The recent comments of Don Imus regarding Rutgers, mostly Black women’s basketball team, was unnecessary, disrespectful and hurtful (for details Google: Rev. Sharpton on Don Imus). While he has apologized and Reverend Sharpton has called for his immediate dismissal, more can and should be done to put an end to things like this.
I have always concluded that Black consumers don’t understand their power. While we are often angered when things of this kind occur, we have that “no-blood no-foul” attitude or sit-back and watch the efforts of others, in this case Reverend Sharpton.
So what can we as consumers do to make Don Imus, and people like him, feel our displeasure? There are several options:
1. Turn off WFAN or MSNBC and/or any other station that he appears on and by doing so, their ratings will be affected. And ratings equal money.
2. Don’t buy his products and the products he advertises.
3. Write or email his advertisers on your displeasure of their support of the Don Imus show and let them know you will no longer buy their products.
4. Write or email the station telling them of your displeasure and let them know that you will withdraw your support of the station and its advertisers.
5. Write and/or email the likes of former Congressman Harold Ford, as well as any other personality that frequently appears on his show, informing them of your dissatisfaction.
6. Pledge your support of Reverend Sharpton on this issue.
7. Call or email the Federal Communications Commission requesting that they employ their powers.
8. Talk about this issue with friends and neighbors.
What we should not be doing is noting.
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