David Kirby Speaks Out on Imus and Autism
Sunday April 15, 2007
David Kirby is a blogger for the Huffington Post. He's also the author of Evidence of Harm, a best-selling book about the possibility that mercury in vaccines is a direct cause of autism.
Kirby's most recent blog focuses on Don Imus, the recently fired radio personality whose comments about Rutgers University's women athletes became national news. Imus, of course, has been a shock jock since before the term was invented. He and his wife Deirdre are also major supporters of the cause of autism research.
In his blog, Kirby says:
Imus is gone, but not everyone is cheering. Thousands of parents of autistic children around the country are reeling at the loss of the one true friend they had in the mainstream media. For them, the silencing of Imus could not have come at a worse time.What's your take on Don Imus and his recent firing? Do you think his disappearance from mainstream media will injure the cause of autism? What do you think Imus's next move should be - and should the autism community reach out to support the man who supported them, despite his racist and sexist comments?
Comments
my opinion? the two issues, autism and Rutgers, are two separate issues. Imus used his media ability to cover many different topics besides autism, and he is not the only media personality with the ability to do this. just because he spoke so much about autism does not excuse him for other topics or recent comments he’s made public. people of the autism community have to go beyond our thoughts and think about the people this mans comments hurt. you cannot compare this comment to any other media person, as a double standard. each are individuals with individual consequences. I cant even believe the comparison to Howard Sterns. is he employed by CBS? are rappers? many songs are banned. many shock jocks have been fired as a result of such punishments as regulatory fines, loss of advertisers, or simply social and political outrage. On the other hand, it is also not uncommon for such broadcasters to be quickly re-hired by another station or network. Howard Stern’s show was dropped by Clear Channel Communications, and the fine was an enormous figure. imagine with this Imus issue, where and what such a fine could go towards.
people should not boycott sponsor either, think about the statement that is being said by such a thought, and in the end it isn’t going to bring Imus back. boycotting isn’t going to tell them we miss our autism voice, it’s going to say his comments weren’t all that bad. you cant make it an autism boycott over racial comments.
a man/ woman can do a lot of good in the world for many causes in life, be a good person just as any but they still can be fired from their employer. they can get another job and still be the same good supporters of many causes. Imus doesn’t need to be at CBS to do this. his firing had nothing to do with autism, and it should not be an autism issue.
it is a racial comment issue.
I don’t think we can give people who do good a free pass to do bad. Imus is responsible for what he says and does. When he panders to the lowest common denominator of his audience with racist and sexist banter, it reflects badly on the causes he represents. That was true before this latest incident, and it will continue to be true wherever he lands next.
Just as the good that vaccines do should not put them off-limits to criticism of harm, Imus’s good works should not give him license to hurt people with his words, just for fun. There has to be accountability. Imus does so well when he uses his bad-boy persona to confront politicians and businesses — I wish he could keep it at that, and not feel the need to shoot off his mouth at any moving target.
I am very disappointed that many people are so absolute on this issue. Yes, Imus said a bad thing, but why do you have such a hard time forgiving him? It was a mistake. He said he was sorry. The women affected by this forgave him. As a mom of a child affected by autism, I have been very disappointed that the autism community has not forgiven and supported Imus. He has helped us a lot by bringing attention to a disorder that affects so many. No, I am not condoning racist comments. I am just saying we ALL need to be more decent, and forgiveness is part of being decent. The autism community should forgive and support Imus. He has supported us and we should do the same.
David Kirby is a beautiful writer and does bring to our attention that idiot/bigots can also do wonderful things. Kirby has given a voice to the voiceless. Imus used his voice in a hurtful way.
I am all for forgiveness but that’s not really what this is all about. I am in no position to question the CEO’s of a company and their decisions. I am sure they also struggled with their options since they didn’t fire him on the spot. if Imus had slipped up on the topic of autism, I know many who would jump right on it, too. it’s easy to forgive when it’s not dealing with our autism topic. this isn’t the first time Imus has been in the hot seat, either. he has been in this business for years, one would expect if he got in trouble before, it was bound to happen again.
all of life has consequences, and I am so trying to teach my child this too. we can forgive mistakes but we still all have to deal with the consequences of that mistake.
I do forgive the man, he in fact is the one most affected, not me or my son. I will however in the feature wonder of what is his true thoughts on issues, and what is it a media persona?
Without a doubt, Imus has done more for autism awareness and the thimerasol connection than anyone else. What he said was over the line, but we still want him back fighting for our kids. He and Deidre are the only ones with a backbone. He deserves our support, just as he supported us. THANK YOU Imus!!!
Imus has done more to help ‘autistic’ kids more than any other news outlet or radio personalities that claim to be ‘truth detectors’ or ‘looking out for you’. We all make mistakes. I would venture a guess that everyone at CBS, MSNBC and even Don Imus’ sponsors makes a mistake now and then. Apparently however, not everyone forgives. Can parents of ‘autistic’ kids expect MSNBC to help shine the light on the cause of ‘autism’ as much as Imus did? They can expect as much from MSNBC as they can expect from ‘truth detectors’ and people who are ‘looking out for you’.
