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Verbal Villain or Victim of Censorship?

If the outrage over radio-show host Don Imus' racist and sexist slur is to hold any meaning, it will be in its power to help us reflect upon the freedoms, values and conflicts that compose our collective psyche [April 23]. Sadly, our society too often rewards those who traffic in disrespect. Let Imus encourage us to question all who profit from debasement and remind us of the dignified existence our freedoms were meant to provide.

David Terhune, NEW YORK CITY

I could never understand why anyone would want to listen to Imus even before his "nappy-headed hos" debacle, but I can't help wondering whether his castigation illustrates a double standard. If Chris Rock were to say the same thing, he'd probably get another HBO special. Isn't it time to say that race, gender, sexual orientation and nationality are off limits for cracking jokes?

Russ Bannon

PALMAS DEL MAR, PUERTO RICO

It is unfortunate that many people who heard Imus' coarse comment don't know about the many good works he has championed and the valuable political discourse he led. The Rev. Al Sharpton stated that the firing of the radio icon was not about taking Imus down but lifting decency up. But millions of radio listeners probably suspect that it was more about promoting activists and opportunists. For the friends and fans of Imus and for all who are growing tired of selective outrage and sporadic forgiveness, we have the option of boycotting products and networks to convey our dismay.

Buck Rutledge

KNOXVILLE, TENN.

As a black woman, I am bothered that Imus went too far, that he's been allowed to spew his garbage virtually unchecked for decades, that the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Sharpton are hypocrites and that too much hip-hop degrades women. But I am even more disgusted that Imus' defenders try to trivialize his remarks by citing his charity work. Philanthropy is not a license to discriminate or to disrespect me, my race or my gender.

Renee Newbold, NEWPORT NEWS, VA.

I suspect that if Imus had been talking about a men's basketball team, he would not have been so colorful in his comments. Some men seem to have a problem with successful women, even though men still hold most positions of power. I have never understood what thrill there is in degrading another human being or why I should tolerate it. I learned just the opposite in Sunday school.

Ellen Linderman, CARRINGTON, N.D.

Where are the feminists? Why haven't the leaders of the National Organization for Women been front and center protesting the sexism of the Imus remarks? And where have they been all these years as the gangsta rappers have labeled women "hos," enabling that derogatory word to become commonplace? In the good ole days of feminism, Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan would have been as visible and vocal as Jackson and Sharpton have been.

Jean M. Alberti

LOMBARD, ILL.

I'm a 47-year-old black male, and I think Imus was genuinely contrite and apologized more profusely than Jackson and Sharpton have for their missteps. Taking Imus off the air was a huge mistake. This will prove to be a missed opportunity to generate dialogue about subjects that are being discussed only in private. Many problems are devastating the black community, but Imus is not one of them. The time for blaming the white community for minority problems has expired. We must hold ourselves accountable.

Curtis Sims, LAKE STEVENS, WASH.

A white man from an older generation chose the wrong slang to use, and it ended his career. I am not defending what Imus said; I only defend his right to say it. If you don't like what someone has to say, don't listen. Truly offensive speech does not dignify a response.

Daniel J. Graeber, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

Many Imus admirers are asking, whatever happened to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and freedom of expression in this country? Well, we all believe in free speech, but that doesn't give anyone license to insult someone else's ethnicity, religion or gender. I am not a fan of Imus', but I believe he is a decent, compassionate and complex man who was badly in need of a refresher course in tasteful humor.

Isa K. Mushahwar, ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.

Hasn't Imus always been a racist jerk? The line between satire and insult seems very clear. I think hip-hop music is offensive, so I don't listen to it. I found Imus offensive, so I didn't listen to him. Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Sacha Baron Cohen and Sarah Silverman are funny because they point out painful truths in our culture.

Meredith Hodgkinson, AUSTIN, TEXAS

Cox Signs Off

Ana Marie Cox must have been kidding in her piece "No More Imus for Me" [April 23]. Like everyone else who appeared on the Imus program, she knew what the show was about. Everyone was happy to use the program for self-promotion but now want to claim ignorance. Imus was on the air for nearly 30 years. His comments were indefensible, and he apologized. MSNBC and CBS should have shown some courage and said that censorship is unacceptable.

Joseph Buonpastore, WAYNE, N.J.

As a woman working in a male-dominated field, I too have sat at lunch with male colleagues and choked at their strip-club humor and sexist, racist remarks. I commend Cox for not tolerating it any longer. But she shouldn't be so hard on herself about putting up with it before: it's still a man's world. Thankfully, that's starting to change.

Linda Plackowski, MIDLAND, MICH.

The Impudent Candidate

In "President Fuhgeddaboutit" [April 23], Joe Klein concluded that since Americans are tired of distinguishing between Sunnis and Shi'ites and tired of our disastrous involvement overseas, we would opt for a "fuhgeddaboutit" foreign policy. Americans want an end to the Iraq war, while Rudolph Giuliani supports the troop surge. Americans are also concerned about our international standing in the world. I think we would embrace a person who would talk to Arabs and, yes, even distinguish between Sunnis and Shi'ites. After suffering through eight years of the most corrupt, arrogant Administration, the last thing Americans want is a rude, corrupt, belligerent bully like Giuliani in the White House. I, for one, will take pragmatism and diplomacy any day.

Carol Manning, BLUE LAKE, CALIF.

