OK - so am I safe in assuming that we're taking "nappy" as a judgment of more than just attractiveness here?

If not, is attractiveness really a 'value judgment' in the traditional sense of the term?

This makes perfect sense, and I really didn't even consider that aspect before I asked the question, to be honest. Well put.

Doesn't this create a difficult situation wherein any sexualized image of black women can be construed as supporting one of these disparate portrayals (based, obviously, on whether one sees the portrayal as more or less sexual than the individual would expect)?

Actually, Sharpton does have a national radio show - it's a daily show, in syndication.

Just an FYI, I don't think it changes anything in your post.

No, I know, but I meant that his radio show isn't on both there (the radio waves) and CNN, MSNBC, etc. Radio truly allows for free speech because it can be solely based upon one's opinion, whether you agree or not. Sorry for not being clear enough.

Wasn't turning it into that at all. Tennessee won the game after all- they, as well as Rutgers in my opinion (just for getting there), deserved to have good things said about them, be they white or black.

Now as the post immediately prior to your post demonstrates, colorism was at play.

None of the women deserved to be called hoes; nappy, hard-core or otherwise (unless of course they knew something about these ladies' prostitution habits that I don't). That is actually my bigger issue with all of this. I honestly, don't believe Imus even truly knew what "nappy-headed" meant- I think he heard it somewhere (maybe on BET which I've boycotted for years) and like a 3 yr old kid repeated it. Because why would anyone with the hair Imus has knowingly and purposefully talk about another's?

Now, I wonder why rappers have problems?

Is it because they are racist with their songs, is it becaus they s**k, or because they seem to get into more troubles having guns and beating up people or shooting them?

Why, because they are role models, or have money now and cannot handle it?

Bling, Bling, Big fancy cars and homes? Are they still thugs?:(

No.

None of these images are expected to be completely removed. We are asking for balance.

I understand them better than I understand you.

Where have some of you been for the past, almost 20 years? There's been a movement against "gangsta rap" and mysogyny in hip hop for years.

Many of the people who are voicing their opposition to Imus' comments have also been outspoken about other forms of racism and sexism in the media. That includes Al Sharpton.

---->we are here<------ It's wrong no matter who says it.

I hope you get a nose bleed soon..........that won't stop.

Al Sharpton speaks out a lot of things. However, when a racist speaks out against racism, people might not listen. Thats a different topic though.

My point was that these black "leaders" if you want to call them that, don't have the fervor regarding rap and actions in the black community that they have when it comes to incidents like this. To say they do is simply untrue.

Where are they now regarding the Duke case? If they've said anything, I sure haven't heard it.

That's what civil rights activists do.

Again, I don't know where you've been the past decade or more. He and other outspoken people for social equality have a lot of fervor regarding rap music. Just because you haven't read or heard about it personally means nothing.

ETA: Al Sharpton works with the Hip Hop Summit regarding negative images in hip hop and the recent violence involving G-Unit member Tony Yayo. He was also criticized for writing to the FCC about violence in rap in 2005.

And just because you say him and others have gone after rap music with the same fervor personally means nothing.

I've seen Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson both dodge or hesitate to condemn this sort of thing in rap music. I don't know where you've been for the past 3 days.

Well Al Sharpton's stance on hip hop is out there. I guess that's a figment of our imaginations and means nothing, too.

I commend Sharpton and Jackson for not allowing people to interrogate them and turn this issue around. Imus' apology means that he knew he was wrong or at least cared enough to pretend that he was wrong. If it was all about "rappers can say it, what's the big deal" then he shouldn't have apologized and instead told the complainers to choke on it.

In the end, MSNBC and the corporate sponsors have spoken. I really liked Imus at first and was blowing this whole thing off. But now I'm seeing the issue for what it really is and calling a spade a spade.

Imus should stop kissing Al Sharpton's ring
 

Imus should apologize to the Rutgers women — and those women alone — send them flowers, and stop kissing Al Sharpton's ring.

This wasn't an insult to all mankind, and certainly not an insult to Al Sharpton. Now, if Imus had called the basketball players "fat, race-baiting black men with clownish hairstyles," well, then perhaps Sharpton would be owed an apology.

more of this week's column in the LAU forum.

Lambda Alpha Upsilon