big brother

[Diane]

I am going to vent....

For all of my adult life I have heard the phrase 'big brother is watching.'   Or look out for 'big brother.'  I always pooh hoo'd this and thought that is was overly paranoid people worrying about big government.

Today I have realized that he is here.... and surprise, surprise.... he is a liberal.

In our zeal to give everyone equality and freedom we have started to erode the very basis of this country and it's true freedom.


Maybe we should  just call him, 'big brutha.'

Whether all of you liberals realize it or not... your opinion no longer counts... it is big business not big government that drives the morals


enjoy

Cro

[Universe Prince]

Today I have realized that he is here.... and surprise, surprise.... he is a liberal.

What prompted this realization?

[The_Professor]

Wow, a newbie! Welcome!

The amount of "watching" that is done is in your work life (email, LAN monitoring, etc.) and your home life (myriad ways) is increasing.

The Patriot Act has loosened some of the rules and made it easier for the Government, at varying levels, to peer into your life.

However, you might rationalize this is necessary due to the increasingly unstable world we live in.

Isn't it really a process of attempting to maintain a balance between necessary surveillance and individual freedoms?

[modestyblase]

I'm inclined to partially disagree.
I think its 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
Republicans tend to be very blatant in their violations of liberties.
Liberals are more sneaky and guilt you into giving them up.

It has been said that you no longer vote at the the voting booths, but with your dollars. A bit extreme, but also a more than bit true.

[Plane]

I am going to vent....

For all of my adult life I have heard the phrase 'big brother is watching.'   Or look out for 'big brother.'  I always pooh hoo'd this and thought that is was overly paranoid people worrying about big government.

Today I have realized that he is here.... and surprise, surprise.... he is a liberal.

In our zeal to give everyone equality and freedom we have started to erode the very basis of this country and it's true freedom.


Maybe we should  just call him, 'big brutha.'

Whether all of you liberals realize it or not... your opinion no longer counts... it is big business not big government that drives the morals


enjoy

Cro

Welcome Crocat , always good to see you.

Absolute trust ruins any faction.

[Diane]

Thanks, Plane...

I guess I will take this opportunity to answer all who responded

1. Not a newbie, in fact a pretty damn oldie.   BUT in response to your response... Me thinks you missed my point.
2 Modesty, partially disagree... hummn, that must be the cups half empty thing.  I actually was not responding to political party issues.  Rather, the complete lack of the American psychy when it comes to things like the Imus incident and how we as a whole respond and react.  Now it would seem to me that the correct response to any 'offense' would be for the team to take legal action against Mr. Imus and for us on a personal level to just turn him off and leave him off.

THAT, is no longer an option for us... no... this decision is not yours or mine to make.  Instead the likes of Al Sharpton and his ilk will scream discrimination and equality for the down trodden black man only to demand the utter and complete silence of any rude and igrnorant white man.    Now the fear of 'us' not buying ford trucks, or tide detergent, or pop tarts, rules our airwaves.  WE don't get to make the decisions.... we don't get to voice our dismay... NO we get to tippy toe around and hope like hell that we don't say something that could have us smothered by 'freedom of speech.'    It is ridicules and insulting. To add insult to injury we all get to stand around and watch black raps stars calling each other nigga or ho' and be told that because they are black it is acceptable.  If they don't want me to call them that... then don't use the language.

It is bullshit and I think as a society we all need to step back and remember that this country was populated by people that were fighting oppression... that they came here to start a new life free discrimination and fear.

For the most part, I am quite sure that blacks hate this public placation because for all of those that just want to be shoulder to shoulder with their neighbor, to study and work hard for what they have (like their neighbors), this barrage reminds all... the good the bad and the ugly  about the hard road to change.


Cro

[MissusDe]

You've voiced some very good points, Cro. 

I was listening to a talk show on the Imus incident, and one of the callers - a black man - stated that he hated the fact that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have positioned themselves as the 'go-to' sound bite mouthpieces for the African-American community, and that the media seems so willing to look no further in their zeal to snag readers. The caller was upset that these self-appointed leaders are using their influence and resources to focus on Imus when there are so many other issues that need to be addressed - crime, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, to name a few. 

I've never listened to Imus.  I'm a firm believer in utilizing my power over the remote control and the radio dial.  Imus is an idiot, no doubt...but I'm not comfortable with the notion that censorship is an acceptable means to legislate common sense and decency. 

[Michael Tee]

<< . . . a black man - stated that he hated the fact that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have positioned themselves as the 'go-to' sound bite mouthpieces for the African-American community  . . . >>

Both these men have proven themselves over time capable of mobilizing African-Americans and generating nation-wide black support.  So they are recognized black leaders, and therefore presumably attuned to black concerns and attitudes.  If anybody can sum up prevailing black popular opinion, it is these two guys.  And they are articulate and recognizable - - so they can draw and hold an audience.  Who else would the media turn to on an issue like Imus?  The guy who fixes their elevators?  Keeping in mind they've only got a few hours to put the show together and the two Revs seem to be always available on short notice.

