What Caught My Eye Today
Jamaica - Jamaica's Broadcasting Commission banned all explicit references to sex and violence in songs and videos aired on radio or television. No sex or violence--what does that leave remaining on the playlist? I suspect not much. The government previously banned "dancehall" music and videos taht show "daggering," a grinding, pelvic-thrusting dance that is popular with young Jamaicans (and horny teenagers in every other country on the planet). The edict effectively bans American hip hop and Trinidadian soca music. This is Jamaica we're talking about, right? Whatever happened to the glory days of rastas and reefer madness? This is a sad day, my friends. A sad, sad day, indeed.
Good Samaritanism - This next item just ain't right. A Colorado man who was run over while helping two elderly women cross a road has been ticketed for jaywalking. The man was hit by a truck when he ran to assist the two women shuffling across a busy intersection. He is now in intensive care with internal injuries--and a $22 jaywalking ticket. A state trooper commented, "We understand [he] was doing something with great intentions, but it was still dangerous for anyone to be in the road." So I guess the lesson learned here is next time you see a little old lady wandering across a busy intersection, let the old bag fend for herself. You need to obey the law.
Education - I'm all for prompting self-esteem among our nation's youth, but this is ridiculous. A middle school in San Diego has enrolled 34 native Spanish speakers in the school's Advanced Placement Spanish class. Come again? The students were raised speaking Spanish, but the school principal says that the high marks the students achieve in the AP class help them feel good about themselves. That's right. Nothing like a bogus freebie to instill a sound work ethic. I can see it now--some student bitching about a lousy grade in Math..."But, teach. It's not my fault I got a D on the last test. I don't speak Math."
Numismatics -- What, you are probably asking yourself are numismatics? This story should give you a clue. Otherwise, you'll just have to look it up. The U.S. Mint launched a quarter featuring Duke Ellington, making him the first African American to appear solo on a circulating U.S. coin. The coin is the latest addition to the popular 50 State Quarter series. Representing the District of Columbia, it depicts Ellington at his piano. D.C. is getting a lot of press these days. Senator Joe Lieberman has introduced a bill to give the District of Columbia a seat in the House of Representatives (along with provisions to give another seat to Utah) and now they're getting a quarter. Not bad for a jurisdiction that the U.S. Constitution specifically says is not a state. So did you figure it out yet? Numismatics is the study or collection of currency.
2 comments:
I have distinctly mixed feelings about the Jamaican music story, Fred. I recognize the threat to civil liberties involved in banning certain lyrics (and let's be clear here, the ban is because of the lyrics, not the music).
However, this is an island which has a big problem with homophobia and homophobic violence. I've heard some of the lyrics that glorify such homophobic violence, and arguably legitimize it. As far as I know, Jamaica remains a place where gays come out at very real risk of physical attack.
If you accept that a line needs to be drawn, wherever you draw it infringes some freedom of speech; if you believe that no line may be drawn, does that mean a green light for all lyrics: homophobic, sexist, racist?
I'm not concerned about the "dirty dancing", which you rightly say happens in different guises the world over. But advocating or glorifying violence against people who happen to be different? I think that's another thing entirely.
Here's a relatively tame example, from Bedroom Slaughteration by
Vybz Kartel:
Bow cat, sodomite, batty man fi gat assassination (Yeah)
translating the Jamaican patois into English:
Oral sexer, lesbian and queer must be assassinated (Yeah)
I don't know if this is the sort of song banned by JBC now - but if it is, are you sure it's a sad day?
Hi Rod,
I see your point. Freedom of speech has to be protected, but with that freedom comes some responsibility. I think the translation you provided is pretty indicative of abusing that freedom. Perhaps the real sadness here is how some have chosen to exercise their freedom of speech.
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