The Hip-Hop Scapegoat

Last April 4th, Don Imus called the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy headed-hos”. In an act bound to be legendary, people including Russell Simmons are now seeking to ban colorful words such as bitch, ho, and the n-word from rap music. It is suspicious to say the least that rap music is in any way related to Don Imus’s outburst.
I am not trying to defend Imus’s actions. The Rutgers team did nothing to earn his attack. All the while, I don’t think that he deserved to be fired from his job. He took the criticism and didn’t try to blame it on anyone or anything else. He didn’t hire a lawyer or a spin-doctor.
It remains to be seen if the rap community will accept the new standards, I wouldn’t hold my breath. In any case this development should be a warning to the rest of us. Anytime someone tries to assert power and censor speech it should be a concern. Once the n-word, bitch, and ho are banned, what’s next? We can’t be eliminating any word just because someone might find it offensive, otherwise we can forget about free speech. Either everything is ok or nothing is. Many noble series like South Park and the Daily Show thrive on free speech, and their art should not be interfered with!

Bad Day

Yesterday a terrible tragedy struck the University of Virginia Tech; a lone gunman roamed the school and killed 31 people over three hours before turning the weapon on his foul self. At the very least 15 people were also injured by the gunman, and fortunately they should recover physically. The recovery of the nation remains to be seen, and I suspect that many years from now we will still be repressing the memory until one day our car breaks down and we lose it.
The dark tale began at West Ambler Johnston Hall at about 7:15 in the morning when the sick bastard (Cho Seung Hui) killed Ryan Clark and than began roaming the hall until he found his ex-girlfriend Emily Hilscher and murdered her.
After word the police and University officials closed off the dorm and began investigating the shooting. At first content that it was an isolated event, they only issued an e-mail warning to the staff and students. 20 minutes later they issued a second e-mail warning of a gunman being lose on the campus.
Tragedy returned at about 9:45 in Norris Hall when Hui chained the doors shut and resumed shooting. He shot people execution style in the hallways and four classrooms. In panic, students and faculty barricaded themselves in rooms or jumped from windows on the second floor where most of the slaughter occurred. To call the attack brutal would be an understatement, he shot his victims three or more times. Finally at this point Police were swarming the building, and Hui did himself in to no loss to the rest of us.
In memory of the victims (Not Hui), please take a moment of silence to remember them today. Nobody deserves such a cruel death, but we can rejoice in that they are no longer suffering. May they rest in peace.

The Necessity of Philosophy

AtomWave News Corp
Presents
Special Feature
The Necessity of Philosophy

AtomWave News Corp is pleased to present its first debate on the topic of philosophy. This debate will feature Darkstar. Since very few people are qualified to debate Darkstar without ending up in an asylum convinced that black is yellow and yellow is black and killed at the next railroad crossing; Darkstar will be debating himself.

Darkstar: Many would consider philosophy to be obsolete in this age. With science now capable of building Space Shuttles, Quark-Gluon Plasma, along with many other curiosities it would no longer seem necessary. That is a serious error at any level. The study of philosophy reaches far beyond science; in fact it is the father of science. Sir Issac Newton’s book “Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica” was considered philosophy at the time of its publishing. Years went by and the motion of planets matured into the definite science of Astronomy.

Darkstar: Sorry, I was watching Trading Places. Philosophy is swell if you have the time, but this age is a much different game. Science has matured into a mind-binding subdivision of legitimate subjects. Astrophysics, Engineering, Biology, Microbiology, Computers, Psychology, and just about anything else you could imagine. Sure, philosophy is a way to pass the time, but its not going to help me build a new missile. Remember, we are at war!

Darkstar: Without philosophy, people will have no food for the mind. Undeniable is the human need for food, but without knowledge their minds will suffer. Without philosophy to examine the mind and its many prejudices, people will be forever trapped in their own assumptions and common sense. It is useful to have social norms and traditions, but only as long as they are productive. Philosophy will always be needed to inquire which assumptions and traditions are false and destined for the metaphorical scrap heap.

Darkstar: Now listen here Darkstar; that is wrong! Normally I would dismiss your questionable judgment, but you have me in a corner. Ignorance is bliss! Look at this cigar; it might kill me someday. Actually a lot of things might kill me someday, that isn’t the point. We would not leave the house if we considered every risk in our pathetic lives. Besides, we have those traditions for a reason. Without them we would all be out on the streets going at each other with a baseball bat.

Darkstar: Philosophy will always be needed to examine life. An unexamined life is an unnecessary life. Life is reduced to only the definite and the obvious, without any opportunities for further growth. Philosophy is useful for more than just a precursor to science. Remember Plato and the Cave?

Darkstar: Life is short Darkstar; try to enjoy it. Visit California, skydive, send-up a high-powered rocket. You will live longer.

Darkstar: I debate you and you add on this piece of crap. You are a damn poor debater.

Darkstar: You and your damn standards, get over it.

Darkstar: This is not going to be published, damn it. It’s not going to be published.

Darkstar: Alright!Alright! This will never be released.