They call themselves the Jersey Guys. They should not be confused with the cast of “Jersey Boys,” which is entertaining Broadway-show-loving crowds in New York City’s Times Square. These two characters are just a couple of small-time radio DJs from Trenton, N.J., who think it is really funny to send their listeners on a wild chase to capture immigrants, whom they call “cucarachas” -- “cockroaches” in Spanish -- and turn them over to immigration officials. “Cucha Gotcha,” they call their racist and despicable little game.
Yes, there are little Imuses all across the country spreading their venomous messages of racism, bigotry and intolerance, but not all of them get the kind of exposure Don Imus got for his offensive comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. Not too many people outside of Jersey know about the insulting nature of Craig Carton and Ray Rossi on WKXW 101.5.
The Imus incident has sent shock waves across the nation and ignited a debate on whether loose-lipped commentators should be allowed to get away with insulting and humiliating people, many of whom they don’t even know. Some people seem to think that giving Imus a ticket to the unemployment line for his off-the-cuff comments was an overreaction. But I wouldn’t worry about him too much. There are plenty of outlets out there, on the airwaves and in cyberspace, where scoundrels like him can vent their anger. And they do.
In radio and television talk shows, on the Internet and in publications -- everywhere you turn -- the level of civility seems to be going down the drain. Insults abound because of differences in political views, religious beliefs, race, gender or sexual orientation.
The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the electronic media, went out of its way to prevent new episodes of “wardrobe malfunctions,” like the one that exposed Janet Jackson’s breast for a split second in front of millions of viewers. The FCC also was able to get Howard Stern to take his vulgarity over to satellite radio. But as of now, there does not seem to be any effort on the part of the federal government to prevent the spread of bigotry.
African-American leaders should be commended for speaking out against Imus’ insulting and denigrating comments. Blacks are fortunate to have many dignified representatives who speak out when they detect racial undertones. And when they spoke about the Imus case, they were loud enough to be heard by the powers that be.
Newark, N.J., councilman Wilfredo Caraballo has been trying to take on the Jersey Guys, asking for an apology and an immediate halt to the
immigrant-hunting campaign, which is scheduled to continue through May 5, a Mexican national holiday. Otherwise, he claims, the Hispanic community in the area will launch an economic boycott against the station and the sponsors of the show. Some forceful action needs to be taken against these xenophobic games being played in New Jersey by a pair of pseudo radio personalities who evidently feel they need to humiliate other human beings in order to validate themselves as talent and attract more listeners, as well as many others like them across the country.
As a journalist, I’m all for freedom of expression. But those who believe that it is their right to use the media to spread hatred, bigotry, vulgarity and chauvinism are misinterpreting the essence of the right to free speech.

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(Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER’S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www
.mariaesalinas.com)
© 2007 by Maria Elena Salinas
Distributed by King Features Syndicate