In the last week, America has been gripped by two very different news events.
Most recently the college campus of Virginia Tech has been rocked by the sudden and unexpected violence of one of its own. A student went on a murderous rampage, killing dozens of fellow students, and eventually (as is all too predictable in such grim farces) committed suicide. This has deeply shocked a nation, for university campuses are still viewed to some extent as havens of learning and reason, and the carnage explodes the myth. As a member of the Yale community I received a forwarded message from Yale’s President Levin expressing the deep condolences of Yale towards the terrible happenings in Virginia.
The other event has far less gravitas, and no terror. Don Imus, arch purveyor of the aggressive style of talk radio whose performers are known as ‘shock jocks’, committed one too many faux pas. He went so far as to dismiss a female sporting team in a phrase that managed both to be deeply racist and misogynist all in one breath. Immediately, as such folk have learnt to do, Imus went on an all out offensive of making apologies to all and sundry. But no apology would do, and Imus was rapidly fired after mounting pressure from the audience.
