lauraclay

Alright, so it's always been an issue, but now it's even bigger in the news thanks to Imus. People are talking about censoring every song, Russell Simmons is talking about eliminating '******' 'bitch' and 'ho' from every radio song, and it makes you think. Should we? I don't think it's the words that need to be censored, I don't think anything should be censored. But I think some views need to be altered. I don't think it's the words that hurt, I think it's the ideas behind them. We can't censor ideas, so what does it matter what words are used? Maybe they don't look on women in the most favorable light, but who's fault is that? I think it's ours, for letting them. Marches in the street and picketing signs aren't going to fix it. Women advancing in the world and not making it a crusade will change things. I think women like Condi and Oprah have done more for the world than anyone on the streets yelling about how women must rise above.

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The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish,
and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.

The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits.
When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.

The purpose of words is to convey ideas.
When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words?
He is the one I would like to talk to.

George

So what can we do?

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lauraclay

What should we do? Maybe because I'm from a small white Christian town, I don't really ever feel offended by that stuff. I mean, I find songs about shaking your money maker, lol, obnoxious and annoying, but I look down on whoever's singing it. I don't think women as a group are offended. And if we do censor it, who decides? A stuffy old white man in a suit?

__________________

The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish,
and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.

The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits.
When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.

The purpose of words is to convey ideas.
When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words?
He is the one I would like to talk to.

jaej

I don't think anything needs to be censored, nor should it. Stuff like what happened with Don Imus is always going to happen, no matter how progressed a society is. Should people's right to free speech be restricted because of the potential it has to 'harm' someone? Absolutely not. What people need to realize is that an off-center comment or two doesn't make someone a racist. Sure, Imus had more than a few, but he also did a lot of charity work. No one's perfect. If it's okay to say in rap music, what makes it not okay to say on the radio? The person saying it? If that's the case, the people who are 'offended', and I put that in quotes because any case of someone being offended is almost certainly a publicity stunt, need to realize that they don't mean it.

I use racial slurs all the time. They're in jest, but you could certainly make the arguement that I shouldn't say them, because it's uncouth and unnecessary. Does it make me racist? Absolutely not.

Porchmonkey 4 life

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lauraclay

Define racism.

__________________

The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish,
and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.

The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits.
When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.

The purpose of words is to convey ideas.
When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words?
He is the one I would like to talk to.

jaej

rac·ism
–noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

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lauraclay

So when do you use racial slurs that don't promote the belief that a different race has a different status?

__________________

The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish,
and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.

The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits.
When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.

The purpose of words is to convey ideas.
When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words?
He is the one I would like to talk to.

jaej

As I was saying before, and as you said too, it's not the word in itself that is racist. It's the idea behind it, and the motive with which it's said. I thought you would know that, since it's pretty much what you said earlier..

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The An-Jel

Sensationalism = money and everyone in the entertainment business knows it. They pick on certain folks like Imus and let others get away with it. Either way it calls attention to the music and all the lil teeny boppers come a runnin' cause it's con-tro-versial, rebellious, and sex-laden. Betcha if Paris Hilton said something stupid like Imus not a single person would have raised an eyebrow.

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lauraclay

I agree. All you hear is how hip-hop is so 'honest' and they're just telling a story, or expressing how they feel. But most of the hip-hop songs I hear nowadays are about sex and girls who can dance. I don't really get the import.

Just because it's the idea that's wrong and not the words doesn't mean the words should be commonly used. Or if they are, at least own up to what they mean.

__________________

The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish,
and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.

The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits.
When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.

The purpose of words is to convey ideas.
When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words?
He is the one I would like to talk to.