Man Down

Rihanna's "Man Down" video was aired on a program on Black Entertainment Television (BET) that airs at 6:00. The video opens with Rhianna shooting someone in a crowded train station. Later in the video, we learn that this person had raped her. The opening scene is what has caused groups like Industry Ears and the Parents Television Council to criticize BET for this, and to put pressure on BET concerning this incident and their general approach to these issues. Others have leapt to BET and Rhianna’s defense. I think the whole debate is beside the point. There is a lot on television that worries me as a parent, not just this video. This is far from the worst violence children are exposed to on television, in movies, or on video games. To be honest, shows that stifle children’s creativity bother me more than violence and language, but even Barney or Caillu or Sponge Bob can be overcome. I grew up listening to NWA and watching some truly worthless crap, and I write poetry and have yet to do a drive by or a walk by. Why? The reason is that I had parents and teachers that did their job. It also didn’t hurt that I grew up in a safe neighborhood, and always had food on the table and clothes on my back. That’s what are focus has to be. We need to do whatever we can to assist parents and teachers in the performing of their functions, and while we are at it address poverty and real life violence. Rhianna shooting someone in a video isn’t going to ruin our kids, we are.