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Some of my random thoughts:

The billboard for Curtis Jackson’s (That’s his name, and that’s how he will be addressed here) latest movie about his life entitled “Get Rich or Die Tryin” has caused quite a stir out here in Southern California. The one big point that I immediately noticed was how MSM has not mentioned the race of the activists. If these activists had been white, MSM would not have any problem mentioning that fact. Why? Because they know that would sell. Black folks dealing with their own dirty laundry doesn’t–plain and simple. The sad thing is, even some black publications are following suit by not mentioning this story. If the activists were white—FRONT PAGE–and folks from all over would rush to his defense against white aggression.

More important than the biased coverage issue is the valid point that these activists are bringing up in this issue: imagery of violence is not helpful–especially in high-crime areas.

I came across this study printed in Psychiatric Times back in 2001. Here is an excerpt:

Research conducted over the past 30 years leads to the conclusion that televised violence does influence viewers’ attitudes, values and behavior (Hearold, 1986; Murray, 2000, 1994, 1973; Paik and Comstock, 1994; Surgeon General’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior, 1972). Although the social effect of viewing televised violence is a controversial topic of research and discussion, the body of research is extensive and fairly coherent in demonstrating systematic patterns of influence. In general, there seem to be three main classes of effects:

* Aggression. Viewing televised violence can lead to increases in aggressive behavior and/or changes in attitudes and values favoring the use of aggression to solve conflicts (Huston et al., 1992).

* Desensitization. Extensive violence viewing may lead to decreased sensitivity to violence and a greater willingness to tolerate increasing levels of violence in society (Drabman and Thomas, 1974; Thomas et al., 1977).

* Fear. Extensive exposure to television violence may produce the “mean world syndrome,” in which viewers overestimate their risk of victimization (Gerbner, 1970; Gerbner et al., 1994).

Although we know that viewing televised violence can lead to increases in aggressive behavior or fearfulness and to changed attitudes and values about the role of violence in society, we need to know more about how these changes occur in viewers — the neurological processes that lead to changes in social behavior. (more…)

This ties in to the issue I have been discussing over the past few weeks regarding the fact that black folks lead the nation in television viewership. Couple that fact with the amount of children in our community that do not have a active father in the home (or in their lives) and what you have are young black men who we are allowing to be programed by Hollywood to act out on their fears and angers in life even if it means using a gun to make the statement. [YES WHITES HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE OF OUR WEAKENED FAMILY STRUCTURE, WE ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO THIS ISSUE.]

There are those out there that will use this current billboard issue as yet another reason why all guns need to be banned. On the contrary, this has nothing to do with gun manufacturers–it has everything to do with a weakened family structure and support system for our kids that would teach kids responsibilities of gun ownership. Hollywood and gun manufacturers like any other business is about making money–not teaching kids about gun responsibility. You will not see law-abiding gun owners parading their guns in the same fashion as you see demonstrated in Hollywood films or in our own videos. Jackson’s movie clearly steps over that line of gun responsibility and simply tells impressionable minds ““Get Rich or Die Tryin”.

There are those that will say “Jackson should not be held up as a role model or given that responsibility”. I agree; however…

The need:

>Kids need someone to look up to.

The problem that makes the need so severe:

>The solid parental structure in the black community is about 30% today (compared to 80% in 1950) leaving kids to look elsewhere for role models.

A counterfeit that does not care about the need but addresses important and relevant issues

>Hollywood is about making money and will use ANYBODY to achieve that goal

The counterfeit is rewarded

>People are entertained—>revenue is generated

Our loss

>Vulernable kids have inevitiably found a new role model

So for about 70% of our households, Hollywood has in some way played a role in the upbringing our our children. So although I strongly agree with these protesters that the billboard should go, I also strongly believe that more needs to be done to strengthen the family structure in the black community. That is something that Hollywood cannot do or be expected to do.