Free Speech and Responsibility

There has been a lot of talk lately about free speech and racism, from the Don Imus story to rap and hip-hop lyrics. We have seen Imus fired, after the public outcry at his remarks, and some in the rap music industry have been fired as well. This is the wrong way to handle the situation that our society has gotten itself into. We cannot go around and fire, or ostracize everyone who says something that we disagree with. If this happens we will all too soon lose our rights to free speech. Censorship is not the cure. That would only promote further outrage, and more distasteful content.

What we as a whole need to start doing, is taking on a little more self-responsibility. The lack of responsibility is what has led to most of the racial remarks, degrading comments, drug references, and general hatred that we hear so much everyday. Instead of taking care of these issues ourselves, we look to public figures and the government to solve them for us. All this does is cover up the real issue and potentially make things worse. Take the issue of kids and music for example. We all know that kids have a tendency to rebel, especially against the government, or a higher authority. Combine that with the music that many of them listen to, the talk of beating women, shooting cops, using and selling drugs, and so on, and we have a problem. I know that this is not anything new, but our society is reaching a breaking point on this issue. Now we must choose. Do we lose our right to free speech, or do we look at ourselves, and our families to take on the responsibility to be better Americans? I for one choose the latter.

I understand that a lot of musicians sing about what they have gone through, and where they came from. So, why not sing more about how to cure the problems in the streets, rather than promote them. Music is a powerful thing, it influences many lives, and therefore musicians have an added responsibility. They want the fame and the popularity, so then need to watch out for their audience. Recently some artists have decided to start "cleaning up their act's" and I hope that they hold true to that. Our future, and our freedom just may very well be in their hands.