THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE QUESTION of local entertainers being criticised by overseas groups for lyrics which they contend are an incitement for violence against their membership brings into focus the acquiescence of a broad section of the Jamaican people to actions that tend to support criminality. The criticism is not to the right of the lyricist to voice his complaint against a particular lifestyle. The criticism concerns the artistes' incitement to kill and to harm.
The incitement to injury is not restricted to homosexuals it includes police informers, (persons who lodge statements with the police), babylon (policemen), heterosexuals who perform certain sex acts, and boys "whey nuh like we".
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
Corporate bodies support these artistes by sponsoring their shows and using them to advertise their products. An example, is the recent advertising campaign of a large mobile phone service provider, whose advertisement caused me to think that the arstistes in the commercial are using the cellular phone to plot the death of some 'informer' or 'b...y boy'.
Schools also invite these artistes to host functions and to address their students. Some universities have invited them to give lectures and participate in seminars.
The call to violence is sometimes explained away by saying that the language is merely figurative and ought not to be taken literally. The acceptance of these violent lyrics is demonstrative of the lack of accountability on the part of the individual citizen and corporate entity. Corporate Jamaica, for example, has a plethora of decent young sportsmen, musicians ,etc., with national and international recognition, that are more worthy salesmen of their products.
VIOLENT LYRICS
The acceptance of these violent lyrics, evidences the abandonment of certain core values that are necessary for the maintenance of a civilised society. It elevates 'bhuttoism' and crassness and goes towards making us one of the more 'crime-friendly' countries.
The solution is in each of our hands. It is in the interest of the artiste themselves to "teach dem to dance at home before they go abroad". It will not be long before some foreign police organisation, for example, discovers that the references to 'babylon' and 'informers' in these artistes' lyrics mean policemen and witnesses and that the artistes are promoting their death. These artistes will then find that civilised socities are much less accommodating of their incitement to murder than we are.
I am, etc.,
PETER CLARKE
lenmithcus@yahoo.com
