Movies and music are two different things
Dear Editor,
This is a response to Joseph Edwards’ letter to the editor, ‘Stop the biased bashing of dancehall’, published on July 18, 2017.
In it Edwards criticises those who believe the content in some dancehall songs glorifies bad things and asks, “Where were you when lyrics from Mad Cobra, Bounty Killer, Ninjaman and Merciless reigned supreme?”
We were always here. You just weren’t paying attention.
He asks, “Did you watch John Wick, John Wick 2, The Mechanic, 007, Taken, Shooter or Run All Night?
What’s the major theme on display in those movies…?”
The theme of good prevailing over evil, that’s what’s on display. They distinguish the good guys from the bad guys. Dancehall songs do not. And when they do, it’s the bad guys who are praised. Poor comparison!
He then says, “[T]hey must have got their world view from…their communities, their friends’ experiences, the nightly news, or the movies.”
So did Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, yet they their songs didn’t glorify them.
He says, “Every child has a tablet or smartphone with YouTube.” So what? Either they should be regulated or not given to them at all.
Finally Edwards says, “Carib and all other (cinemas) should be closed or be showing only movies without a gun or shots being fired.” Poor comparison again. Also, children are prevented from being taken into movies that are too mature for them. And movies are shown behind closed doors. It is not broadcast in public for all to see and hear.
The only thing that the letter writer is right about is, “Double standard is too rife in Jamaica.”
But this is not an example, so wheel and come again.
Hal Lewis
hal.lewis02@gmail.com
