Tom Suiter: Rutgers Women Far Outclass Imus on Any Morning

The Rutgers women’s basketball team met the media on Tuesday, and they were very impressive–a good deal more impressive than the man about whom they were speaking.

Unfortunately, they were not there to talk about the basketball season that saw them win the Big East championship and finish second in the NCAA tournament.

They were there because of the disgraceful remarks of popular radio talk-show host, Don Imus, who called them “some nappy-headed ‘hos’” the day after they lost the final to Tennessee.

Imus, who has made his reputation with shocking remarks, has been backpedaling ever since. Well he should. Words are powerful, and Imus’ words were cruel. This time, his words were aimed at a group of young women, many of them teenagers who had done nothing but play as hard as they could in a national championship basketball game.

For many years, Don Imus has basically said what he wanted about anybody he wanted. He's crossed the line before and has apologized and promised to do better, but really never has. He’s made his living making fun of and putting down others. Regrettably, that does seem to be the norm in today’s society.

The Rutgers team, 10 young women, eight of them black, who met the media on Tuesday were poised and articulate, but they were hurt and they were angry. They said so, and you could tell it.

Veteran Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer, who molded this young team that lost to Duke by 40 in December only to come back to upset the Blue Devils in the Sweet 16, called Imus’ comments, “racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable and unconscionable.”

The Rutgers players felt the last week should have been about what they accomplished on the basketball court. Instead, it has been about Don Imus and the firestorm his remarks ignited.

“We are students first,” said team captain Essence Carson. “We did not do anything to deserve this controversy.”

Their coach called them valedictorians, future doctors and musical prodigies. Stringer is very proud of her women—but her anger and disappointment were very evident.

“While they worked hard in the classroom and accomplished so much and used their gifts and talents, we had to experience racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable and abominable and unconscionable. It hurts me,” Stringer said.

Words hurt. Don Imus says he’s a good person who made a bad mistake. His friends point out that he’s raised millions of dollars for charities over the years. That is all true and commendable.

But he’s also made a lucrative living with his caustic, sometimes cruel remarks. He’s made millions making fun of others. It’s the bullies who fall back on the excuse of, “We’re only having fun, we didn’t mean anything.” They may be laughing, but usually the ones who are on the receiving end aren’t. They’re left with that empty, hollow feeling that only the lonely know.

The Rutgers basketball team has agreed to meet with Don Imus. They don’t want any more publicity of this nature, saying the meeting will take place at a private, undisclosed place.

Don Imus will come face-to-face with a group of young women that he disparaged just to get a few laughs. He will meet a group of talented athletes who will tell you and him that academics come before athletics. He will face a group of young women who will ask why he degraded them, why he decided on that fateful Wednesday to pick on them. From what I saw Tuesday, I believe they will respectfully listen. I hope he has the answers. They certainly deserve them.

Imus said on his radio program this week that he has learned from what happened–“that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it. And because the climate of this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean that it has to be that way for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”

Maybe he does. Maybe the controversy this time is big enough to make a difference for the better. Maybe this time he has really learned something.

I hope we all have learned something.