A right decision

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For once it seems common sense and a feeling of moral wrong-doing has prompted a correct decision.

The Mobo Awards list for 2004 included artists ( I use the term artist loosely here)'The Elephant' Man and 'Vybz Kartel' both of which have produced lyrics of homophobic content and in the case of one, lyrics promoting the killing of homosexuals!

The gay rights group Outrage!, among others, called for these artists to have their nominations for this years awards removed and the BBC agreed not to broadcast lyrics with this content. The usual arguments ensued with the artists promoters claiming the lyrics in question where earlier in the careers of those involved and more recent content was of an acceptable nature.

Is it relevant that now, doubtless having suffered previous negative reaction and the attendant economic fallout, these individuals have had a change of direction. In my opinion it is not. The tracks concerned are still available and the damage done, this is likely to be merely a decision taken on the grounds of economics alone and not a genuine change of heart.

These people carry the inherent responsibility that comes with being in the public domain, or at least they should. Their audience is in the main young people, still formulating opinions and to witness individuals they admire condoning such heinous behaviors and thinking has the possibility of very serious consequences. I do not think for one minute that every teenager listening to one of these tracks will immediately go out and commit a crime of this nature but I do think it has the likelihood of instilling in some, that homophobic attitudes are acceptable or even 'savvy'.

We should not be encouraging anyone, in any manner, to think that prejudice of any kind, is in any way, acceptable and yesterday it was agreed by those within Mobo to remove these artists from the list of nominations.....bravo Mobo! a good call in my opinion. The industry should be sending a message that it will not reward people for such appalling displays of hatred not reinforcing them, in this instance they got it right and hopefully in the future others will follow suit.

I do not pretend to be familiar with these artists, I am way too old for that but even the name 'Elephant Man' I find offensive, no doubt the A&R people will have an excuse for that too, but for me, to choose a name with such sad connotations is in itself unacceptable and indicative of the mentality we are dealing with here.

Yes I would defend the right to free speech for all, and defend it fervently but where the speech is coming from a source so obviously ignorant and misguided we have a duty to silence it or at the very least not encourage and reward it.

One last thought, both the individuals concerned are black and by virtue of that have sadly perhaps suffered prejudice at some time in their own lives. Should they not therefore have a good understanding of the pain caused by such ignorance and would they not be outraged themselves, and rightly so, at a band or any other individual or group of people inciting racial hatred?