I am a Rutgers alumna, one of many who was angry at Don Imus when he made racist and sexist comments about our women's basketball team. These gifted young women did not deserve to be the butt of a cheap joke.
Yet these young ladies and their coach were able to practice forgiveness, accept Imus' apology and move on.
Yesterday what has been described as a kinder, gentler Imus took to the air waves with a new radio show. He promised not to say anything to make the Rutgers women's basketball team sorry they accepted his apology. I was saddened later in the day to hear one of Imus' friends do a television interview and make a crack that only Al Sharpton can be perfect. It made me question the sincerity of the "Imus camp".
Last evening, I watched the Rutgers women's basketball team play their hearts out after falling behind to capture a win against Maryland. In one of the last plays, team members sprinted down the court to defend against a score by Maryland. It was a riveting sight, watching these young women's athleticism and skill.
Were they thinking about Imus at that moment? No way. Their consciences are free. Forgiving people does that.
Some people think Imus won because he's back to work. I believe the winners were on that court last night.
{visual description: Two Rutgers' women's basketball team members hug in celebration after a victory.}
3 comments:
That was a great basketball game. I really hope Imus tells people around him to stop making remarks along those lines. None of them should be gloating but if they do it shows what kinds of character they really have.
Well, they may be the winners in a spiritual sense but he got a great paid leave for his horrifying behavior--it turns out while the network claimed to fire him they paid him the whole time--and the job back he deserved to lose. This is not conducive to helping him truly repent his behavior which means he is more than likely to repeat it as in the example you point out here of tolerating racist remarks....The lie that he was fired as well as the reinstatement without any signs of real repentance (like spending his six months off doing justice work and studying issues of race) is an insult to the Rutgers team and all women of color and no service to his soul. Jesus said to lovingly rebuke offenders (Luke 17, Matthew 18) as well as forgive them and though I don't enjoy being called on my sins my true friends do so-gently, hopefully--so I can open myself to change. And your educating people here about disability justice rather than just forgiving those who perpetrate it is important prophetic work.
Mother Laura,
Thanks for your comments. You raise a very important point that I failed to mention about the financial handling of the Imus situation and the lack of any service work on his part or reparation/repentance.
I appreciate your kind remarks about my writings here very much.
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