Oliphant's Children

I'm on the road for the next couple of days--thanks in advance to Stinkeye, Democommie, and Nez for volunteering to cover for me--and I wasn't going to post tonight. But sometimes my inner Frenchman demands that I grant him an opportunity to speak his mind, and tonight is one of those times. So here he is.

As sickened as I was by Imus's remarks, I'm more disgusted by how some of our leading media figures, people like Tim Russert and Howard Fineman who like to think of themselves as serious opinion leaders, and professed progressives, like Tom Oliphant, reacted to it. I've never been a fan of sycophants, but to watch these people kiss that racist pig's ass in the service of their own naked ambition introduced me to a level of disgust I didn't dream existed.

I have two daughters. They're now both older than the young women, many of whom are still teenagers, who play basketball for Rutgers, but I can imagine how my daughters and I would have felt had they been singled out on a popular radio and television program and called "Jew-nosed sluts." These young women didn't need to be degraded in that way by Imus, especially on the day following their greatest achievement thus far, taking second place in the National Woman's College Basketball Championship. They were terribly wronged. Not only were they insulted in one of the most vile and despicable ways possible, but it may have very well ruined one of the greatest moments of their lives.

I doubt Russert, Fineman, or Oliphant give a damn about these women's feelings. The Rutgers players can't help them sell their books or promote their projects like Imus does. But god damn it Tim, Howie, and Tom, these women are human beings. Really. They're actual people with the same feelings as the rest of us.

Take a look at these beautiful, accomplished young women and think about the violence Imus and his toadies committed against them:


DEE DEE JERNIGAN
Sophmore
Daughter of Kurtis Bond and the late Regina Jernigan and sister to Donnell, DeJonrell, Katrina and Antaneah.


ESSENCE CARSON
Junior
Music Major
A gifted musician who plays the piano, bass guitar, drums and saxophone
Gold Medal winner With Team USA
Daughter of Stacey Robinson and the late Joseph Carson and second of three children.


EPIPHANNY PRINCE
Sophmore
Daughter of Jerry Prince and Kathy Williams-Prince and sister to Emeek.


KATIE ADAMS
Junior
4.0 GPA
Psychology Major
Daughter of Ted and Donna Adams. Has four brothers and one sister.


KIA VAUGHN
Sophmore
Daughter of Aja Ellington Has seven younger brothers.


HEATHER ZURICH
Sophmore
Daughter of George and Lorrie Zurich. The oldest of three children.


MATEE AJAVON
Junior
Majoring in Africana studies.


MYIA MCCURDY
Freshman
Academic All American
Daughter of Donald and Paula McCurdy. Sister to Philip.


JUDITH BRITTANY RAY
Freshman
Daughter of Allan and Larnel Ray. Sister to Celtics Guard Allen, Kendrick, and Aaron.


RASHIDAT JUNAID
Freshman
Daughter of Fatai Junaid and Carmella Burrell. Sister to Leah, Serifat, Kafayat, Jamaal, and Marcus

Now, go do something about it.