Imus firing a mistake.
Double standards abound in the media.

By Ryan Murray

Turn on the news this evening, and you’ll most likely see a story similar to this:

Nationally-syndicated radio host Don Imus has been fired by CBS Radio for comments made over the air about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team.

What a surprise. A “shock jock” shocked people last week by making what could be perceived as racially-offensive remarks. And since then, there has been a barrage of media coverage towards the incident. Not only have sports media outlets picked up the story, but CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC (who, until Wednesday, had simulcast Imus’ show on television.) But, with this extra media coverage, there has been something missing: extra scrutiny of the situation. And, after watching much of this coverage (and generally being disgusted by most of it), I have come to a sad realization.

There is a double-standard in play. Imus was fired because he was white, and used words that, according to generally accepted social norms, are reserved for African-Americans to use.

Keep that in mind for a second.

Let me take you back to last spring, and the 2006 Academy Awards. The rap group Three 6 Mafia took home an Oscar for Best Original Song for their song “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp.” If you’re not familiar with it, here’s a brief sampling of the lyrics:

In my eyes I done seen some crazy thangs in the streets
Gotta couple hoes workin on the changes for me…
Man it seems like I'm duckin dodgin bullets everyday
Niggaz hatin on me cause I got hoes on the tray
But I gotta stay paid, gotta stay above water
Couldn't keep up with my hoes, that's when shit got harder.

Imus used the term “Ho” twice. Not only did Three 6 Mafia use the same term three times in that short sample, but they also used the term commonly referred to as “the n-word.” In fact, the song itself contains “ho” three times, “niggaz” twice, “bitches” six times, AND (get this) uses the term “snow bunny”, which could be considered an offensive term to Caucasian-Americans. All this, plus the traditional smattering of other profanity often found in modern rap music…

…And this song won an award. Not just any award, an Oscar; an award traditionally seen as the pinnacle of the entertainment business. So, while the African-American members of Three 6 Mafia won an award for using this sort of language, Don Imus was fired.

This song is merely one example. One need only look to much of the music that makes up the Top-40 radio playlist, and one will see much music that is eerily similar in content. Look at, for example, KBKS-FM in Seattle, Washington. According to their website, nine songs out of their top thirty-played songs are by artists whose songs contain similar language to the language used in the song above.

Why did I choose KBKS? KBKS, or Kiss 106.1, as it is branded publicly, is owned by CBS Radio. Yes, the same CBS that just fired Don Imus for using the word “ho.”

So, what have we learned? It’s perfectly acceptable for a company to profit from African-Americans using the word “ho”, but it’s not acceptable for a company to profit from a Caucasian-American using it.

Welcome to America, where double-standards abound.

Patent Office Finally Gets It Right
Clear Channel's "Instant Live" Patents Revoked

All Access is reporting that the patents pertaining to Clear Channel and Live Nation's "Instant Live" technology have been revoked. According to All Access, the "U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will revoke a patent on live concert recording technology owned by CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, following a successful challenge launched last year by the ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION."

This is a win for both competing companies, who were prevented from carrying on business in many areas, and tape-traders AND taper-friendly bands. Clear Channel had been rather pushy with the patents, claiming "exclusive" rights to record shows and sell copies immediately after the show. All Access continues, stating "NEW YORK-based DISC LIVE by early 2003 had already recorded acts and sold instant CDs at shows featuring the ALLMAN BROTHERS and BILLY IDOL, but encountered obstacles in 2004 when CLEAR CHANNEL prevented the company from recording shows and selling CDs at CLEAR CHANNEL venues on the PIXIES' reunion tour."

With the revocation of these patents, the industry will continue to see growth and competition in regards to the instant sale of live material. This can only be a good thing for bands, who will not be locked into one company's pricing scheme, and for consumers, who will not be forced to subsidize high costs associated with monopolization.

One only hopes that the USPTO continues to examine patents and revoke ones which inhibit proper competition. I can think of a few "software patents" i'd like to see examined...

Music Video of the Week:
Madonna - "Like A Prayer"

Such an underrated video is this one. Madonna, never one to shy away from controversy (even in the 90s) blends icons of Christianity with an interracial love scene to get....well, some pissed-off Christians. But, the video also helped publicize issues such as discrimination and rape. Fallout? She lost her lucrative Pepsi contract. But hey, all's fair in love, war, and artistic content.

Directed by Mary Lambert. 1989.

e-voting takes another hit:
Ciber Inc. loses certification.

In what I feel is the most important fallout from the HBO documentary "Hacking Democracy" to date, Ciber Inc. has been decertified from testing and approving electronic voting machines, due to lack of quality control and accountability.

This is a good step towards securing the e-voting procedures that our governments insist we use. By decertifing a lab who seemed to be nothing more than a "shill" for Diebold Election Systems, we can begin to genuinely test these systems and see whether they are as secure as Diebold claims (or as insecure as many people claim.)

But, I believe that we need to go a step further. As it has been proven (on film) that the Diebold machines can be compromised, and these machines were, in fact, certified by Ciber, I believe we need to examine any links which may exist between Ciber and Diebold, especially financial links. Does anyone within Diebold hold ownership in Cyber, or vice-versa? Have there been large payments of money between Diebold and Ciber? Have there been any signs at all of any improprieties between Diebold and Ciber?

I voted on a Diebold voting machine in the last general election, but I will not vote on the same machine during the next Presidential election. After recent revelations, I no longer trust Diebold Election Systems or Ciber Inc. And, while I may be only one voter, I can't be the only one. And, if enough voters voice their objections, we just may win this battle, after all.