People asked the question…”Will Don Imus’ firing help or hurt race relations in this country?”  Well it looks like Rush Limbaugh might have the answer for all of us.  Last month the conservative talk show host released a video comedy bit entitled “U Da Real Negro Al, Screw Obama.” on his subscription based website.    

In the video clip, Paul Shanklin, a conservative political satirist impersonates Rev. Al Sharpton by questioning the leadership skills of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.  The video features a slide show of Sharpton and Barack pointing out the differences in their ‘blackness.’  The video is set to the music of Shanklin singing “Barack, the Magic Negro,” a parody of Peter, Paul and Mary’s song, “Puff, the Magic Dragon.” 

This ish is like terrorism.  The more you try to fight it the more it pops up.  It’s crazy…but in actuality its a revelation that this is nothing new.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  had a dream and by the looks of it things will remain that way; a dream, a fantasy.  

Prejudice towards others occurs all the time.   Its all a matter of WHOSE LISTENING.  WHO IS THE AUDIENCE?  Imus could have gotten away with 30 such comments because his audience is one that will not be offended.  Someone was listening that morning that ordinarily wouldn’t be. 

It’s like when you tell an offensive joke to your friend.  You wouldn’t tell them the joke if you though they’d be offended.  Incidents like this only draw our attention to the fact that there is a problem with prejudice wherever you go.  So now people are stepping out of their element to pay more attention to the humor, comments and writing of other.  Is it a step in the right direction?  Who knows but its a step somewhere and that’s what’s important.