Let's Pull the Culture Out Of The Toilet

Spinks, a blogger in new Brunswick has launched a really interesting project called 101 People Who Are Screwing Up Canada. This is based on US author Bernard Goldberg's book released last year called 101 people who are screwing up America. However, unlike Goldberg's book, this project is non partisan insofar as those pegged as national disgraces are nailed not on the basis of partisan affiliation, but rather to the degree that they contribute to the culture of corruption, sloth or bringing the arts and pop culture into the toilet, rather than elevating it.

Spinks called on visitors to his main blog, Spinkaboutit to send in their nominations as to whom they thought were screwing up the country, and their reasons why the persons should receive such a dubious distinction. Though he read teh suggestions, since it was his blog the final decisions remained his alone. I've been following the project since the beginning and have found it refreshing that someone is finally calling those who drag us into the gutter on their actions, attitudes and behaviour.

The latest entry was #64, Nelly Furtado. To get the lowdown on why she was nominated, you'll have to go to the site and see for yourself. The comments on this one have been particularly animated. However, what struck me most about those who defended Ms Furtado's tawdriness and cultural bottomfeeding was not that they accepted her message. That goes without saying. It was the butchery of the English language, which has stemmed from the hip hop movement.

Memo to hip-hoppers: The Queen's English is still the passport to a future.

Alot, even most pop music out there promotes sex outside of marriage by passing it off as normal, acceptable behaviour, and that's just your mainstream pop. Hip hop pushes the envelope even further. I won't even venture into gangsta rap. Lets just look at one song that was getting alot of play last year: Dontcha by the Pussycat Dolls. Innocent sounding name, but a word of warning, the lyrics I've linked to are extremely graphic, and they've sent the English language through the woodchipper. However, our children are listening to this. I have heard it, usually in clothing stores where they have the pop/hip hop stations on, and was nearly sick.Teen girls shop at these stores. Young children wait as their mothers try on clothes, and are exposed to this filth. Hip hop culture is the ultimate degradation and commodification of women and girls. It is aimed at 12-25 year olds. The sexual content is one thing, but the way these hip-hoppers use the "N" word is beyond all comprehension. Hip-hop culture is an affront to black people who are part of mainstream society, and do not want to be identified with gangsta and rap culture, which, incidentally, is a business, kept afloat by money spent mainly by..... white teenagers.

It is incumbent on every parent to know what's going on out there. This cannot be written off as "this generation's Rock & Roll". I have heard so many people say "Our parents got upset over Elvis, so what's the big deal?" read the lyrics, read and listen to the way they express themselves. Libertarians will tell you that "if you don't like it, just don't listen to it!", but that is easier said than done, since it is being played in public almost everywhere. I've told Bell Express Vu that I would not subscribe to their package that contains Much Music and Musique Plus because I won't allow that filth to be pumped int my home. To permit it is like opening your door and allowing people to come in and defecate on your carpet, only these people are defecating in your children's brains!
Parents need to act as censors. You need to know and control what's on your daughter's MP3 player. You do have the authority, and only one chance to raise your children. Use it. But be prepared to explain why, and face opposition, but ultimately the authority is in your hands. In the case of younger children, it is you the parent who controls the pursestrings. Do not allow them to buy trashy music, or watch trashy MTV.

You must also lead the way by showing them that there's an alternative. Expose them to quality music, the kind that will still be around hundreds of yeas from now. There is pleanty of new and innovative classical music being written today. Sting, Paul McCartney, and Tony Banks have all moved on to writing and performing this genre of music. If you play classical music around the house from time to time, the kids will at least be exposed to it and appreciate it later on in life. Another solution is Christian contemporary music. This encompasses all major genres of music today, from hip-hop/R&B style (Out od Eden, DC Talk, Tait, Zoegirl) to punk/alternative (Switchfoot, Rebecca St james etc), Country, pop, rock and more. Here is a list that will help you and your child find positive music that is to their liking. I am not knocking all secular music, but I am offering a viable option that kids actually like. But when it comes to secular music, discernment is the highest priority.

Whether we like it or not, there is a culture war going on. The secular progressive movement, wants to replace the traditional Judeo-Christian values an their clear distinctions of what is right and what is wrong, and its definitions of quality and edification, with what is known as moral relativism, where anything goes, and everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Music has always played an influential role in the lives of young people, and today's music is claiming its share of victims who take its message to heart.

We can and must wake up to this pending new moral order, and fight back with everything at our disposal. the battle starts at home.

NB: Pope Benedict has just weighed on the same subject