Hippie and Hip-Hop
Here's the article link...
I take real issue with what this guy has to say. He seems to think that hip-hop and "gangster" rap are a boon to society, and that Phil speaking his mind about the correlation between the decline of society and the popularity of those music genres makes him a racist and a hypocrite.
If you don't feel like reading the entire article, Phil Jackson, the once-and-present head coach of the LA Lakers, said of some of his players and the NBA in general, "I don't mean to say [that] as a snide remark toward a certain population in our society, but they have a limitation of their attention span, a lot of it probably due to too much rap music going in their ears and coming out their being" and "I think it's important that the players take their end of it, get out of the prison garb and the thuggery aspect of basketball that has come along with hip-hop music in the last seven or eight years."
Scoop Jackson goes on to call him a hypocrite and bigot, among other things, because he was once a "hippie" who was a proponent for counterculture in the '70s, and a racist because he was picking on a culture dominated by young "black" males, and he's an old, "white" male. All of these allegations are just ridiculous.
For starters, people are allowed to change their views on society and culture; changing based on experience isn't a bad thing and doesn't make you a hypocrite. Saying one thing and doing another does. Scoop says, "What type of "being" comes from an original American counterculture, openly indulges in illegal drugs and activities, is a card-carrying member of the anti-establishment, then not only flips and embraces Buddhism, Native American culture and Zen philosophy, but also flips and finds fault in a similar culture 30 years removed from the one he was once part of?" For starters, don't act all high and mighty and intellectually superior to everyone, then not realize that "Zen Philosophy" is just an off-shoot of Buddism. Being a "Hippie" wasn't about being a rebel just for the sake of being a rebel, it was about standing up for what you believed in, being an individual. And those are some of the central focuses in Zen Buddism; an individual's relationship with everything around him and getting in-tune with those surroundings. It isn't hypocracy, it's evolution. And the "gangster" rap culture is NOTHING like '70s culture, I don't even know why that would be brought up. As I said, the "Hippies" were out to change the world for the better; social activists who wanted peace and love and enlightenment. The hip-hop culture is all about making money, cause you want the ho's, dubs, and clubs. You see the difference? Wanting to help the group vs. only caring about yourself, peace vs. gang wars. et cetra.
Scoop also bashes Phil for his "prison garb" remark, making snide comments about how maybe basketball players should dress like Tom DeLay, Lewis Libby, or catholic priests. WOW! For starters, neither DeLay nor Libby has been convicted of anything, so taking shots at them is inappropriate. And Catholic Priests? Now, I'm not a huge fan of religion, but it can instill good morals into people when taken metaphorically. But sarcastically disrespecting an entire institution by saying NBA players should dress like priests(because a few were molesting children) is the EXACT SAME THING you're berating Phil for; using a few bad eggs to exemplify an entire group. Not ALL rappers shoot people, so not all rappers should be judged based on the actions of a few; Likewise, don't snipe at an entire religious institution just because a few of their memebers have issues. THAT is what would be defined as Hypoctritical. Also, his comment about gangster-garb dress is taken out of context. The statement was made in Oct. 05, so it was likely in response to a question about the NBA's new dress-code. So if you put his statement back into perspective, likely as the answer to a question about the new dress code implimented by the league, his comment makes perfect sense.
But what pisses me off the most is when he says "Just because we understand what you are saying Phil, as Chris Bridges as it is, it doesn't give you the right to say it." Apparently, you don't know what he was saying, since you've decided to take his statements out of context. And yes, he does have the right to say it. And anything else he wants while he's at it. Do you know why? It's called the First Amendment, and it gives everyone the right to state their opinion regardless of whether it offends you. This country is build on the principle that the people must be able to speak their minds about any subject, because people that cannot express their thoughts without fear of prosecution or persecution cannot be truly free. The Bill of Rights, which defines the rights that we as citizens of the United States are born with, gives us the right to say whatever we want, but it is Scoop's contention that because he doesn't like what Phil said he doesn't have the right to say it. I say "Bullshit, you racist,"(because in the end he says Phil doesnt like hip-hop culture becuase it isn't his 'color'. Maybe someone should inform Mr. Jackson that the vast majority of rap records are purchased by white, suberban kids).
So Here's a Thought... I just called you a racist, and I'll tack on stupid and a hypocrite as well. And despite what you believe, I DO have a right to say it, regardless of whether or not you agree with me or like it. It is an unalienable right, given to me by the supreme law of the land, the CONSTITUTION, to be able to say whatever I want, and if you have a problem with that, perhaps you should try reading the Bill of Rights sometime. Cause every time you open your mouth and insult someone ELSE, calling them a racist and a hypocrite, you're exercising the First Amendment as well. So don't tell anyone they can't speak their mind, then do so yourself. Especially when you decide to do it using false information, bad analogies, and out-of-context soundbytes. Because, as Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote, "The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments."
