across 110th Street. Dig it.

[NNN0LHI]

13. The right really wants this story to be dropped bad don't they? n/t

[femmedem]

14. They should never have been in the position of having to choose

whether to appear with Imus or not, whether to confront Imus or flick him off like a mosquito. The fact that they're now having to endure criticism like this from Fred Barnes underscores how damaging the remarks Imus made were.

IMO, they didn't act like victims. They acted like brave young women who chose to speak out against a culture where racism and sexism are good for a few laughs --and dollars.

Edit to add: Wait a minute. On further reflection, Fred Barnes is criticizing the victims for acting like victims? :wtf: That's just a sneaky way of saying racial and sexual slurs aren't really that bad.

[Metta]

19. They should meet with Imus. If you deal, you heal.

I'm not surprised that these conservatives want to run away. Arrogance is frequently a cover for fear based insecurities. Not dealing keeps one stuck, unable to move on in many ways.