The Duke Lacrosse players have been exonerated, at last. Now the last great wrong in the world has been righted and these unfortunate rich, young, white preppies can try to pick up the crystal shards of their privileged lives. God bless America.

As for Don Imus, he’s an old goat who has been spewing crap for years. But, in a ‘profession’ that includes pill-popper Lush Dimbulb and the execrable Howard Stern, Imus is a pissant. And his offense — truly sexist and racist and so-last-century — seems almost charming compared to 30 seconds of any hip-hop video. Is Snoop-Dawg a champion of women’s rights or the dignity of any people? It’s like comparing your senile uncle’s farting to the stench of a pig farm. This is a coarse age in which awful people demand our attention and we happily give it, sinking to their level every time. It’s hard to believe Imus’ well-deserved public flogging represents the turning point and the line in the sand. I don’t doubt we’ll get uglier. mjh