Imus of Imus in the Morning, one of the original morning shock jocks, has been fired by CBS. He was released from his contractual obligations for an abhorrent offense: referring to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy headed hos”.

Unlike other times in the recent past, CBS did the right thing. We should not tolerate this kind of derogatory language. And the market adjusted—sponsors pulled their advertising, money was being lost, and so CBS made the appropriate political as well as financial and business choice. They fired this tone deaf man.

Just another reason to love the free market.

They did so after an initial 2-week suspension by MSNBC for the simulcast. CBS did so after the black community came up in arms and grilled him, quite appropriately, for his words.

Having said that, it was interesting to watch the professional racists come out against subtle racism. From Al Sharpton to Jesse Jackson to Al Sharpton [again].

I guess it’s okay to be a racist as long as you are black.