"You've heard about him, now see him," touts the print newspaper advertisement this week for the Pay-Per-View Eminem concert on cable television on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Parents, are your kids listening to Eminem?
I'm writing to parents who may not have heard about this popular rapper. If your child wants to take in his concert on television on Saturday, consider this: Although Eminem won a Grammy award last year, that does not make him worthy of the adulation he is getting and the money he is making.
Have you heard that he recites rhymes about acts of violence, especially sexual violence, against women? Have you heard some his lyrics, such as, "My little sister's birthday, she'll remember me / For a gift, I had 10 of my boys take her virginity"? Have you heard the names that he calls women? That he chants of raping his mother and killing his wife? That he gives gays equal treatment as he sings of beating them and leaving them for dead?
Eminem, who is white, claims to have some moral sense in that he has vowed never to use the "n" word for blacks, maintaining he wants to break down racial stereotypes. Maybe he does, but maybe he is a savvy business person who wanted to break into the megabuck rap music industry, which was originally black. People used to refrain from criticizing black rappers as being sexists and homophobes because they wanted to avoid being accused of racism.
I have no qualms about blurring my liberal sensibilities when it comes to urging parents not to support music monetarily that glorifies hatred of women and gays. The goofy grunge bands that I still enjoy sing for social change.
Parents, be aware of whom your kids may be listening to. This young man, Eminem, may just be an American showman marketing whatever sells and laughing all the way to his broker. But it is repugnant that our kids can now see him as well as hear him for $19.95 on Pay-Per-View television. I hope that the Virgin Islands does not have a high number of subscribers for this transmission.
Betty Story
St. Thomas
