feasible_weasel wrote:but i can see this breeding alot of dangerous hidden hatred.
As do I.
When I first heard of big name Reggae artists being forced into signing the "Compassion Act" to be allowed to play a show,it really pissed me off.I just can't understand why or how battymen can get all in a huff about someone's spirtual beliefs.Granted,the lyrics are violent,and it is a known fact that battymen in yard will be beaten severely,or even killed(in rare cases).However,most of the stateside battymen are the one's causing the biggest blows to the Reggae community.Reggae clubs being shutdown because of complaints about Sizzla and Elephant Man tunes.My attitude is that if they don't like that message,they don't have to lisen.It may not necessarily be a "choice" to be a homosexual,but it is all about choice when it comes to listening to music.
Most people seem to think Reggae music is all about Bob Marley,one love,and smoking herbs.Reggae music is the musical equivalent of Southern Gospel music.And the true defenders of the Rasatfari faith have a very hard stance on the issue of homosexuality.Should society jail every Rastafarian for thier religious beliefs?I mean...it's already bad enough it is outlawed for them to indulge in thier holy sacrament of the Lamb's Bread,now the spiritual music can also be punishable by law?I sure don't hear anyone trying to ban or arrest Propaghandi,New Bomb Turks,and Pansy Division from saying what they have to say,even though some of it has
very anti-hetero messages behind it.
But even when rap/hiphop first came on the scene,gays tore it apart as being homophobic and "un-PC".Countless acts had to change thier lyrics,were sued,publicly reprimanded,and/or dropped from thier labels because of this.Gays aren't exactly accepted in the American black community either,for both religious and cultural reasons.Yet,walk through the Castro District of San Francisco(what most Rastafarians see as "America's Babylon"),and most of the clubs are spinning hiphop.Why is that?If it's so very anti-gay,then why play it?Because the DJ's know how to choose what doesn't offend them.
Again,it's all about choice.Just like I choose not to listen to Skrewdriver,because the concept of white supremecy/white power kind of offends me.But I wouldn't call for the arrest of the bands or fans of that music based on lyrics alone.Now if they burned a cross on my lawn or graffitti swastikas all over my front door,then there would be a serious problem.
