Rutgers Players Accept Imus Apology

“We, the Rutgers University Scarlet Knight basketball team accept — accept — Mr. Imus’s apology, and we are in the process of forgiving,” said the team’s head coach, C. Vivian Stringer ...

Let's add Imus to the list of forgiven racists. He, along with Mel Gibson, Michael Richards and others, are part of a growing trend of white males who stumble over racial epithets. At least Imus asked forgiveness from the players themselves, rather than asking forgiveness from Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton (well, he did that too).

But his actions are inexcusable. Not because he made a tasteless "joke", but because the media platform he enjoys should not be a source of bigotry.

Although the media made a big deal about the three words Imus uttered (I doubt the Rutger's players, being educated women, would have even known what he said without the work of watchdog organizations such as Media Matters), the real issue is the culture of ignorance that these radio shows create.

It's not a secret that Imus had a controversial past. He didn't deserve the microphones and cameras that CBS and MSNBC placed in front of him.