I take real issue with what this guy has to say. He seems to think that hip-hop and "gangster" rap are a boon to society, and that Phil speaking his mind about the correlation between the decline of society and the popularity of those music genres makes him a racist and a hypocrite.
If you don't feel like reading the entire article, Phil Jackson, the once-and-present head coach of the LA Lakers, said of some of his players and the NBA in general, "I don't mean to say [that] as a snide remark toward a certain population in our society, but they have a limitation of their attention span, a lot of it probably due to too much rap music going in their ears and coming out their being" and "I think it's important that the players take their end of it, get out of the prison garb and the thuggery aspect of basketball that has come along with hip-hop music in the last seven or eight years."
Scoop Jackson goes on to call him a hypocrite and bigot, among other things, because he was once a "hippie" who was a proponent for counterculture in the '70s, and a racist because he was picking on a culture dominated by young "black" males, and he's an old, "white" male. All of these allegations are just ridiculous.
For starters, people are allowed to change their views on society and culture; changing based on experience isn't a bad thing and doesn't make you a hypocrite. Saying one thing and doing another does. Scoop says, "What type of "being" comes from an original American counterculture, openly indulges in illegal drugs and activities, is a card-carrying member of the anti-establishment, then not only flips and embraces Buddhism, Native American culture and Zen philosophy, but also flips and finds fault in a similar culture 30 years removed from the one he was once part of?" For starters, don't act all high and mighty and intellectually superior to everyone, then not realize that "Zen Philosophy" is just an off-shoot of Buddism. Being a "Hippie" wasn't about being a rebel just for the sake of being a rebel, it was about standing up for what you believed in, being an individual. And those are some of the central focuses in Zen Buddism; an individual's relationship with everything around him and getting in-tune with those surroundings. It isn't hypocracy, it's evolution. And the "gangster" rap culture is NOTHING like '70s culture, I don't even know why that would be brought up. As I said, the "Hippies" were out to change the world for the better; social activists who wanted peace and love and enlightenment. The hip-hop culture is all about making money, cause you want the ho's, dubs, and clubs. You see the difference? Wanting to help the group vs. only caring about yourself, peace vs. gang wars. et cetra.
Scoop also bashes Phil for his "prison garb" remark, making snide comments about how maybe basketball players should dress like Tom DeLay, Lewis Libby, or catholic priests. WOW! For starters, neither DeLay nor Libby has been convicted of anything, so taking shots at them is inappropriate. And Catholic Priests? Now, I'm not a huge fan of religion, but it can instill good morals into people when taken metaphorically. But sarcastically disrespecting an entire institution by saying NBA players should dress like priests(because a few were molesting children) is the EXACT SAME THING you're berating Phil for; using a few bad eggs to exemplify an entire group. Not ALL rappers shoot people, so not all rappers should be judged based on the actions of a few; Likewise, don't snipe at an entire religious institution just because a few of their memebers have issues. THAT is what would be defined as Hypoctritical. Also, his comment about gangster-garb dress is taken out of context. The statement was made in Oct. 05, so it was likely in response to a question about the NBA's new dress-code. So if you put his statement back into perspective, likely as the answer to a question about the new dress code implimented by the league, his comment makes perfect sense.
But what pisses me off the most is when he says "Just because we understand what you are saying Phil, as Chris Bridges as it is, it doesn't give you the right to say it." Apparently, you don't know what he was saying, since you've decided to take his statements out of context. And yes, he does have the right to say it. And anything else he wants while he's at it. Do you know why? It's called the First Amendment, and it gives everyone the right to state their opinion regardless of whether it offends you. This country is build on the principle that the people must be able to speak their minds about any subject, because people that cannot express their thoughts without fear of prosecution or persecution cannot be truly free. The Bill of Rights, which defines the rights that we as citizens of the United States are born with, gives us the right to say whatever we want, but it is Scoop's contention that because he doesn't like what Phil said he doesn't have the right to say it. I say "Bullshit, you racist,"(because in the end he says Phil doesnt like hip-hop culture becuase it isn't his 'color'. Maybe someone should inform Mr. Jackson that the vast majority of rap records are purchased by white, suberban kids).
So Here's a Thought... I just called you a racist, and I'll tack on stupid and a hypocrite as well. And despite what you believe, I DO have a right to say it, regardless of whether or not you agree with me or like it. It is an unalienable right, given to me by the supreme law of the land, the CONSTITUTION, to be able to say whatever I want, and if you have a problem with that, perhaps you should try reading the Bill of Rights sometime. Cause every time you open your mouth and insult someone ELSE, calling them a racist and a hypocrite, you're exercising the First Amendment as well. So don't tell anyone they can't speak their mind, then do so yourself. Especially when you decide to do it using false information, bad analogies, and out-of-context soundbytes. Because, as Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote, "The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments."
posted by Burn1nMyLight at 1:00 AM
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