I have a problem with giving people second chances. Why? Because depending on the action that caused the problem the person doesn't deserve a second chance.
Don Imus has made my case for not giving second chances to people yet again. Here's what he said while going back and forth with Warner Wolf of WABC:
WARNER WOLF: Defensive back Adams "Pacman" Jones, recently signed by the Cowboys, here's a guy suspended all of 2007, following a shooting in a Vegas nightclub.
DON IMUS: Well, stuff happens. You're in a nightclub, for God's sake. What do you think is gonna happen in a nightclub? People are drinking, and doing drugs. There are women there and people have guns. So there, go ahead.
WARNER WOLF: Also, he's been arrested six times since being drafted by Tennessee in 2005.
DON IMUS: What color is he?
WARNER WOLF: He's African American.
DON IMUS: Well there you go, now we know.
Now that's really not that bad if its his first negative remark of sorts, but this guy has a history of being racist, bigoted, ignorant, and any other term you can think of to describe somebody that just plain doesn't get people's differences. And for that he should never have another national radio job, because as I said this isn't even that bad. He is already doing a great job spinning his remarks as speaking to the prejudiced nature of the police that go looking for young black males. Right....that's some ol' BS.
Anyways, the problem speaks to the big issues with the United States and people in general. Don Imus is marketable and profitable to a group of people who find his antics entertaining for various many reasons. And because of this all of the hate, ignorance, and misinformation disseminated goes overlooked and he remains employed...because of profitability.
But even worse than that, is the fact that those who keep him employed know what he is and don't care enough about him as a person to actually make him make a change, but enable his hate speech.
Here's the funny part though, before you rush to judgment, think about the people in your life who you make excuses for and keep them around in some way enabling their behavior. It could be a boyfriend or girlfriend, co-worker, parent, child, friend--anybody whose likability overshadows rationality in dealing with them. I see it all the time and am guilty of it myself.
A little while back I had a conversation with a friend explaining why I tend to stay away from people. A mutual friend became the subject in question and she asked me why they act the way they do. My answer and explanation as to why I have begun to distance myself from that person is simple.... "because that's what they are. You can't change them. But my not holding them to a higher standard and allowing them to act as they wish we enable that sort of behavior." She agreed and I gave a few examples of that persons behavior and then cemented this point which goes well with the most recent Don Imus comments:
Change happens when the person wants to change and not when someone is motivated for reasons other than being a better person. That pressure can be either external but it has to be quality pressure or that person has to want to respond.
In the case of Don Imus the pressure is for keeping him on the air and making money. In the case of the friend I'm speaking of there are forces pushing both ways from the inside and out to do right and wrong. What will happen? I don't know. But instead of distancing myself I will, also encouraging others of similar conviction, help guide that person travel down the right path. At this point they are deserving of a second chance, because they are still in the learning phase of life. While it is true that you learn up till the day you die, one has to be cognizant of what is going on around them and also wanting to be shaped by what they learned. This person has demonstrated they are still learning which is more than I can say for some.
A little over a year after the "nappy-headed hos" blast, Imus is back at it again. Clearly he is not trying to learn from life.
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