First, I do extend my sincerest sympathy to those who have recently been affected by the loss of loved-ones through the sudden, senseless, horrendous act of a criminal behind a gun. Whether the loss of your loved-one occurred recently or not too long ago, I share with you my sentiments of compassion in solidarity with our sorrowing community. Please accept my deepest condolences in this your season of grief.
However, I wish to draw the public’s attention to a subtle vice that is apparently socially acceptable. This is the habitual norm in which many of our youth engage themselves in listening to the profane lyrics of music which is filled with murderous content.
The youth of this generation seems to be free to listen to, enjoy and absorb the morbid music that glorifies and justifies the use of guns against people whom they consider, for some reason or another, to be their enemies. Obviously, these “enemies” listen to the same music and lyrics which motivate them to murder the same ones who hold them as “their enemies”. It is a vicious cycle. It is the nature of senseless gang rivalry, and that nuisance of murderous music is used as a means of propagating the scourge of gun crime.
Let’s face the facts: Music and song go together as transcendental agents that impose effects upon the spirit, mind and soul. Whatever one hears, whether good or bad, has an effect upon the spirit, thus molding and shaping the temper. We cannot deny it. Whatever enters through the ear-gate affects one’s thinking, influences the heart, and sets up a corresponding mode for action.
We use music and song in churches to transfer our spirits into an atmosphere of worship before our God; there are certain pieces of music and song which serve to comfort those who are bereaved; there are certain subliminal, soothing pieces of classical music which cause one to relax and even fall asleep; then there is sexual, immoral music that perpetrate illicit sexual acts and sensual immorality. Likewise, music and song with murderous lyrics condone crime and promote murder. The devil uses it to motivate young people to kill.
There are no grey zones here. This kind of music, left unchecked, will have a demeaning, destructive effect on the youth of our small community of Anguilla. It is a cunning tool that will infiltrate the minds of the young, making them prone to commit heinous acts.
We are very concerned these days about the threats of global warming. Can anything be done to put a check to the toxic emissions of destructive gases which further deplete what is left of our protective ozone layer? A positive, promising answer to this question calls for the global determination and the commitment of worldwide environmental leaders and dedicated governments of industrialized countries.
But here in Anguilla, we have a local crisis on our hands. The question is how can we stand against murderous music which permeate our local atmosphere? How can we deter our youth from subscribing to this type of music that will captivate their spirits and warp their tender minds? How can we help in trying to save our next generation – those young men who are yet unborn.
In my view, parents and the church clergy of the island need to work together for the good of our youth, and ultimately for the good of our society. When a baby is born and is brought before the church for Christening or dedication, in many cases that child hardly ever sees the interior of a church again, unless he has occasion to come back dressed in black, wearing dark eye-shades, with a solemn face, to pay his “last respects” at a “partner’s” funeral, whose life might have been cut short by a bullet or though some tragic accident.
In many cases, parents have no interest in raising the children with an interest in biblical instructions or in a church-oriented atmosphere. So, the ritual of Christening or dedication then becomes a mere fashion. The child finds no interest in the kind of songs that would have been sung at his Christening – songs like “Mothers of Salem”, “Jewels” and “Jesus Bid’s us Shine”. Such songs become a virtual mockery in the lives of our teenage boys and girls who are void of chastity and spiritual direction.
In order to check the effects of murderous music on our teens, effort must be exerted upon the child’s psyche while he is still young. It makes no sense to try to bend a tree that is half grown, for indeed you will certainly face some resistance. Parents and churches, therefore, need to adhere to principles of spiritual teaching and programs of instructions for our youth’s moral and spiritual development. And parents must get rid of this complacent, irresponsible idea that: “oh, the child must make up his own mind, whether he wants to be in church or not.” Really?
I have absolutely no interest in this wretched kind on music. But I am one who stands aware of its demeaning impacts of death, destruction and damnation. I hear the music play, and at times I would take a listen simply to take note of the damning agents that are used by evil spirits to propagate death.
Not long ago, I was parked in a certain public space. A young man drove up and parked beside me. His “boom-box” was blasting some heavy rap music containing profane lyrics and expletive threats with the use an “AK” and a “Glock”. The singer projected himself as a “killer-man”.
When the young man noticed that I was in the car parked next to him, he “respectfully” turned his music down. I was happy with that because I wanted to talk with him. I directly asked him why he was listening to such “bad words” – as we call them – and threats to murder. He giggled a bit, then with a serious face, his indignant answer was: “Oh, ‘tis just a song, man.”
But, is it just a song? There has always been a burning question on my mind with regard to this murderous music. The question is: “Why is this kind of music socially acceptable in our community? Further: Why do our police officers and those in authority hear this kind of music and just pass it by so nonchalantly, as if it’s ok? Don’t the authorities care? Don’t they see the potential crime and destruction that this kind of music instigates? Is it just a norm?
By the way, a further question comes to mind: How can we, as a civil, “Christian society” decry the expletives and threats to “kill and bury” made on the spur of a critical, traumatizing moment by one of our Government Ministers, when we allow even more outrageous profanity and expletive threats to fill our air waves through the music of murder and unfettered crime? Well, is it “just a song’? Let us ponder how far we have drifted.
