Jason Whitlock column on Taylor

[HOGTIMUS PRIME]

[QUOTE=joethiesmanfan;385877]Violence is an American problem. Point blank period. Hip Hop is thuggish because America is thuggish. Ask any other country. Hip hop is blamed for every thing wrong in the Black community because certain individuals from the black community who call themselves leaders have no answers for the problems in the black community. Also these so called leaders are not man enough to accept responsibility for their failed leadership. Step down I say. Hip Hop was born in violent communities i.e. Bronx 1970's. Hip Hop's stated purpose from day one was to give gang members a medium for artistic expression, an alternative to violence (breakdancing, grafiti etc.) Hence the thug influence on hip hop. It's purpose was for thugs in a thug environment (i.e switch blades, west side story, grease). The inhabitants of that environment understand Hip Hop does not cause violence. Violence reflects the environment from which Hip Hop was born. An environment created by failed leadership and made worse with the introduction of crack (i.e. Reaganomics, Iran-Contra). Like Mike Wilbon said in his article get out the best way you can from such an environment, for some it takes longer. If a kid is born in a war zone do you blame him for being a warrior? What once was hidden in the black community became seen, Hip Hop aired the dirty laundry (i.e. keep it real). The so called leaders (i.e. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and company) had been lying to the media, white america, and Hip Hop exposed them. Now they are irrelevant and fighting for relevance. So now they have an answer for the black communities problems. After all these years (since the 60's). Hip Hop is keeping us from solving the black communities problems is what false leaders say. How weak minded does Whitlock think the black community is? Watch a video and then go sell crack? I guess it had nothing to do with being broke and having no economic development in the black community W's answer for stopping violence in Third World countries with all the oil is economic development, hence forth your solution. Ask W, economic development eases violence. Unemployed youths join gangs and crime. I have heard Condi say it a many a night

I guess it had nothing to do with being broke and having no economic development in the black community.

I think this is what he's getting at, making excuses to commit crimes. I take it all these rappers have a lot of money? Why do they continue to break the law after financial success? And lastly I feel blaming crime on lack of economic value is a slap in the face to every kid who grows up in that type of enviroment and doesn't go on to be a criminal, I bet there are more people in a poor economic situation that don't become criminals than those that do? Which should tell you there are other means in which you can succeed without becoming public enemy number one.