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Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: coug who wrote (104441)	4/12/2007 12:58:59 AM
From: SiouxPal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 361232

Well I think that you don't know the women here well enough.

To: coug who wrote (104441)	4/12/2007 1:30:21 AM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 361232

Imus left in 'a no-win position' _____________________________________________________________ By Peter Johnson USA TODAY 04/11/07 Experts say that MSNBC's firing of radio talk-show host Don Imus on Wednesday came as no surprise, given the nationwide furor over his calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos." "When you combine race, gender and advertisers, you are in a no-win position," said Tom McPhail, a communications professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. "Today, with bloggers, all-news networks and preachers looking for a sermon, Imus was a shock jock in a new era of instant judgment. He failed the test." MSNBC's move puts added pressure on CBS Radio — which announced Wednesday that it is sticking with its two-week, no-pay suspension of Imus and his radio program — to punish him more, says Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio. And, he says, it comes as the nation's founding radio shock jock just lost a longtime ally in CBS Radio chief Joel Hollander, who left the network recently. Hollander's replacement, Dan Mason, takes over next week. "Joel was Imus' longtime protector," Taylor said. "We'll have to see how CBS and Mason now feel about him." CBS executives would not comment but issued a statement saying that they will "continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely." "His roots are in radio. He has been doing it since the early '70s," Taylor said. "I think his support there is more solid." For MSNBC, dropping its simulcast of Imus in the Morning comes as the program has been on a ratings roll: 358,000 viewers, a 35% increase in the past year. Just last week, after watching Imus' audience recently pull to within about 20,000 viewers, executives at archrival CNN switched anchors on the show that faces him, American Morning. Imus was gaining on Morning at a relatively inexpensive cost to MSNBC: a $4 million fee to CBS Radio, which syndicates Imus to more than 70 stations, and the nominal cost of running several cameras at the program's studios at WFAN in New York. It was a bargain for the perennial also-ran in cable news, which like all NBC News properties is dealing with mandated 10% across-the-board budget cuts. In dropping Imus, NBC News also loses a valuable vehicle on which it regularly promoted its news stars such as Tim Russert, Brian Williams and Andrea Mitchell. They appeared regularly with Washington Post and Newsweek writers to give Imus, 66, "a steady flow of political insiders" on his show, said network news analyst Andrew Tyndall. MSNBC will now expand its live newscasts to fill Imus' 6 to 10 a.m. time slot. One of the show's top 10 advertisers — Procter & Gamble — pulled its ads Tuesday, and four more — GlaxoSmithKline, Sprint Nextel, GM and American Express — followed suit Wednesday, increasing pressure on MSNBC to drop the show. A sixth top advertiser, TD Ameritrade, was on the fence. Yet despite the advertiser pullout, Taylor said that as of Wednesday, none of the advertisers has forever ruled out advertising with Imus again, a good sign for the beleaguered host who is planning to meet with the Rutgers women soon at an undisclosed location. General Motors, for example, said in a statement that while it appreciated Imus' pledge to clean up his act, it would "suspend our advertising while we continue to monitor the situation." And the company said it would continue to be a "strong supporter" of Imus' ranch for sick children in New Mexico, his "extensive and ongoing charitable efforts to assist children dealing with the challenges of cancer and autism." Earlier Wednesday, two Democratic presidential candidates weighed in. Sen. Barack Obama called for Imus to be fired and said he would never again appear on his show. "There's nobody on my staff who would still be working for me if they made a comment like that about anybody of any ethnic group." On her website, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called Imus' comments "nothing more than small-minded bigotry and coarse sexism. They showed a disregard for basic decency and were disrespectful and degrading to African Americans and women everywhere." And Imus' problems spilled over to his wife: Deirdre Imus was forced to postpone the promotional tour for her new book, Green This!Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning, which was scheduled to begin next week. "It was postponed because of the enormous pressure she and her family are under, and their first priority right now is family," said Simon & Schuster's Kristan Fletcher. Dierdre Imus was set to appear next week on The View and Martha Stewart's syndicated talk show. Those appearances have not been rescheduled. The book, a guide to cleaning your home in an environmentally friendly way, was published Tuesday.

