Rap and Race: The Reaction

It’s not surprising that Ice-T, Sister Souljah and other rappers and rockers express far-out, shocking attitudes and opinions. Rebellion against authority and perceived or imagined injustices is a normal part of being young.

What’s surprising is that the media continue to fall all over themselves to report and glorify the outrageous and often infantile messages of these heretofore virtually unknown performers.

Why not just ignore these extremes and simply give these angry kids a chance to grow up? As they mature, most of them will come to realize that the enemy is not really a given race or group, that good and bad people are to be found everywhere and that even if we cannot instantaneously eliminate injustice, each of us can do his or her part by treating all people fairly and equally.

The key word is not race. It’s humanity.

GORDON HEARNE

Encino