As if homophobia and sexism are not wide spread enough, the National Academy of Arts and Sciences recently decided to add Eminem to its line-up of prestigious, or formerly prestigious, award nominees.
Everyone who has followed today?s music scene would know that Eminem has promoted hatred towards females and non-heterosexuals. The upheaval only helped Eminem to feed the hatred in the buyers? minds. All in the name of making the extra cent.
Eminem uses the First Amendment as a fallback to protect the rapper?s low lyrics. Everyone is entitled to freedom of speech, but where do we draw the line? I find it hard to respect Eminem?s constitutional rights when he is singing about holding gay people at ?knifepoint.?
I consider that remark more of a mass verbal assault than an opinion.
Eminem?s right to insult is arguable. However, the Grammy?s decision to nominate him as an ?artist? is not only wrong, but is also a direct threat from the Academy to women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals everywhere. Promoting bigotry is just as bad as being a bigot. The Academy seems to be forgetting what cannot, and ultimately should not, escape us with ease. The fact is that Eminem is spreading sexism and homophobia.
Bigotry in any form should not be accepted, let alone praised. I am amazed that the Academy is willing to praise a record that promotes rape, violence and gay-bashing because the songs are catchy.
Should I forget the fact that Eminem hates me because who I fall in love with happens to be of the same sex and then marvel at the mastery of his supposed creativity? Should we ignore the fact that MTV and mainstream radio are blasting messages that might compromise my security because Eminem is the ?in? thing?
No. We have gone past the days of prejudice and here we are at the start of a new world of embracing differences. Call me crazy, but I refuse to shut up and put up every time some sordid radio station decides to play Eminem exclaiming:
?Whether you?re a fag or lez/Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/Pants or dress ? hate fags? The answer?s ?yes.??
Who am I kidding? This hatemonger jabs with his prejudices at people who are different than the social norm. I am sorry, but Eminem is no different than a white supremacist. They?re all feeding the machine of hatred. Whether you like it or not, the content is part of the package.
You wouldn?t listen to a Neo-Nazi band singing about killing everyone who isn?t white and violently raping women, and then turn around and say ?Oh, but they had nice guitar strums.? Would you?