Billboards for 50 Cent Movie
Monday, November 07, 2005
I want to know what is the big deal with this? I keep seeing all of these news stories talking about these billboards plugging rapper 50 Cent's movie "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" are being taken down due to opposition from community groups in different areas of the country. In the billboard advertisement, 50 Cent (whose real name is Curtis Jackson,) is shown holding a gun in one hand and a microphone in the other. The movie is about a drug dealer who gives up a life of crime for a life of rhymes, literally. Its about a man who gives up his violent life to pursue his dream of becoming a music artist, so the picture in the billboard is very fitting.
My thing is this, what is the big deal? Why are people so up in arms about this? I guess I am being insentive but I narrow mind just doesn't get it. To me, this is not a billboard promoting violence. They are trying to promote the movie. I don't feel that everytime a movie or a picture portrays a certain image that it is necessarily promoting that image. Movies show sex, murder, violence in general, infidelity, and people smoking cigarettes all the time. I don't think that just because they make a movie about it or take a picture of it, that hollywood is telling everyone to run out and do it! I mean come on, let's be for real. Do I think that people don't get ideas from televisions sometimes? Yeah, I know that people get ideas from television "sometimes", but I also know that people do not run out and try everything they see on TV either.
As for those that feel that images like this influence children. Well, they may have a very valid point, but I think that this provides an EXCELLENT opportunity for parents to have an open discussion with their children about violence and about what's right and wrong. Sheltering them and hiding them is not going to prevent them from learning about it elsewhere. Having this open dialog is important for a happy, well rounded child. Hiding a picture on a billboard is not going to remove the notions of whatever it is that you think the image on the billboard is portraying from our thoughts or our lives. Instead of fighting so hard to remove it, use it a weapon to fight back against whatever it is about the image that makes you so afraid. Talk to your children and talk to your friends. Use this as an opportunity to spread the message of non-violence and how even a person at their lowest point can survive, succeed, and achieve their dreams. This is also an opportunity for parents to express to their children how they feel about drugs and violence. Use this opportunity, embrace it. Don't hide from it.
Because trust me, it's not going to go away.
posted by Superstar Nic at 12:54 AM, | 
4 Comments:
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I don't give a damn one way or the other about society thinks....I'm like you, maybe I'm insensitive, because I'm not a parent. However, you made a valid point you can't shelter kids, because they are the ones who pay for it later...when they come across things you have not discussed with them they are vulnerable and naive. As a result, some are mature enough to resist temptation while others aren't. But so far as society, my goodness there's violence and sex in everything, unfortunately, and its sad, but it is reality! I dislike 50 cents as a person because he is too cocky and he thrives off of controversy and making other people seem inferior. He has been blessed in his life, in that he has survived alot...but I think that alot of kids think this life is good, because he has survived and it turned out okay for him, but truthfully it's no way too live for anybody. Everyone should be so lucky! He promotes violence as if it is something attractive. I'm talking about real life, not in the movie!
First of all, 50 cent is not the first person being portrayed on tv and print with a weapon in his hand. I want to know how many of the people protesting have children who come home from school everyday and play violent video games and watch violent movies. How many parents actually monitor what their children watch on television and what they do on the internet. Most of these kids probably already have the movie downloaded and are selling it to their friends at school.
protest the war in Iraq, getting physical education into schools, or better school lunches. Or how about putting some interest into voting in local and state government elections. i may sound hypocritical but one bill board is not going to start a war, my bad been there, doing that.
I can't help but laugh at the comment by anonymous #2 saying that most of these kids probably already have the movie downloaded and are selling it to their friends at school. That is hilarious!! But you are probably right wit these kids now-a-days.