roundtable: Re: Gangsta Rap and the Public Interest(FWD:CITS)

roundtable: Re: Gangsta Rap and the Public Interest[FWD:CITS]

Re: Gangsta Rap and the Public Interest[FWD:CITS]

Ron Sasala, (sasala@osf.org)
Thu, 29 Jun 1995 09:46:12 -0400 

Message-Id: <199506291346.JAA08028@postman.osf.org>
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject: Re: Gangsta Rap and the Public Interest[FWD:CITS] 
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 28 Jun 1995 13:27:58 EDT."
             <199506281746.NAA02296@postman.osf.org> 
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 1995 09:46:12 -0400
From: "Ron Sasala, (617) 621-7320, DCE,  Hi, there" <sasala@osf.org>


Jeff Briggs writes:
> 
> Faye Anderson's comment re "Gangsta Rap" is a surface analysis that
> doesn't begin to penetrate to the true cynical nature of American
> corporate mass media. This art form does in fact demean women, and it
> also gives voice to social frustration. But as far as the media being
> "corporate good citizens" - give me a break.
> 
>      The American mass media is a means of control. It is an un-
> conscious self-portrait of the corporate forces that control it - forces
> that have dispensed with any recognizable human values in place of
> exploitation of the populace for profit, with the concomitant political
> spin doctors telling us what to believe in matters of public policy.
> 
>      The American people need to take control of their mass media.
> How? That is a matter of debate. The emergence of the media as the

I would like to broach the idea of responsibility. This will probably
invoke lots of venom, but if a seed can be planted that begins growing,
it is well worth it.

I believe that the people described in the second paragraph of the 
'Original message' set of bits/inkspots are criminals that are as 
guilty of the consequences of their actions as the person who drives 
the getaway car for a bank robbery. They are vicious criminals, repeat 
offenders, who are robbing the public of values, money, and more 
importantly, lives.  They should be brought to justice.

Until we realize this and begin to prosecute these criminal acts, our
society will continue its downward slide. It has become a slippery-creek
bank and everyone is slipping in. 

I intend this to be short and am not submitting a theology document on
mass media and cultural slide, etc.. I simply want to broach an idea 
that I have been promoting and which is beginning to catch on.

There are no first-amendment rights being broached by this idea. 
Criminals simply don't have any. They forfeit them. 

Ron

Ron Sasala
sasala@osf.org

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