As a privileged user of the public's airwaves,with only conditional free speech, Imus had no right to make the remarks he made. For years radio shock jocks, of which Imus was one, have known there were lines they weren't supposed to cross, under the law. One of the tricks of their tawdry trade was to use others -- stooges, tapes of bad actors, quotes, callers on the phone -- to introduce offensive material, so the "host" could make light of it, while appealing at the same time to the worst of his or her audience. This time Imus slipped, said the offensive things himself, instead of eliciting the remarks from others. Based on past practice, he wanted the remark made, but wished he had had someone else make it. And when the target group got access to the media (which is unusual; typically his victims have no chance to defend themselves), they proved by their eloquent sincerity the wrong he had done them. Then everyone had to choose sides, and Imus was toast.

If Imus wants to go on the Internet with his act he of course is welcome to do so. There he will have no advertisers worth counting, no millions pouring into his checkbook, no employer who can fire him, no employees to use as stooges, no pandering guests, none of the fortunate forgetfulness that attaches to the merely spoken word, no audience to speak of, and absolute right of free speech. So don't waste an ounce of pity on him, America.