Imus showed great courage and eloquence in taking on the CDC and Big Pharma in regard to autism.
I agree with David Kirby that it is unfortunate that his voice re autism will be lost.
But whose fault is that?
Many, many, many people in the autism community are blaming the Rutgers women or Reverend Sharpton for the loss of Imus’s voice.
This shows a great deal of stupidity. The cause is Imus’s. He opened his mouth and spewed racial filth. And not for the first time.
It’s paradoxical.
This man, who had such sensitivity for the “lesser” members of our society {I don’t mean worth less, but treated as less} had zero sensitivity for members of racial minority who are also treated as less.
But the biggest amazement and disappointment to me is the members of the autism community, particularly those on Mr. Kirby’s group, “Evidence of Harm” – for which I am not holding Mr. Kirby responsible – who are trying to match Imus for racial rhetoric in attacking Reverend Sharpton and others who have criticized Imus. Shame on you!
Interesting that the “one true friend they [the thimerosal conspiracy theorists] had in the mainstream media” was a commentator and shock jock. Not a journalist. Not someone whose job it is to be an objectiver searcher for and purveyor of facts as supported by evidence and credible sources. According to the thimerosal conspiracy theorists, Imus was fired from MSNBC and CBS because of the machinations of the pharmaceutical industry and Hillary Clinton. I personally don’t get that, but then that’s apparently the way conspiracy theorist logic works.
But I agree that it is hypocritical of society to make this one man pay for the same sort of demeaning, ugly remarks that we reward gansta rappers, comedians, and other entertainers for using frequently. I don’t buy it that it’s different for a black rapper to say words like that in a song. It’s ugly no matter who says it, period. Either we fire them all or we don’t make scapegoats out of one or two idiots.
No doubt it will hurt. Imus was the only one to take this issue to task. Conspiracy or not, we need answers. Personally I am sick of proving my child was injured 2weeks after MMR and seizures ensued. Even my pediatrician acknowledges that fact, why can’t it make prime time news? Why do they continually want to “count” numbers, and stick their fingers up the proverbial tail and say GEE, is it better diagnosis, maybe too much TV, is it because dad was over the hill?
I forgive DOn Imus, especially after watching Oprah today, we are not responsible for the way African Americans expect to be treated when they have free license to call us every name in the book, yet if it is reveresed, that person gets decapitated. Isaiah Washington, Al Sharpton, Jesee JAckson and not to mention all the other stage performers that include “white” jokes as part of their stand up.
Anyone catch Oprah the other day making fun of the white guy who can’t dance? Or the poorly endowed white men as a race? Racist and sexist if you ask me, and she gets away with it, because we are not allowed the same excuse of sins of our fathers? Give me a break.
My 4 year old son is autistic and I was grateful for Don Imus’ bulldog approach to the mysteries of this illness, which included ridiculing congressional officials and American medicinal research organizations, who have only recently done anything about funding and researching for the cause and prevention of autistic spectrum disorders. It will be decades before anything is discovered and implemented. But make no mistake, Don Imus was a key figure to raise the public consciousness.
I was shocked to hear Don’s inappropriate comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. His remarks were completely out of line. He did apologize for those remarks repeatedly and directly in person to those he ridiculed. He has also lost his job.
I’m not sure what more the American public would want from him, other than blood. But first, it seems to me that plenty of other showbiz personalities should clean up their act too. They need not be named by me. You all know who they are.
Everyone, including myself, have made horrible mistakes, and have said horrible things that they regret. Even with an apology, it’s not always so simple, and sometimes you still pay a heavy price. Don may have paid the price of his career.
But I think he will be alright and can make a comeback in the future, if he decides to do it. I hope that he will remain an ally of autism research and funding regardless.
I’m grateful for Don’s militant support of the parents who have children with autism. We need more people with that kind of support. It is unfortunate that Don did not show greater care as to the target of his on-air criticism and the choice of words to do it. These Rutgers athletes must have been really hurt by those words.
After making a mistake (and lets just stipulate it was a stupid comment), Don Imus has been giving us all a character lesson. He took responsibility, looked the young women in the eye to say he was sorry, didn’t sugarcoat his errors and didn’t blame it on some mythical addiction and go into rehab.
I just hope the self-righteous among us take a break from their follow-the-bandwagon, kick-the guy-while-he’s-down orgy of outrage and think about, on a day like today, what they’re wasting their time on. And the next time you laugh at a Chris Rock routine, ask yourself: is there any difference between these two men except the fact that Chris Rock is usually funnier?
It just amazes me that we can muster so much outrage when Imus says a mean thing to some young women who have enough strength to take it and move on (and who accepted the Imus apology after overdoing the victim bit just a bit too much for my taste), and then find no outrage when hundreds of thousands of children are disabled by autism and our government sits back and does absolutely nothing.
