What First Amendment?

So Imus is gone. What's next? How is the public and especially corporate America dealing with it's seeming hypocrisy? Why is it okay for Chris Rock, Ludicris, Eminem, and a host of others to be racially insulting (to blacks and whites), foul-mouthed, and generally objectionable, but not for Don Imus? Why isn't Al Sharpton protesting at every Chris Rock performance or burning Ludicris CDs? I think we know the answer to that....

This brings me back to a theme from an earlier posting. The First Amendment protects all sorts of idiotic speech (this blog included). Howard Stern, the above-listed idiots, Al Franken, Ann Coulter, Jerry Springer, and Rush Limbaugh should all be thanking whatever deity they worship for this fact. So should Al Sharpton and his followers, otherwise that pompous blowhard wouldn't be able to strongarm Staples, CBS, and other weak-kneed members of corporate America into withdrawing their support.

The fact is, Imus is a retarded bigot. This is widely known and was when these sponsors plunked down their dollars to get to his audience who also knew this when they tuned in. The fact that he is going to say controversial, insulting, and ill-conceived things is exactly why he drew the audience that he did. They were waiting for the "car wreck", so why was everyone so outraged when it happened? It's like being amazed that Howard Stern said something sexually provocative.

When will we learn that the First Amendment protects all sorts of stupidity. Imus did not "yell fire in a crowded theater", nor did he incite others to violence (although his firing might). He merely spoke the same sort of distasteful rubbish that he spoke every morning. Why is this news? Why did CBS fire him? Most importantly, when will we stop listening to one of America's premier insensitive bigots, Al Sharpton?

Thoughts anyone?