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Al Sharpton to CBS Radio: Axe Imus
Noting that the National Action Network had joined the National Association of Black Journalists in calling for Don Imus to be fired, Al Sharpton said that the entire controversy was about the use of the broadcast airwaves. "It was Mr. Imus that raised his own personal sincerity, personal track record that he's a good person," Sharpton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on his 'Situation Room' telecast. "It appears that there's now revelations that even in private that he was using racial language. I don't think that his firing should be based on the personal language. I think it is his misuse of the public airwaves, but I think that people that do business with him have a right to feel misled." Now that MSNBC has cancelled the simulcast of "Imus in the Morning," Sharpton said CBS should follow suit with the Imus radio show. "I think the challenge now is that CBS must follow suit," he said. "I'll attend the rally in front of CBS tomorrow [Thursday], because this issue is about the public airwaves not being used to commercially make racism and racial attacks and sexist attacks. Let's not forget the sexism involved here, Wolf.
Story Continues Below "Sexism and racism cannot be tolerated, and this is what this is about," Sharpton continued. "This is no night for those of us in civil rights or fairness to gloat. It's really sad that we have to in the 21st century, in 2007, even have to deal with these issues on the public airwaves." Blitzer asked Sharpton if he would object if Imus was fired by CBS radio, but followed Howard Stern's lead and took his act to XM or Sirius Satellite Radio, which is not considered "public airwaves." Sharpton said: "Well, again, we'll cross that bridge when we get there and deal with whether or not that is an issue with public airwaves. I think if CBS follows suit as NBC now has done it gives a chilling message to those that will use the public airwaves in a way that is gender biased and race biased. And that's the point. "I think many of us - all of us have maybe slipped of the lips and said things we shouldn't. But to use the public airwaves and then arrogantly apologize and then come back and do it again, as he has done, and consistently mock (inaudible), using federal airwaves, I think that's the core of the issue, and I think this is what NBC confronted today, and I think they did so properly. And I hope CBS does, and we will continue to rally to make sure they do."
© NewsMax 2007. All rights reserved.
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