To: coug who wrote (104441)	4/12/2007 11:15:34 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 361232

Imus dismissal may have profound effect on media _____________________________________________________________ By Brad Kava The San Jose Mercury News 04/12/2007 The firing of shock jock Don Imus from his CBS radio show Thursday, and the fact that he was brought down by a media watchdog Web site may have a profound effect on cleaning up radio and television in the future, say media workers and watchers. Since he called the Rutgers University women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos," just over a week ago, Imus has been caught in a firestorm of public reaction, that included criticism from Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson - not to mention Howard Stern who left the public airwaves for the refuge of satellite radio, where he can say anything he wants. "I think this is the beginning of the end of the shock-jock style," said Trish Robbins, assistant program director at San Francisco's KGO-AM (810), the Bay Area's top-rated talk station. "Maybe radio needs to find a new paradigm. The shock-jock does grab everyone's attention and being nice doesn't grab anyone's attention," she said. "It has to be something in the middle." On Thursday, Imus raised more than $1 million on the radio for children's charities while at the same time hinting that his career may be over. "I don't know if this will be my last radiothon, my suspicion is it will be," he said before the announcement of his firing was made. Imus was first suspended from his radio show and his simulcast television show on MSNBC and then fired, Wednesday from TV and a day later from radio. "In our meetings with concerned groups, there has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society," said CBS president Leslie Moonves in a news release. Sponsors had left the television show in droves, after the Web site Media Matters for America (www.mediamatters.org) publicized Imus's comment, sending it to reporters across the country, and Sharpton and Jackson led protests against the DJ. "It's momentous that a network has decided to exercise a principle of responsibility over a professional loudmouth," said Todd Gitlin, professor of Journalism and Sociology at Manhattan's Columbia University. "This may turn the tide of verbal laissez-faire that has prevailed for 20 years." Moonves, whose network broadcast Imus on 61 stations, said he hoped CBS would learn from the experience. Radio has gone unbridled since the relaxing of the fairness doctrine in 1987, which required stations to present fair and balanced political viewpoints. Since then, said Gitlin, radio networks have been governed by "the capacity to collect eardrums without any regard for veracity let alone civility." But the bows of TV and radio stations have been hit hard by cannon fire the past few years. The appearance of singer Janet Jackson's nipple during the 2003 Super Bowl halftime show resulted in millions of dollars of fines to CBS, and in Congress making later fines ten times more expensive. The death earlier this year of a 28-year-old mother during a Sacramento radio station water drinking contest has made program directors more careful in what they do for publicity. And Imus's three word epithet has been a wake-up call to programmers. "Being mean to be mean is passe`," said Robbins, who has been at KGO for two decades. "We need to find cutting-edge thinkers who know where the precipice is, and whose routine doesn't involve just flat out insults." Media Matters, the three-year-old progressive watchdog group, viewed the response as a chance to make even more progress. It sent out a memo Thursday listing other offensive statements by popular conservative TV and radio hosts, including Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Michael Savage. "A significant group of Americans has spoken out in a fairly significant way," said the group's spokesman Eric Burns. "I think their message is one that most decent folks agree with - bigotry, sexism and anti-Semitism has no place on the public airwaves." One of Burns's main complaints is with the "mainstreaming of very extremist right-wing personalities" on cable news and radio. When people are expecting serious journalism, they are getting theatrics, name-calling, misinformation and bigotry. "Media personalities and high-profile journalists have a special role and a special responsibility," said Burns. On his Thursday radio show, Limbaugh, who has some 20 million listeners, warned that he was now on the hit list of media watchers, and what he calls "the drive-by media." He cited a report on CNN that he said Wednesday brought up his making fun of Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's disease last November. "I'm never not in the crosshairs of these people," Limbaugh told his audience Thursday. "I'm not going to grovel or any of that sort of thing. When you've got the truth on your side and you've got 20 million friends that love you and understand the truth, it's power, folks. I appreciate the concern, but relax. Sit tight. It's going to be fun."

To: coug who wrote (104441)	4/14/2007 10:52:32 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 361232

