Let’s face it: People like Don Imus, his producer Bernard McGuirk and the high-level executives at MSNBC will never understand that African Americans are people too and that women are human beings.

You cannot change the mind of a racist. It’s like an illness: the core beliefs are ingrained, inbred and passed down generation to generation. You would think after the extreme negative attention given to Michael Richards, Mel Gibson and even Isaiah Washington, Imus would know better — and that if he didn’t, he’d be able to rein himself in long enough to finish the broadcast.

You cannot change people’s beliefs. You can, however, change their behavior, by restricting their freedom (criminal proceeding, jail) and/or their income (termination, unpaid suspension, civil judgment). Some people will never understand why their actions were wrong, but they can be made to understand that they will suffer consequences if they decide to do it again.

Lawsuits, workplace sanctions, termination, threats of bodily harm, sensitivity training — I don’t care why the cab driver stops for me in downtown Boston, so long as he does so, uses the meter and drives me directly to where I tell him to go. At this time, in the United States, this is the best we can hope for.

As for the misogynous language issue: I believe in free speech, but I also believe in free trade. I love rap music, and the foul language in rap music isn’t going to end tomorrow. But I also understand that the record labels are making billions when they sign, promote and make videos for the most violent and misogynous music, while giving short shrift to neo-soul, female, religious and conscious hip-hop.

It’s up to consumers of all races, genders and ages to stop patronizing what offends us. But it doesn’t stop there. We need to actively support the local, independent, conscious and female artists that we do enjoy. Buy their CDs, go to the concert when they come to your area, talk them up on your blog. Positive messengers should eat too.

Also, I couldn’t help but notice that “The Today Show” aired live interviews with Coach C. Vivian Stringer and guard Essence Carson of the Rutgers University women’s basketball team; President Beverly Tatum of Spellman College; Rev. DeForest B. Soaries Jr.; Spike Lee; Whoopi Goldberg; Cornel West and Tavis Smiley. And that was BEFORE Imus was fired.

There were more African American guests on “The Today Show” in one week than there have been all year. Network NBC was clearly trying to separate itself from cable counterpart MSNBC and Imus’ impending fall.

Many of the African American “Today Show” guests spoke of decency, hurt feelings and the history of hate speech against African American women. But Imus would still be on the air if the advertisers hadn’t pulled out. It simply cost too much money for NBC and CBS to not fire him.

Let this be a lesson to all you social activists out there: The quickest way to effect social change is to make it economically painful for the oppression to continue.

Nicole Rene Atchison
Boston