This is a general news media problem - - taking the line of least resistance, drawing on the same stable of "experts" to comment on "terrorism" or the Israeli-Palestinian or other conflicts, etc.  There's a difference between producing a TV news show and writing a scholarly study.  The producers of the show don't have the luxury of comparative research into sources.  If the caller wants a more nuanced or diverse opinion, maybe he should start reading more and watching TV less.

<<The caller was upset that these self-appointed leaders are using their influence and resources to focus on Imus when there are so many other issues that need to be addressed - crime, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, to name a few.  >>

That's ludicrous.  These guys' careers span decades and  Imus will take only a couple of weeks of them.  Besides, racism is at the root of all the other problems the guy mentioned, and the Imus debate was a debate over the degree of public tolerance that racists like Imus should enjoy.

[Amianthus]

That's ludicrous.  These guys' careers span decades and  Imus will take only a couple of weeks of them.  Besides, racism is at the root of all the other problems the guy mentioned, and the Imus debate was a debate over the degree of public tolerance that racists like Imus should enjoy.

Imus' career spanned decades as well, with numerous awards. And I don't believe he said "Hymietown" once.

[Michael Tee]

<<Imus' career spanned decades as well, with numerous awards. And I don't believe he said "Heimeytown" once.>>

"Nappy-headed hos" wasn't Imus' first racial insult.  He already got a second chance, just like Jackson did.  Jackson apparently learned his lesson, Imus didn't.  Personally I don't think either one of them should have gotten a second chance.  Sends the wrong message.

[Amianthus]

He already got a second chance, just like Jackson did.  Jackson apparently learned his lesson, Imus didn't.

Actually, that was Jackson's 2rd or 3rd or 4th chance. He had also previously said that he was sick of hearing about the Holocaust, and a number of other comments about Jews, going back to about 1973. The Hymietown comment and subsequent apology came after years of complaints about Jackson's racist comments.

However, Imus doesn't seem to get the same latitude.

[Michael Tee]

<<However, Imus doesn't seem to get the same latitude.>>

He's picking on the current victims of fascism, racism and militarism, not the past ones.  Besides which, saying you're tired of hearing about the Holocaust isn't on the same level as calling NYC "Hymietown."

I also want to add that Jackson has put a lot more into the world than Imus ever has or will.  He put his life on the line for Civil Rights from the Sixties till now.  He was at Memphis with Martin Luther King when MLK was killed.  He's galvanized millions to fight against racial and economic injustice.  Imus and his telethon are insignificant blips compared to what Jesse Jackson has accomplished.  It's understandable that his weaknesses will be excused a lot more readily than Imus'. 

[modestyblase]

2 Modesty, partially disagree... hummn, that must be the cups half empty thing.  I actually was not responding to political party issues.  Rather, the complete lack of the American psychy when it comes to things like the Imus incident and how we as a whole respond and react.  Now it would seem to me that the correct response to any 'offense' would be for the team to take legal action against Mr. Imus and for us on a personal level to just turn him off and leave him off.

Sorry to have confused your initial intent. I highly agree with your last statement. They should take it to court; they could be precedent setting, if their lawyer is savvy enought to talk around current first amendment and fcc standing case laws. Now, just to keep things light: why are half-empty and half-full the only options? Why not halfway to another glass? 

THAT, is no longer an option for us... no... this decision is not yours or mine to make.  Instead the likes of Al Sharpton and his ilk will scream discrimination and equality for the down trodden black man only to demand the utter and complete silence of any rude and igrnorant white man.    Now the fear of 'us' not buying ford trucks, or tide detergent, or pop tarts, rules our airwaves.  WE don't get to make the decisions.... we don't get to voice our dismay... NO we get to tippy toe around and hope like hell that we don't say something that could have us smothered by 'freedom of speech.'    It is ridicules and insulting. To add insult to injury we all get to stand around and watch black raps stars calling each other nigga or ho' and be told that because they are black it is acceptable.  If they don't want me to call them that... then don't use the language.

What I found highly entertaining was the advertisers response. Surely they can't be so dim as to think a collective of any U.S. citizens could be mobilized for enough of a boycott to have any sort of effect?? Now, Imus' fan base includes some of the extremely wealthy. I wonder what would occur if they started using their monetary influence to drive down stocks, etc? In keeping with your initial observation that big business maintains the pull it does, perhaps those with the monetary influence start exercising that influence. On a very broad level, not just in this instance.