Sir, - In their defence of violent rap music, Colm Linnane and Tim Walsh (November 10th) seem to put other artists in the same category as the author of the violent rap lyrics which I wrote about. Some other artists may have advocated personal sex and drug experimentation, even revolution; none of these artists sent out hate messages to rape and kill people.
Tim Walsh maintains that "the violence, murder and other antisocial activities described in the songs are treated ironically." It is indeed ironic that after 136 lines of violent rape messages by Eminem on the track Kill You, in the last line of the song he says: "Ha ha ha. I'm just playin', ladies. You know I love you." This reminds me of the schoolyard bully who is about to hit someone only to withdraw and scratch the back of his head at the crucial second and say, "Ha ha ha, I was only joking!"
Levels of violence and rape are the denominators through which a culture can cease to be. Protection of one's society and culture is usually the highest priority of its citizens; history tells us this. Gerhard Schroder, the German Chancellor, has demonstrated this by supporting the proposal to ban the National Democratic Party because of its association with violence and racism. Is there a huge difference between the NDP and the violent rap culture? In my opinion no; they both hate a particular section of society and they both advocate violence.
Who is going to get hurt by a ban on undesirable rap music? Most likely the coffers of the powerful and irresponsible record companies which promote this trash with impunity. The rights of our children to protection from evil messages should outweigh the right of free speech to be promoted unaccountably and irresponsibly.
Eminem said: "Bitch, I'm going to kill you."
John Lennon said: "Give peace a chance."
Ban 'em! - Yours, etc.,
Peter Burke, Upper Grattan Park, Greystones, Co Wicklow.