Don Imus is a radio DJ who has spent almost 40 years on the air. CBS sponsored his radio show and MSNBC broadcasted this radio show on television. Recently, Imus made sexist and racist remarks about the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team after they lost in the finals of NCAA championship. He described them as “nappy-headed hos.” As a result of these comments and the reaction from the public, MSNBC dropped his broadcast and CBS cancelled his radio show. Imus made those comments and has to live with the consequences, but was it a fair punishment to fire him?

The answer is yes. First of all, this was not the first time Don Imus has made crude and unforgivable remarks. On his radio show, he constantly bashes politicians and celebrities. And while high-profile people are used these types of comments, the women of the Rutgers’ basketball team are not. Also, they do not deserve this type of disrespect. His comment was not only an insult to the women of the basketball team, but also to women in general. These women from the Rutgers’ basketball team go to school, learn, and represent their school well. They have done nothing wrong. So for Imus to make such hurtful and uncalled for comments about them was wrong, and he had to be punished.

Secondly, CBS and MSNBC had to fire Don Imus because they needed to prove to the public that they still have high morals and values and would not continue to employ someone who says such deplorable things. Even though Don Imus was at fault, CBS and MSNBC firing Imus dealt more with making a statement that the media should hold itself to a higher standard. Even though free speech is part of what makes America unique, it can sometimes be taken too far. Imus’s firing represents CBS making a stand against the misuse of the radio.

Imus did meet with the basketball team and the team did forgive him. But just a slap on the wrist would not have been enough to stop Imus, or other radio DJ’s from continuing their crude commentary. Hopefully this incident will persuade other people in the media to think more about what they say on the air and how their words can affect other people. Our culture must take a stand against racist and sexist remarks, because if we don’t, then all the hard work our parents and grandparents put into the civil rights moment will be worthless.