The "double standard" argument doesn't make much sense to me. It seems to come down to "other people behave badly, so it's OK for Imus to behave badly."

The claim that Sharpton and other black leaders don't speak out against rap lyrics that denigrate women and promote violence is a strawman. They have certainly done so.

The fact that other people--whether black, white, or purple--use racist and sexist language does not make what Imus did excusable. If a defendant is accused of murder, he (or she) won't be able to win acquittal by arguing that other people have gotten away with murder, so what's the big deal?

This is someone who attempts to play a role in national political discourse by interviewing political figures on his show. And it's hardly the first time that he's indulged in racist and sexist commentary--in fact, it's his stock in trade. He's free to speak his mind--and his bosses are free to speak theirs by firing him, and I hope they do so.