If Moses was a Rapper ...

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IF MOSES WERE A RAPPER ...
Opinion
by Snidermann

I was watching a VH-1 "Behind The Music" about Ice-T the other day and they were discussing his career and, in particular, the controversial song, "Cop Killer."

I can honestly say I do not like all of Ice-T’s music; some of it is very good, some of it is basically crap. But I do admire the artist and the way he uses rap to get socially important issues out to the public.

However, that is not the reason I am writing this editorial. As I watched the Ice-T special, something hit me regarding Charlton Heston and his outraged tirade against "Cop Klller" and other songs by Ice-T and his band, Body Count.

Heston ragged on and on about the first "Body Count" album. He even went as far as to read lyrics aloud at a board meeting (rather more soberly than Ice-T, I might add) and asked the board if this was the stuff they wanted to be selling to the world.

Of course, that didn't strike me as odd. According to the U.S. Constitution, Heston has the right to say whatever he wants to say.

What struck me as odd was that Heston seemed ready to disregard Ice-T's First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. Heston (and thousands of others, I might add) found "Body Count" offensive and sought ways to prevent it being manufactured and sold. According to the constitution, however, Ice-T, like Heston, is protected to say what he wants to say. Offensive or not.

Now when someone even thinks about limiting the sale of guns in the United States (gun control is, again, the stuff of another editorial) Mr. Heston (President of the National Rifle Association) jumps right to his feet and screams foul - the government is trying to take away his constitutional right to bear arms! Well, Chuck, you sanctimonious windbag, you can’t pick and choose which amendments you want to follow. The First Amendment is as important as the Second Amendment. To say or act otherwise is hypocrisy, narrow-mindedness and utter bullshit!!

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