I'm with you all the way on this one, seed. If we define political acts as casually as did Pete Seeger (who has always been a hero of mine), then I guess anything is political (and I do see the rationale behind that definition). BUT, I think this is one of those cases when we are in danger of letting our liberalism and compassion (mine are strong) overtake our wisdom. If the Gangsta culture is indeed political and a culture, I think we can agree that it is a despicable, degenerate one, that in my opinion does not deserve our support. The "songs" that are not about the glory of crime are often about incredible violence toward women. I think that this would not be tolerated if the "artists" involved were not part of a minority that truly is done poorly by the larger society. A close friend and colleague of mine is dealing with having had her 18 year old son disappear Sunday night with her car. He had previously stolen a car from his father in another state. It's tearing her apart, wondering what she could have done to keep that from happening. He's into the gangsta music; I think there's some connection, if only indirect. As for kids like my students who get into trouble with the law; nationally, half of them will be dead or in prison for life before they're 25. As of last year, 82% of them will return to prison within 2 years. At age 15, 25% of them are parents already, but the thought of actually staying with the mother or taking any part in the raising of their children is an alien concept to them, as it is to the mothers themselves. Shooting people dead from a moving car is considered a heroic act. This culture did not derive from that of their parents; They are just as mystified by it as we are. It must have been created in part by media. What other source? I could tell you first-hand stories much more horrible, but it just keeps getting more unbelievable in a numbing sort of way. I just want it to stop. I want my students to have some kind of chance at a life, and they're not going to get it standing behind the gangsta flag as if it truly were a social movement. Im willing to try anything. If I thought their shoes were trashing their chances as much as the media is, I would lobby against their shoes. I want everybody who makes a mistake to have a second chance, but there are some mistakes you just can't make a complete return from. Once you do serious physical violence to another person, there is a part of your life that is gone forever. And none of this has any bearing on our being left or left-wing in our own thoughts. I am and will always be. But this is an unprecedented crisis. We have pretty much lost an entire generation and the next one is in serious danger. It is time for an unprecedented response by the enlightened among us, before the usual enforcers finish establishing the heavy hand. I appreciate your writing back, and hope that you will consider the thoughts I've written here. We're all confused.

Chet W.