I’m happy to mention in this post a bit about Mr. Russell Simmons. Many may think of him and remember Def Jam Records or HBO's "Def Comedy Jam." Some might even recall that he created Rush Communications. To say that he is a leader in the Black African American community and a positive force in entertainment may be short-sighted. I have great respect for his accomplishments and determination to prove that anyone, especially black and hispanic youth, can become more than just a statistic. Recently Mr. Simmons was honored for his work in another creation of his, the Hip-Hop Summit Action. To quote Mr. Simmons, “Whatever they can imagine for themselves they can accomplish," he said. "Anything you can dream about, you can do.” Why something as positive as these words and actions has not been spoken more about is troubling. I pose to the media that may view this, as well as to various entertainers I often find fault with, why is the only major coverage given to Black African Americans and Hispanics (other minorities are basically ignored in my opinion) when something has gone wrong or crimes committed?
Of course everything can’t be positive, I am dealing with the media and entertainment. I was raised and grew up in New York City. [Negative comments about NYC are generally from those who have never lived there as I’ve noticed and are summarily ignored by me in person. For this blog please say something relevant if you must detract the city.] Like many I know from the city, the lifestyles of ‘middle-America’ make little if no sense. Often in growing up, my friends and I would laugh at the depictions of schools and life in Smalltown USA, since they were so far removed from anything we had seen. Having traveled a great deal since then, both abroad and here in the nation, I have learned that some of the depictions of various television shows are not that far off. I still do not fully understand how people live like that, but that is just a personal adjustment.
I mention all of that to bring up this item, that parents are angered that a teacher allowed their children to see a video on “Faust”. The outrage was not that the children were to young to understand the material, they were between 1st and 3rd grade. It was not that they were being shown an opera. It was that the children had been shown something that had the devil (actually Mephistopheles but who needs details right?) in it and making a deal with a man. One parent stated, “Any adult with common sense would not think that video was appropriate for a young person to see. I'm not sure it's appropriate for a high school student.” Am I in the same country as these parents?
Faust is a classic. It is literary art. It is a tale of morality and let us not forget that the lead does not walk away happy at the end. Perhaps some of the children were too young, the principal thinks that 4th graders and above would have been better, but that isn’t the complaint. Considering the violence on television, even cartoons some ultra-conservative fanatical religious individuals consider too violent, I doubt the video was worse than Cops, 24, or ER depending on your view. [By the way anyone who is fanatical should be ignored in my opinion. Anyone so extreme as to be caught in tunnel-vision by their interpretation of anything is wrong. Human nature is flawed, as are our creations and interpretations. A fanatic jumps off a cliff because their belief says their deity will save them, a lunatic does so because they think they can fly (or their deity/pet/rock/ect said they could). While very different reasons, the lack or denial of acceptance of other ideas merits the same result. Not the best analogy but you get the idea that I am posing.]
I wonder how many of these parents let their kids watch Charmed, or Sabrina the teen aged witch, or Johnny Phantom (I think that’s the name, kids cartoon where the lead can turn intangible like a ghost). More to the point, a story will not turn you sweet little kid into a mass murderer like Gacy. Not if you are paying attention and interacting with your child. Please will someone remind people it is not the responsibility of media, nor any entertainer or form of entertainment, to give your child values. And faulting someone who is trying to expand the mind of a child with art and knowledge is not the answer. Art, and entertainment, should expand the mind of any participant. If it does not the effort has been wasted in my opinion. [Entertainers are not excused from acting responsibly though, children and adults still look to them for inspiration above and beyond their daily lives - see my post on NBA code for my thoughts on that.]
Somewhat in that vein of though is another question. If an actor, who may or may not be gay but advocates it, plays a straight character is there any effect. I’m serious. Think of any entertainer in any field. Does watching a film with Black African American or Hispanic actors as leads turn you into a black person? [Though considering the number of films hat have starred Black or Hispanic actors as leads you may think that Hollywood executives fall into this line of thinking.] Conversely does it make an Asian into a White person? I touch on this a bit in AOL creates gay music, entertainment or restriction?
It seems that some feel it can. Rev. Jason Janz, Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr, and others are protesting for that reason. I see no other cause to be alarmed by the actor’s, Mr. Chad Allen, portrayal. I haven’t seen the movie, another not in my interest zone, but I haven’t heard of anyone suddenly claiming a life-altering effect after seeing it (and if they did I would seriously have questions about that individual). I wonder if either of the reverends or others protesting this movie for this reason have ever rolled around in lettuce while having sex. I ask that because a famous and respected singer was alleged to do so in divorce papers presented in court some years ago, and I would imagine that unless these individuals were in a cave they have heard his music at some point over the last 30 years.
This is what I think, what do you think?
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