Our Readers' Opinions
July 23, 2004

Praise for SVG women in calypso

Editor: It is with much horror that one gets in reading the weekly newspapers or listening to the electronic media about the crime and vulgarity that are portrayed as though these are accepted norm in our society.
Week after week, our newspapers in particular use the front pages to highlight the heinous crimes and the alleged criminals. It is as though human life no longer has value. {{more}} Again, when one listens to some of the radio stations, particularly during the Carnival season, it is sheer vulgarity – the female genital organs are under serious attack from many of our male entertainers. The music is infectious, but the lyrical content of the songs is simply trash.
Entertainers, what messages are you portraying to the women in your lives? What about your mother, daughters, sisters, nieces, aunts and other female relatives; aren’t they the same people you are singing about – the sex object?
Is it enough to say that “sex sells” and so it doesn’t matter what negative impact it can have with regard to values in our predominantly Christian society?
As women, you have stripped and laid us bare, exposing all our private parts and revealed all our sexual encounters/pleasures to the general public especially our young impressionable minds. You are corrupting them. What’s next?
Congratulations to our female calypsonians who have continued to restore some dignity and pride in our female folks. Special word of thanks to one of our female calypso finalists – Pat Ralph, who came out in our defence in one of her songs. Also to our winners – twice Calypso Monarch Princess Monique and this year’s runner up Fatty Dan – in highlighting major issues confronting calypsonians and the elderly in our society.
I am not suggesting that the media should not cover these stories but it is the way it is done and the message portrayed. I am therefore calling on our entertainers to sing as passionately as they do now about the pressing problems as to how we can lessen the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. This is a serious issue that threatens the very existence of our society. It is our active population which are all falling victim to these terrible diseases. Let us preach prevention and show support for those who are already affected. This is my challenge to you.

Ancelma
Morgan-Rose
CAFRA National Representative