Excuse The Rappers; Blame Beck Instead
by Big Dog on Apr 8, 2009 at 05:10 Political
I wrote yesterday about the liberal left and its assertions that people like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity incite people to murder. The feeling of those on the left is that the “hate” speech of these talk show hosts incites people to go out and commit crimes, particularly murder. This is not a new thing as Bill Clinton tried to blame the Oklahoma City bombing on Rush Limbaugh instead of on Timothy McVeigh. The left looks everywhere to find someone to blame except the person who actually committed the crime.
The issue now is the death of three police officers in Pittsburgh who were murdered by some guy who was reportedly worried that Obama would take guns away. I have no doubt that Obama would like to do away with guns but this guy went about expressing his concern the wrong way. But he, and only he, is to blame for this terrible crime.
The rap world is full of gang bangers who sing about killing, shooting and all kinds of violence toward women and the public in general. In 1992 a song came out entitled Cop Killer. It was by a group called Body Count (with Ice T) and it was about a person who was fed up with police brutality so he took matters into his own hands. This is the first part of the song:
I got my black shirt on.
I got my black gloves on.
I got my ski mask on.
This sh*ts been too long.
I got my twelve gauge sawed off.
I got my headlights turned off.
Im bout to bust some shots off.
Im bout to dust some cops off.Im a cop killer, better you than me.
Cop killer, f**k police brutality!
Cop killer, I know your familys grieving,
(f**k em!)
Cop killer, but tonight we get even, ha ha.
Lyrics Freak
There was an uproar about this song. Police survivor groups were not happy with it but there were those who defended it particularly against the tighty whitey George H W Bush administration and their political correctness.
For what its worth I don’t care about the song. The radio has a lot of stations and I know how to work the dial and no one was ever forced to buy it. However, the question is, does not this kind of music actually, directly, incite violence against cops?
People can claim that the conservative talkers play on the emotions and fears of people and put suggestions in their heads about becoming violent. I do not see it that way. These people are not causing anyone to commit crimes. If people are doing this they are doing so on their own. I don’t believe that there are veiled messages of hate and violence from conservative talkers any more than I think Obama is sending veiled messages of violence to people he tells to get in their faces, channel their anger, or if they bring a knife he [Obama] brings a gun because they like to brawl in Philly (which is actually what they did to intimidate voters in that city).
Should we claim that Obama caused Black Panthers to stand in front of polling places with night sticks to intimidate people? If Beck and the others are responsible for the recent violence then Obama is responsible for the actions of those who threaten violence in order to help him.
Should we now start blaming Hollywood and its assorted liberal actors who perfrom in violent movies that feature a lot of people, including cops, being killed. If conservative talkers are responsible for violence then the Hollywood crowd certainly shoulders the burden of blame for violence because a lot of their movies have overt acts of aggression. Where was the liberal uproar when the film about George W Bush being assassinated was released? That certainly gave a message of violence and could have triggered all kinds of violent behavior.
People are responsible for their own actions. I know this is a difficult concept for the left because they always have to have someone to blame. There always has to be a victim class and there always has to be some evil person (usually Republican) who is to blame for it. Personal responsibility is not a strong suit of the left as finger pointing is their favorite past time.
Regardless, if conservative talkers have any blame for these acts of violence then rappers share that blame as does Barack Obama. We cannot have two sets of rules. If veiled messages from conservative talkers cause violence then the same kind of messages from Obama cause violence. If these are true then the blatant call for violence from rappers is definitely to blame for violence as is the overt violence in Hollywood productions. When a guy like 50 Cent is worshiped by young kids because he was shot 9 times then there is a problem that reaches far beyond anything conservative talkers say.
It is a tragedy that the people in Oakland, Pittsburgh and New York were murdered but the only people responsible for the deaths are the people who did the murdering.
Let’s stop the finger pointing and let’s stop trying to affix blame to people who are not responsible.
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Tags: cop killer, glenn beck, hollywood, ice t, murder, Obama, rap, Rush Limbaugh, sean hannity, violence
Yes music and movies can be somewhat responsible for violence, but as I stated earlier you are mixing up two different levels of things. Art is not the news. People trust the news and the media in the US just lets us down time and again.
