jimikeen: Can a person recreate themselves to fit a modern age?

Or what the "handlers" of Unlce Ben can teach the handlers of Don Imus.

I think that morning Radio Host Don Imus on his show would have been overlooked if one of Imus’s side kicks, Bernard, hadn’t of made reference to Spike Lee’s movie School Daze. But it is the I man’s show and he did add the comments which have caused all of this controversy. Yes, Imus may have gotten away with Nappy head hos, not that it is cool or funny if he had, but Imus often makes inappropriate remarks and that is the kind of humor that is on the show. That does not make it right or wrong, it just is. Imus has a history of this type of talk thus accusations made by Imus being racist aren’t new. I feel that the “I man” is not an overt racist but harbors racist attitudes. Calling a black, female, college athlete a ho is bad enough, but a nappy headed ho, to be comfortable enough just to say it on live radio, this is hateful language. A talking head on the television was commenting on this noted that these statements had to come from some place within Imus. Not that it ought to be censored. Maybe he thought it was OK because black comedians get away with this type of language and since he is hip enough to use the slang it was all in good fun. Only Imus knows what his intent was. Imus has a certain folksy appeal to the common man; he is hip enough to be relevant on the coasts and down to earth enough to be embraced by everyone in between. On the 16th of this month, Imus will be suspended for two weeks. This will all blow over by May and Imus will be a lot more PC on his show.

Changing ones racist attitudes to something more enlighten is growth for humanity. When the icon for a subservient black man becomes the a CEO of his company, this is something that I endorse this whole heartily. I have written about how I feel about Uncle Ben, his image, its legacy and its place in modern society. This is a brilliant marketing ploy by the Uncle Ben people. I write about Uncle Ben while commenting on Imus because there is some common ground. The Uncle Ben people realize that times have changed. That is becoming pretty clear to Imus about now. Racism, even in subtle forms, isn’t as acceptable as it used to be and this is progress in a positive way. I hold the rice company in greater esteem because they are making an effort in addressing what COULD BE PERCEIVED as a racist notion. I am already used to Uncle Ben as the CEO and I can accept that he is, as I would hope that most of America can accept this fictional character as an American icon.

Although I doubt it but I maybe wrong about Imus and maybe he is not a racist. I like him, I watch him and I am convinced that he is very sorry about what he said. I think that the racist in Imus, the radio personality, will remain on the radio and cable networks. Like Uncle Ben, the two can overcome racist labels and ascend to a better place. America doesn’t care enough about Imus to get him fired and he is one of few audience draws for the number deficient MSNBC.

Update
OK, so I was wrong about all of this blowing over. This does get the subject of race debated and that is never a bad thing to have a discourse on that. The fact that Imus got on Rev. Al Sharpton’s radio show was in itself not a bad thing. Except for the fact that it is Rev Al’s show! Yes, Imus could learn a thing or two from Rev Al; he is the master of reinvention. I don’t want to make this about the Rev. but I lived in NYC during the Tawana Brawly, Howard Beach and the rest of those divisive racist events that Rev. Sharpton stirred up. Good for him to be outraged about Howard Beach, I was too! Least any of us forget that shameful debacle around the Brawley case that he was right in the middle of and it will haunt him forever. What about all the lives he has impacted in an incredibly negative way? The image of him wearing those tacky sweats suits, the big medallion and that “hair don’t” will always be one that lingers in my head. Now that he has matured into the nation stage of politics I am impressed with his makeover. I agree with the person who bloged this comment in the NYTs “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Can you say Tawana Brawley, Rev. Sharpton? Any regular listener knows Imus is no racist. He mostly abhors stupidity. He was wrong here and admits it. He makes no excuses. I say he deserves a second chance.”
I remember the 80’s Rev Sharpton and I have given him a second chance! Even if he has never apologised for his well meaning yet disgraceful behavior “back in the day.”