What Glen Beck learned from Gangsta Rap

By: Linda Gross

(This op ed piece launches a new series looking at local and national politics. We invite guest columnists and ask readers to weigh in on their thoughts as we head into the Fall. )

The rhetoric of politics will soon take center stage in our lives as we head into mid-term elections. And the question we ask readers this week is when does rhetoric become reactionary?

Remember the Gangsta rap of the 1990′s which was accused of inciting violence against a host of evils including policemen and women? And planting seeds in young people which lead to bad things for society?

Communities of God-fearing folk and the FCC stepped in and censored some of the most onerous speech. Maybe it’s time we look at the consequences of political rhetoric.

Last week a lone gunman in LA was stopped by a CHP offer before he was able to carry out his mission to kill folks at the Tides Foundation; an organization whose mission “is to partner with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the country and across the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected.”

It is one of those progressive organizations which some on the Right love to hate. Especially Glen Beck, the Fox News talk show host who included Tides in his flow chart of conspiracy theories about the Obama administration. He says they are “pulling the strings of the Obama organization.”

While gansta rap is an expression of anger and frustration over white America, personal injustices, wide scale discrimination and dealin’ with “the man,”  the political rhetoric of  Beck and others find their audience by creating demons out of  “the gov’mt”, an America of Color, and godless folks.

Both make BIG money off their ability to whip up an audience without much thought given to consequences.

However, it is the consequences, which prompt God-Fearing folks to lobby the FCC to put a lid on rap music, citing it “… uses language that actively incites crime, for example encouraging weapons use, spousal abuse or homophobic attacks. Secondly, it glorifies a lifestyle that is rich with imagery of criminality (e.g. gun use and drug dealing) and this sends out a subconscious but consistent message affirming criminality…

This last week, police arrested a man on an LA freeway who admitted he was on his way to kill people at the local ACLU and Tides offices. He repeated many of the “talking points” of the Glen Beck show in which Beck includes these two organizations in his Good-n-Evil flow Chart. Beck, who makes hay whipping up his audience with his conspiracy theories and self-serving vision of truth would make any gansta rapper proud.

That white boy is on steroids when it comes to rappin’ fever.

Consequences of our speech? Nonsense.

We want to hear from you this week. Let us know if you think political speech can cross the line to gangsta rap.