Imus was outraged and for that I say THANK YOU! The media world doesn’t have enough people in it who are prepared to speak the truth to power. It takes a grumpy old guy like Imus to pull that off. In the meantime, watch the Viagra, Cialis and Lunesta ads on your network television news and ask yourself, who is paying for the news you get to watch tonight? They certainly weren’t sad to see Imus go. The autism community has lost (at least for a while) a great and valuable friend. And for no good reason.
Don Imus also said recently over this, “if you don’t like what I say, don’t listen”. Don Imus isn’t the only shock jock to be disciplined or fired for conduct. it is true, coming from any where such things are all unacceptable. when it comes to shock jocks, rappers whoever, they are always known and have that reputation so you know who to avoid on what TV and radio channels. a rapper considers themselves an artist. their songs are still banned. a shock jock is first and fore most a representative of the station they work for. not us. MSNBC and CBS have a very different agenda than a cable channel. I just don’t quite understand. this is not an autism issue.
autism was just a small part of the whole Don Imus. Imus wasn’t representing me or my son or the autism community when he blurted that out. children with autism was the very last thing on his mind that day. he may have talked and aired a lot about Thimerosal but the fact still remains today there is no known causes for autism. it doesn’t mean Thimerosal didn’t greatly play a large portion into it. it also doesn’t mean his conversations over it greatly affected anything thus far. people in the general public are not thinking autism over this at all. only we are. it doesn’t mean Imus wont continue his loud voice about autism just because he was fired. or does it mean his uncontrolled comments ruined for all of the autism society? what would we all do if he fell deathly ill or died?? we’d move on.
Joe over there could get away with that, why cant Bob over here get away with it too? that’s what is being said. I hardly see the need for conspiracy theorists except to justify what the man said. what came out of his mouth didn’t require a conspiracy accept to those who are in shock the shock jock was fired over it. maybe in the wake of all of this, there will be more compassion to other’s, their race and sex and when one steps over the lines, society steps forward (not backwards) and says “we accept your apology but dude, you’re too risky as for what you say and we’ve tolerated enough”.
this isn’t a debate of all he’s done in life or autism. tis isn’t about Thimerosal or not.
this is about what insulting things he said
I don’t excuse Mr. Imus for his inappropriate comments which led to his dismissal.
Unless you work for yourself – you risk being fired for misconduct.
But why should we assume Mr. Imus is lost to Autism?
There are MANY ways in which he can be helpful to “our voice” without BEING “our voice”.
Remember, this is a person who has raised a tremendous amount of money for children with challenges. He has many connections, and has a history of providing for children stricken with disease and disorders.
He may not be a sought after spokesperson in the wake of this unfortunate ordeal, but it doesn’t mean we have one less person on our team.
In my opinion, it wasn’t unfair that he was let go from his contract. But remember, there are so many others that still have an impact after getting in trouble.
Who wouldn’t want Bill Clinton or Rush Limbaugh on their team – even though they made mistakes?
Would I want Bill Clinton to serve as spokesperson for “Fidelity in Marriage” ? Or Rush a spokesperson for “Just Say No”?
Of course not.
Imus made a BAD mistake. VERY BAD.
But if this man is really committed to helping children – no matter what his vocation is, then he will stay committed to Autism.
Time will tell if his heart is still with Autism, even if his brain took a “timeout” from civility.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!
-Devin’s Mom
It blows my mind how many judgemental self rightous people want to slam Imus. He screwed up. I guess he is the only person in the media, or among the people responding on all of the various message boards to ever screw up.
As for the Autism…we well all loved it didn’t we, when he slammed the hell out of Joe Barton. Tell me you didn’t cheer?
David Kirby is 100% RIGHT ON!
We have lost a stong voice who wanted to advocate for our sons and daughters.
Don Imus’ firing is a doble loss for me, not only am I the mom to a wonderful 21 year old son with fairly severe autism, I am also a liberal democrat who is a politcal junkie.
I lost my national voice for autism and
I lost my favorite polical program.
If David Kirby will call me, I can explain why his next book should be OUT OF HARM’S WAY. I was poisond by AgHg as a teenager [for 40~yrs] via preachments of 1950’s by University dental schools. See http://www.cfspages.com as a good INTRO’ which David better come to understand! There are remedies for neurological disorders that are ignored in favor of the Big Pharma disasters reported by Evelyn Pringle and http://www.drugawareness.org!!! Now I am a Research & Development engineer who points to the palty education in materials science at the Med’ Schools. I have worked at over a dozen chemical plants. David needs to know about the WCA & RAA appliances to be used for the nerve debilities. As there is no insurance company provisions for these; the objectives for doctors to have revenue rather than healing are very much in place. Please call me now.
Sincerely,
Contractor Jim
330-418-6449