Is anyone willing to take a stand? ______________________________________________________________ By Shaun Powell SPORTS COLUMNIST Newsday April 14, 2007 All around baseball nation, Sunday will be a gorgeous day at the ballpark, come wind or clouds or (these days) snow. That's because the forecast says it will be raining 42s. Players and entire teams will honor the impeccable memory of Jackie Robinson by wearing his uniform number on this, the 60th anniversary of the day Jackie changed society for the better. Mets manager Willie Randolph is all set to represent his team by wearing 42 at Shea Stadium, though a massive storm could wash out that idea. No problem; the celebration will go on regardless of whether the Mets and Nationals take the field. Baseball should extend the Robinson gala to the fans and give free admission to all 42-year-olds. Hey, this is a fantastic moment for everyone, but especially the ballplayers who made this happen. Ken Griffey Jr. started the trend by getting permission from commissioner Bud Selig to wear Robinson's number, which is retired throughout baseball (aside from Mariano Rivera), and the superb idea caught fire. Kudos to Griffey for his leadership and sense of history. At last, modern-day ballplayers have outwardly expressed gratitude for something other than their Benzes and batting averages. Hopefully, whoever is playing in the NBA Sunday also will wear 42 and players in the Stanley Cup playoffs will wear 42. The movement started by Griffey and the solidarity showed by many fellow baseball players of all races should make us look at professional athletes in a totally different light today. Or will it? As much as I want to give them all props, I still wonder: Will the clothes fit the men? Meaning: Is anyone out there capable of being a modern-day Jackie Robinson? Let's clarify: There will never be another Jackie Robinson. That's impossible. Society isn't the same. Robinson endured hatred and outward racism and lack of acceptance and showed amazing restraint. He couldn't stay in the same hotel with his teammates and anyway, some didn't want him around, at least in his rookie year. Fans and opposing players and managers cursed him. That's not the case today. While we still have a way to go, America is a more forgiving, accepting, tolerant and loving place than what Jackie once knew, thank goodness. And in light of Imus, it's important to point that out. So let's clarify again: There never will be, and can't be, another Jackie. Still, Jackie's sense of humanity and political activism and social pulse aren't exactly being carried on by this generation of athletic heroes. A modern-day Jackie Robinson would reflect that courage, use the media platform and scream out against violence in our inner cities, about the rampant (and socially acceptable) out-of-wedlock births among teenagers, about the lack of blacks and women in positions of authority, about the gangsta-rap garbage that warps our young culture. Even take a side on the Iraq War. But today's typical athlete, especially the superstar, shows very little inclination to put himself on the line. He can't even muster the energy to Save A Whale or Hug A Tree. "That boils down to the individual," Randolph said. "Some people just aren't comfortable with that platform. It's just not in them to put themselves in that position. You can't force that. It takes a special person." True enough. If athletes feel awkward standing on a soapbox, then we can understand. Ballplayers have only one obligation: to play ball. Pitch and hit and tackle and dribble. They owe us nothing more, and not everyone is a crusader. But can we at least have two? One? Is that too much to ask? And forget the idea of filling Jackie's shoes for a moment; can we at least get another Arthur Ashe? Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds, Kobe Bryant; the list goes on and on. They've all taken a pass. The most logical reason is that most athletes hide behind the logo of whatever company they endorse. They can't be too controversial, because it would frighten Madison Avenue. Also, athletes who are not superstars probably don't want to jeopardize their short careers. Finally, most athletes didn't grow up during the 1960s and have little concept of that era and activism. They have their charities and that's it. Too bad. Their voice, if used properly and positively, would resonate significantly in certain circles, especially among kids, and yet there seems to be a severe case of laryngitis going around in sports. Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.

To: coug who wrote (104441)	4/15/2007 12:43:27 AM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 361232

Obama brings message of change to Atlanta _____________________________________________________________ By Dahleen Glanton Tribune national correspondent April 15, 2007 ATLANTA -- In his first public rally in this city, Sen. Barack Obama stood before a crowd of 20,000 flag-waving supporters on Saturday and gave them what they came to hear—a speech about ending the war in Iraq, providing affordable health care and improving education. It was a message of change the Illinois Democrat repeatedly delivers across the country. But here where many voters are still trying to get to know him, Obama freshened it with parallels to the civil rights movement. He quoted Rev. Martin Luther King. The former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Rev. Joseph Lowery, offered a prayer. And the daughter of former Mayor Maynard Jackson, Alexandria Jackson, sang the national anthem. Obama's speech was on target for the mostly young adult audience, particularly on the issue of the Iraq war. He asserted that the Bush administration had failed the American people and attributed the president's refusal to change course on the war to "stubbornness and obstinacy." "The war is about an administration trying to preserve its political viability," Obama said. "It is time to change course. It is time to bring our combat troops home," he said. "It is time for us to turn the page." In the South, Obama has trailed Sen. Hillary Clinton and John Edwards in name recognition. A opinion poll of Democratic voters last month by InsiderAdvantage showed Obama third with 18 percent, following Clinton with 32 percent and Edwards with 28 percent. Still, when Obama comes to town, people turn out. Last month, at a private fundraiser in Atlanta, hundreds of people paid $500 to $2,300 to meet him. The thousands who turned out for Saturday's outdoor rally at the Georgia Institute of Technology came despite the threat of severe thunderstorms. Patrick McCullough, 22, said he was eager to hear Obama's views on issues that are on the minds of many of college students. "Students on my campus are not talking about him that much," said McCullough, a senior at the predominantly black Clark Atlanta University. "I know much more about Hillary and I like her. But, as a black man, I want to know about him too." For those already supporting Obama, the rally was a chance to get a good look at the candidate and, if they could get close enough, take a photo of him or shake his hand. Denise Jones, 56, said she decided to support Obama the first time she heard him speak on the Oprah Winfrey show last year. "He has a new vision for this country and I like that," said Jones, a writer from suburban Jonesboro, Ga. "We've been 'Bushwhacked' for so long and it's time for a change. I haven't felt like this since the '60s." David Jones, 25, a law student at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., said Obama is the only candidate that has impressed him. "He's the first politician to give me that good old feeling inside," said Jones. "It makes me excited to be an American." Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune chicagotribune.com