Political Frenzy

Uncle Roger just won’t leave me alone! Hey, you other people who read this site, email me a little too!

Dear Attack, Can you explain the difference of what Don Imus said and what the top 10 rap records say every day? Are white people the only racists?

Don Imus, radio personality and generally the anti-Howard Stern, is a satirist who I am, admittedly, not familiar with. But he did recently make headlines by, in jest, describing Rutgers University NCAA women’s basketball players “nappy headed hos” and saying they looked “rough”. He apologized four days ago for the comment, calling it “insensitive” and “ill-concieved”.

It was just that, insensitive and ill-concieved, and I don’t really find the humor in insulting a group of college athletes, especially ones who performed so well this last season. Attacking them on two levels - being black (nappy-headed) and being women (hos) - on things that are not a fault nor in their control is just shock ‘humor’ and the mark of a truly unoriginal and unfunny man. I certainly don’t think this remark is worthy of the outrage it has incited. I urge everyone to pity the poor ignorant and idiotic Imus.

As for the rap records, I’m not sure what rap you’re listening to at all. But here are excerpts from some of the top-charting rap songs in recent times:

Now little lisa is only 9 years old
Shes tryin to figure out why the world is so cold
Why shes all all alone and they never met her family
Mamas always gone and she never met her daddy
Part of her is missin and nobody will listenin
Mama is on drugs gettin high up in the kitchen
Bringin home men at different hours of the night
Startin with laughs–usually endin in a fight

…

Lisa is stuck up in the world on her own
Forced to think that hell is a place called home
Nothin else to do but some get some clothes and pack
She says shes bout to run away and never come back.
“Runaway Love” by Ludacris, peaked at #2 on charts

Me and your daughter
Got a special thang goin on
You say it’s puppy love
We say it’s full grown
Hope that we feel this
Feel this way forever
You could plan a pretty picnic
But you can’t predict the weather, Ms. Jackson
“Ms Jackson” by Outkast, peaked at #1 on charts

Windmill windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all it on your stride
It is ticking falling down
Love forever love is free
Let’s turn forever you and me
windmill windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
“Feel Good Inc.” by The Gorillaz, maintained #1 on American charts for 8 weeks

It is a misconception by many that rap is somehow either A) self-destructive as a tool used by minorities and effectively self-oppresses or B) is anti-white. This is most often claimed by those who don’t listen to the music. Many amazing and creative artists - such as the late Tupac Shakur, the very much alive Andre Benjamin, the very mature Del the Funky Homo sapien, and puerile Ludacris - are creating truly beautiful works of art. For the true music lover, I highly recommend the albums “Demon Days” by the Gorillaz and “Stankonia” by Outkast.

Admittedly the current holder of the number one spot on the rap charts, “This Is Why I’m Hot” by Mims, is a shallow piece of work with lyrical content that is just a clone of every damn thing Snoop Dogg ever came out with in the 90s, except without the drug content. It also lacks any musicianship at all. But that’s pop! You get a lot of cruddy clones of something someone made popular a long time ago. Even in this song’s lyrics, however, there’s nothing really racially charged about it, except maybe the use of the word “nigga” to refer to all men - which is an entirely different issue. But as far as making pejorative remarks and singling out a race, this song is harmless.

For more eclectic tastes and adventurous spirit, Uncle Roger, the truly ingenious fusion of rapper Del, and producers Dan the Automater and Kid Koala resulted in one of the most amazing albums ever created. “Deltron 3030″ is a hip-hop album where every sound has been specifically crafted by the hands of Dan and Koala to create a futuristic cityscape of debauchery and governmental decay, and Del the Funky Homo sapien weaves a story through his lyrics of a single man who takes on the mission of restoring democracy to the galactic empire in the year of 3030 AD.

It’s easy to make judgments about that which you know little about.

On Australia’s satirical comedy, “The Chaser’s War on Everything”, which people all over the world view from their podcasts, a fake reporting team went around the United States asking simple questions about world politics and asking them to mark on a map every country they thought would be the next place to invade. The results were shocking. When asked what religion Israel was, “Christian” or “Muslim” was the answer most of the time. When asked to place flags on an altered map, most people went straight for Australia, which had been re-labeled “Iran” - or once “North Korea” with Tazmania taking on the role of “South Korea”. Some people picked countries they’d never heard of to be the next location of American bombs.

Across the United States people lied to the Australian comedian’s face as he told them he was Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and asked if they’d seen him on television. One woman said yes. Many others gave him condescending remarks.

Now, obviously, myself living in the United States, I can say for certain that these kinds of people are not the only kind of people in the United States - with the power of computers they edited away any correct responses. But sadly, ignorance is the majority. A scary thought in a democracy, as that means we can easily elect ignorance.

The most terrifying part is the backslide from the War of Independence in what we want from a leader. It used to be that the more intellectual and brilliant a man seemed, the more likely he was to become elected. Now we elect those who seem “just like us!” Clinton got the White House because he played saxophone, and George W. Bush has it because he can’t assemble a decent sentence without an instruction guide.

Scary that people want a President who’s only as smart as they are, and this is the best that registered voting Americans can do.

Believe me, I have mixed feelings about the American populist movement now. Of course I think we need someone in office who has had similar experiences to us, someone who understands what it means for Americans to live daily life. We can’t afford another richboy Prince. But if the only people we’re willing to elect can’t name a country that begins with “U”, and doesn’t know what currency they use in the United Kingdom, we are toast.

Catch the video below.
EDIT: This video has been removed from YouTube… odd. I wonder why…

United States, Australia, George W. Bush, Satire, The Chaser’s War on Everything