Today the continued furor over radio personality Don Imus’ racial slur on air grew with MSNBC & CBS Radio announcing a two week suspensions that, oddly, doesn’t start for another week. Do they not understand the idea behind suspension?

Anyway I only mention it because it has ‘08 implications. Many people including Sen. Joe Biden & Sen. John McCain regularly call into the show and praise the radio host. Sen. Chris Dodd actually announced his candidacy for the presidency on Imus’ show.

As more details about Imus’ past racialy insensitive material comes out, the calls for his ouster and for ‘08 candidates to disavow him will only grow. One very disturbing recount came from former Secretary of Defense William Cohen who is married to a black woman and was on the receiving end of some wretchedly insensitive and very racist jokes and comments by Imus awhile ago.

Howard Stern, no stranger to controversy, today recounted stories about Imus referring to black people outright by the N Word in the halls of the radio station they both worked in at one time. Sen. John McCain & former Gov. Mike Huckabee both affirmed that they accepted his apology and would be back on the show.

I do have one pretty big thought on this subject and I will try to keep it less about my opinion and more an open question.

Throughout this I have heard some on the right tie Imus into their larger goal of “cleaning up” the broadcast airwaves. But almost nowhere did I hear any discussion about an FCC fine. Again I have personal thoughts and feelings about the FCC and whether or not there should be fines levied and how. I do have this question and line of reasoning though.

Broadcast airwaves are owned by the American people and licensed to corporations. Those corporations broadcast for the entire community and in doing so they profit heavily. They are, however, bound by certain rules & regulations and a general charge that they will use the airwaves to benefit the public who own them.

The FCC has fined for talk of bodily functions, an exposed breast and profanity that most of us use in our everyday life. Where on that list do racial slurs fit? If community standards are being used to judge broadcasters what better standard can we have than racial, religious, sexual, gender and ethnic tolerance or intolerance as it is? Is tolerance not a principal that should be upheld?

You can debate the merit of fines, the role of the FCC & the freedom of speech but the question I have is about levity & equality. Is the crime of uttering a profanity any less than the crime of slurring an entire race or even just a small group of people? If we accept that the government has the right and power to regulate and legislate language and subjects like bodily functions shouldn’t they also scold those who broadcast blatant intolerance?

I just have to wonder if the FCC will fine for bodily function talk shouldn’t they fine for racial slurs?