Keeping Imus In Perspective

As the media feeding frenzy following Don Imus's stupid, racist, misogynistic comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team continues, an important bit of perspective comes from this column in USA Today by Legal Times writer Tony Mauro. He writes about what he calls "insult laws" that proliferate around the globe to criminally punish speech that allegedly degrades someone or something else. He notes:

In its early days, the United States was not immune from these impulses. The Sedition Act of 1798 made it a crime to utter or publish 'false, scandalous and malicious' comments about the government. Some public officials today probably wish they still had that tool to silence critics.

But thankfully, the principles of free speech and freedom of the press have prevailed. And whatever fate ultimately awaits Don Imus, I think nobody would want him labeled as a criminal for what he said about the women's basketball team from Rutgers University (my alma mater).

Imus's employers are free to deal with him as they see fit, but criminal punishment is off limits. As it should be.