Klein cited two incidents in arguing that Giuliani would not make a good President: he kicked Yasser Arafat out of a U.N.-related concert, and he refused to accept money from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal because of the stipulations attached. Klein thinks that saying "I don't forget" to foreign leaders "is not a sufficiently flexible foreign policy doctrine." But remembering and learning from history are exactly what our future President needs to formulate an effective foreign policy.

Scott A. Meehan, ORLANDO, FLA.

As an Italian American I was offended by Klein's use of the term fuhgeddaboutit, which is clearly an ethnic slur against Giuliani's Italian-American heritage. If you believe I am reading too much into it, just think: When someone uses that expression, do you picture a Jewish, Irish, Hispanic or black person? I was amazed to see the righteous discussion of Imus on one page and a prejudicial article on another.

Cole Russo, NEW YORK CITY

The Misery of Zimbabwe

Thank you for reporting on conditions in Zimbabwe [April 23]. I know the country well, having lived there for three years (and in Africa for more than 15 years). I was thrown out in 1999, for what reason I do not know. I was teaching for nothing at the University of Zimbabwe, helping stone carvers sell their work in the U.S., working with HIV/AIDS educators and leading tour groups. I am sorry that the great people of Zimbabwe have had to endure their government's horrific behavior. After President Robert Mugabe goes and the turmoil settles, Zimbabweans will come back even better.

Richard L. Kimball, FRANKLIN, N.C.

One thought after reading Alex Perry's story about being jailed in Zimbabwe: by quoting his main interrogator and mentioning that several wardens asked for help in finding employment in London, has Perry not sentenced them to a similar or perhaps worse fate than being jailed?

Edward F. Kelly, SOMERSET, MASS.

Mugabe's decisions and actions have led to the demise of Zimbabwe. The world must be reminded of his political ineptitude and the blood on his hands. I am thinking particularly of his treatment of the Matabele supporters of his erstwhile opponent, the late Joshua Nkomo. It is estimated that Mugabe's troops killed as many as 20,000 people while he was in the process of securing his absolute power. I hope that the International Court of Justice will investigate. Mugabe has become incapable of rational conduct.

Mike Faure, JOHANNESBURG

Celebrating a Baseball Great

Re Gerald Early's piece about Jackie Robinson's legacy and the decreased percentage of blacks in baseball [April 23]: While Early made clear he was referring to African Americans, he made no mention of Hispanic blacks, who are well represented on every major league team. We must remember that players such as David Ortiz, Sammy Sosa, Bernie Williams, Rod Carew and Roberto Clemente, to name but a few, would never have played in pre--Jackie Robinson days. They are blacks first, Latins second. To arrive at a true percentage of blacks in big-league baseball, therefore, his concentration should have been on the pigmentation of the players' skin rather than on their country of origin.

Herbert Rogoff, SARASOTA, FLA.

A look at Division 1 universities will show a much larger reason fewer blacks are playing baseball. If you are a male athlete and want to maximize your chance for an athletic scholarship at a Division 1 school, your best shot is by playing football or basketball. To say "baseball has little hold on the black imagination" is wrong, in my view.

Timm Dawson, OCALA, FLA.

Smoke Screen

Your article about how Hollywood glamorizes smoking was illustrated with photos of Scarlett Johansson, Terrence Howard and Jack Nicholson lighting up in recent films [April 23]. You did not mention that all three were playing criminals. We don't see a lot of heroes smoking in films anymore. We do, however, still see lots of movie heroes solving their disputes with fists and guns, which is a bigger problem.

William Flanagan, NEW YORK CITY

I am so glad you brought this important issue before the public. I had noticed the increase in smoking onscreen recently and felt very puzzled about how this could be happening when so many efforts have been made to combat this deadly habit. I encourage other readers to take the time to e-mail their thanks to the American Medical Association, the Harvard School of Public Health and any other organization involved in getting cigarettes out of movies.

Elizabeth Brandes, MANITOU SPRINGS, COLO.

Smoking is the least of the problems. What about all the graphic sex, violence, consumption of booze and drugs and use of foul language? Kids see those behaviors and imitate them. I would rather see the smoking and get rid of the rest of the filth.

John Gleason, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

A Debate on Teens

John Cloud's reassuring article about the current state of American teens [April 9], in which he discussed my upcoming book, The Case Against Adolescence: Rediscovering the Adult in Every Teen, bordered on the irresponsible. Each year more than 2 million U.S. adolescents attempt suicide, legal and illegal use of prescription drugs has increased dramatically among teens, the teen pregnancy rate is five times that in France and Italy, only 25% of high school seniors are competent in math, 80% of teens gamble, and 5.5 million are in psychological counseling. In more than 100 cultures around the world, teen turmoil is entirely absent; the serious problems of American teens are the creation of a culture that infantilizes young people and isolates them from adults.

Robert Epstein, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of California

SAN DIEGO

John Cloud responds:

While the absolute numbers are still too high, Epstein ignores that the trends over time are all good: the teen suicide rate is lower today than in 1980. The use of prescription drugs is up, but teens' use of all illegal drugs has dropped. The teen pregnancy rate is the lowest since 1976. While some education data could be improved, SAT scores are up. Finally, I think it's naive to believe that there are cultures in which teens are entirely without turmoil. To some extent, being a teenager means being in turmoil.

Read more at time.com/robertepstein