Thank You, Don Imus

Cole said watching (her old acquaintance) Vivian Stringer, Rutgers' women's basketball coach made her cry this morning. Nat was watching with her and Cole just told her "look at that beautiful, smart woman on t.v.!"

What luck to have a two year-old with whom we can address the whole thing this way.

But what makes me cry is the rumor that tomorrow, all charges will be dropped against all the white boys from Duke who allegedly assaulted a young Black woman last year (and whom this article just calls "a stripper" in its introductory paragraph).

There are 'hos and there are ho's. right? The clean-cut girls shooting hoops don't deserve to be mistreated, but the clean-cut boys of Duke? They have the right to mistreat someone more sexually marginal. She was "asking for it." Her skirt was too short. She shouldn't have been in that neighborhood. She shouldn't have taken that job. She should have done what she was paid to do and not complained.

I am guessing you know where I'm going with this, right? These girls--basketball players, sex-workers and my daughter have something in common. They have bodies that speak a 300 year-history (at least) of "rapability." When the American colonist court declared that the "condition of the child shall follow that of the mother" it made Black enslaved women a rapable class of people. The clean-cut sons of white slave owners could have their way with these women and turn around and reap the profits from selling their children nine months later.

Little has changed since then. Legally? Sure. Economically. Yes. Socially? Somewhat. On the psychic level? Almost nothing.

Imus's un-P.C. slip (if it was indeed "just" a slip) gives those of us who watch the media with race in mind something concrete to show for our claims that racist misogyny hasn't gone anywhere and won't be eradicated anytime soon. If he had thought before he spoke (if indeed, he didn't), we would be left without an example of how all these women--the basketball players, the Duke survivor, my baby girl--are related in the psyche of an America that assumes a female body with brown skin=slut, whore, ugly, criminal, drug-addict, unfit mother and on and on and on.

I'm sorry for my harsh language. Ugly, isn't it? No wonder it made Cole cry to watch that with Nat on her lap.

But thanks to Imus, we can have this conversation. Thanks to Imus, folks who usually have the privilege of ignoring this problem have to make decisions about what to do about it. Thanks to Imus, some fabulous girls are being given a national forum (even if it does use that tired old adjective, "angry" to describe women who speak things people don't want to hear) in which to address a hurt that goes back 300 years and needs to stop.

It won't stop until it's addressed. And thanks to a foolish, thoughtless (if he was indeed being thoughtless) man, we're addressing it.

Comments

[Jody]

Shannon, I agree 100% with you about Imus and women's bodies and black women's bodies in particular.

I'm also in town for the Duke rape case and I have to tell you, dismissing the charges doesn't surprise or outrage me at all. I assumed at the outset that the accuser must be right about something having happened, I could certainly imagine some of the sports teams on Duke's campus creating an atmosphere where gang rape could happen, and I rather assumed that the case was proceeding as it should. I was creeped out by the "our boys are innocent" bracelets worn by some on campus.

But, well, it turns out...the accuser's co-worker disputed every part of her story. At least one of the accused pretty much wasn't in the places he needed to be to perpetrate the crime. And the District Attorney is now under investigation for violating state ethics laws, and may be disbarred.

To put it simply, I don't think there's any evidence she was raped. Harrassed, taunted, humiliated, quite probably. Imprisoned, assaulted, raped? No.

I'm sorry. In a lot of ways, I would rather believe that this is a gross miscarriage of justice. The fact that the dismissal seems appropriate to me, catches me offguard.

But it does. It 100% does.

[Tracy]

I agree. The dismissal seems absolutely appropriate, and more, it feels overdue. I don't think the young woman's race, choice of employment, or anything even close to that made it acceptable that she was treated as she was. But I have to say that her behavior is what spoke volumes to me. She could have been purple, I don't care, the fact remains that she made some very grave accusations against boys who did not harm her. Did they help propogate the degredation of women who work in "entertainment"? Absolutely. But they do not represent white, priveledged boys who DO commit horrible crimes such as this. Just as the young woman does not represent people who are not to be "believed". I think she needed to be believed. Still needs to be believed now. But the facts remain that these boys were victimized as much, if not more, than the orignal victim. My heart goes out to everyone involved in the tragedy.

[deb]

At University of Minnesota a bunch of football players are being investigated for raping an 18 year old freshman. As far as I know, they are all still attending classes.
FYI....

[Teresa]

Shannon, please let me start by saying I truly enjoy your writings and admire the direction and strengths you strive to instill in your daughter - as a member of the human race and as a black American woman. There is little doubt that Nat will thrive under your and Cole's love and guidance.
But at the same time I feel that in certain instances you kind of jump the gun more or less in - for lack of a better word - defense of the black population.
I was surprised when you immediately joined in the frenzy against the police officers in the Sean Bell shooting a mere 2 days after the incident. Yes, I realize that 3 of the officers have been indicted since then, but until they have their day in court and all the facts are brought to light it is important not to make a decision on their guilt. I'm sure fairness is included in the lessons you aim to teach Nat. And please bear in mind that statistics show a black male in NYC has a higher chance of being shot by another black male, and not a policeman. Not very comforting I know, but a fact none the less.
As far as Don Imus I agree it is disgraceful. I am angered that the accomplishments of these girls are being overlooked. Life is rough enough for us black women in some aspects and the ability to have comments such as his thrown around thoroughly disgusts most if not all of us.
But I do not understand your sadness at the dismissal of the charges against the Duke students.It has been evident for some time now that if there WAS an assault against the claimant it wasn't by the ones accused. And this is generally accepted by the blacks I know. There were no "favors" done for us in this situation whatsoever. The important lesson, if any is to be learned here is wisely stated in this quote - "“tragic rush to accuse and a failure to verify serious allegations.” No person regardless of their color should be the victim of such.
So while I and many of Nat's "sisters of color" thank you for all your good intentions, please bear in mind that our ultimate goal is to be treated and respected like everyone else, color not withstanding. And to reach that all races must be judged the same.
Thank you for allowing me to say my piece.