Music and movies are not responsible for violence. People are responsible for violence. I think you are completely missing the point. Movies and music may have scenes or lyrics containing violent images or words but they do not cause anyone to do anything and in and of themselves are completely harmless. It is only when someone, trying to negate their own personal responsibility and choices, use those images or words as excuses for their own actions that people get the idea that these things cause violence.
Perhaps we should blame the people violating our Constitution and creating a government no longer of, by, and for the people but to control, tax, and punish the people. The radical ideas and suggestions by this administration is creating fear and dissonance and laying the foundation for such violent acts. Can we then place the blame on them?
Nobody but the one who pulled the trigger can be blamed. I’ve always been against these goverment panels trying to label music/movies/video games as something that would cause a kid to go out and kill somebody. The same is true for the likes of Glenn Beck. He isn’t to blame for this and those pushing this idea know it. It is just thier pathetic attempt at getting him off the air.
I’m not arguing that Glenn Beck caused that guy in Pittsburgh to shoot those cops. I’m not blaming him either. I am arguing that he encouraged it with a wink and a nod. If he were the KKK or a neo nazi this would be a different argument entirely, but he’s not. He’s a voice on a mainstream news media outlet. Adam certainly has a valid point in bringing that up.
We aren’t talking about rules here we are talking about being reckless.
Look Randy, Beck is an opinion guy- he puts his bias or spin or whatever yjou wish to call it on the events of the day or week. That’s O- everybody has an opinion, and as George Carlin pointed out, there is an on/ off button, as well as channel changers. Some people will be drawn to Glenn Beck- I believe that he is a great entertainer, and if you listen, you might even pick up something worthwhile.
Remember the ’49ers? Not the football team, the actuall gold miners? When they panned for gold, they didn’t always get a whole panful, but if they were patient, they came away with something of value.
Such is the world of punditry, including this site. Perhaps you agree, perhaps not, bubt vigorous debate can do no less than stir some brain cells out of a complacent stupor- this is, as Martha Stewart might say, a good thing.
So don’t put Beck down so readily, unless you are reading secret meanings into his love for sweets, or the way he cocks an eyebrow, or any other thing you might latch onto. He is just a pundit. Don’t like him? Turn to Thrill up my leg” Matthews, or Olbermann, or any of the others- there are many.
Who reaches more people, Beck or Obama? The Obamabots saying we don’t want to fight until we have an army. Obama talking about anger. I know what he meant but that does not mean his words don’t suggest things to others.
It is just a matter of how people interpret it. I don’t see anything wrong with either but then again, I don’t have follow, I lead.
All liberals are going to come against the conservative talk show hosts as they can’t stand for anyone to come against them. So far, we do still have free speech in America, but their code is that it is okay for whatever they have to say, but please shut up the conservatives. This is just as bad as Obama making apologies to foreign countries about all of America’s mistakes, and telling the Muslims we will never war against them. PLEASE DON’T MAKE APOLOGIES FOR ME. I will apologize to those I think I should and not to those trying to destroy America.
I know Barbara – That was totally disgusting to me. Running around blaming our country and calling us arrogant and derisive. And then to bow down to a foreign leader? I think this man is an embarassment to this country and certainly to the office he holds.
Bottom line- people are responsible for their own actions, and to blame directly or indirectly some other source, like Glenn Beck, is in effect, saying that your mind is too weak to decide on your own what you will do. From about the age of nine, children know what is right and wrong- even TV has countless examples on children’s shows, the question exists- how to make them use that knowledge to society’s benefit, and it is NOT with the threat of a “timeout”.
Cause and effect works on even animals (see: Pavlov), so real punishment works in most cases- that is, if you apply the punishment in a logical fashion.
“And then to bow down to a foreign leader? I think this man is an embarassment to this country and certainly to the office he holds.”
Yeah, he should have just held hands and kissed him instead. That’d show ol’ King Abdullah who’s boss! Dope.