The firing of Don Imus by the American media organisation, CBS, may appear merely of passing interest to Jamaica; just another event. Except for the fact that Jamaica, like so much of the rest of the world, is a major consumer of U.S. media, particularly their entertainment products, which help to shape attitudes and patterns of behaviour here.

Moreover, the Imus issue is more than the foul-mouthed, moronic rant of a personality who contrives shock. It impacts gender, race and culture and what ought and ought not to be acceptable from those who presume themselves to be purveyors of popular culture. These are issues that ought to resonate in Jamaica.

Indeed, Don Imus, whatever other talents he may have, has crafted a successful career speaking in extremes and insulting people, and more particularly minorities. He once referred to Gwen Ifill, the black and studious reporter/anchoron PBS television, as a "cleaning lady". He often refers to Hillary Clinton as the Devil. Recently, he went over the pale, referring to the mostly black members of the Rutgers University basketball team as "nappy-headed hoes". For black people, Imus' insult is clear and apparent. "Hoes", for those of us who miss the meaning, is how the black American lilt contracts the word "whores".

Yet, in America, more than three million people listened to Don Imus' radio show every day, while perhaps 350,000 watched its simulcast on cable television. He is big business, raking in about $40 million a year in income for his network. Time magazine once called Don Imus among the 25 most influential people in America.

Imus understood that it was economically, socially and politically rewarding to be insulting and rude and particularly nasty to, and about, minorities, especially if they are black. Perhaps it is not about racism, or sexism, or whatever; it is called marketing.

In the face of the outrage - which was slow to build - against Imus' latest outrage, it was surprising that women's organisations were not among those in the forefront of the outraged. For this was an attack on the worth of all women, as much as it was an attack on black women.

Before he became apologetic, Imus accused his critics of hypocrisy. Black rap and hip hop artistes often referred to black women as "hoes" and in other derogatory terms, which appear not to offend other black people, but which are off-limits to whites. The black apologists claim it is not the same; from white people who have not shared the experience of the shaming and the cultural space with blacks, the same remarks would be demeaning.

We do not agree. Calling each other "nigger" and women "bitch", as is so much a part of today's black popular culture only, in our view, reinforces and perpetuates the negative stereotypes. Words do have power.

There is in Jamaica a parallel in the dancehall culture, with its overt celebration of guns, violence and abuse of women. Theapologists say it is wrong to the take these statements as literal calls to action; that the words have no enduring impact. Sounds like Don Imus to us.

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