Activist Wants Gun on Billboard Removed

[Jeff White]

So is it a problem to have a picture of a gun on a billboard near a nursery school, or is Hollywood finally getting what it deserves for it's hypocrasy of making violent films depicting guns being misused and then taking political stands for gun control?

Jeff
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051026/ap_en_mo/paramount_billboard_dispute&printer=1

Activists Decry 'Get Rich' Billboards

Wed Oct 26, 2:00 PM ET

Activists want Paramount Pictures to take down billboards promoting the upcoming film "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," claiming the advertisements promote gun violence.

The billboards depict Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson holding a gun in his left hand and a microphone in his right. One of the advertisements is next to a preschool.

Najee Ali, who organized a rally Tuesday, accused Paramount of irresponsibility for marketing in high-crime areas a movie that he said glorifies carrying guns.

"We're calling upon Paramount Pictures to remove these billboards out of our neighborhood and from this city," Ali said.

A Paramount spokeswoman did not immediately return a message left at her office before business hours Wednesday.

"Get Rich or Die Tryin'" stars Jackson as a drug dealer who turns away from crime to pursue his true passion, rap music. It's scheduled to open Nov. 9.

 

[Drizzt]

Replace it with a walkie-talkie?

 

[beerslurpy]

Replace it with a good book.

lol kryptonite

 

[Mulliga]

Honestly, from what I know of the plot, the movie does the opposite - it says killing people for money is bad, and that black-on-black crime is tearing up inner city communities.

Never liked 50 Cent, though. I like other rappers, but he always seemed like a product of hype and marketing rather than a talented artist.

 

[Standing Wolf]

"Get Rich or Die Tryin'" stars Jackson as a drug dealer who turns away from crime to pursue his true passion, rap music.

Why, how very intellectually stimulating!

 

[torpid]

Wait for it...

"Get Rich or Die Tryin'" stars Jackson as a moonshiner who turns away from crime to pursue his true passion, country music.

 

[Mad Man]

I just saw a story about this on CNN (Sunday, October 30, 2005. 10:30 EST).

Maybe I missed something, but the activists themselves were complaining about the promotion of violence by the entertainment industry and rappers. Their comments were about Curtis Jackson (aka "50 Cent"), not guns. They seemed to be about as sensible as Bill Bennett or Charleton Heston.

It was the reporter, Sevilla Vargas (sp?), who repeatedly prefaced the word "violence" with the word "gun" in her report (ie: "gun violence" instead of simply "violence").

 

[raghorn]

So is it a problem to have a picture of a gun on a billboard near a nursery school, or is Hollywood finally getting what it deserves for it's hypocrasy of making violent films depicting guns being misused and then taking political stands for gun control?

Shouldn't be a problem as long as it's pointing in a safe direction.

 

[DRZinn]

It was the reporter, Sevilla Vargas (sp?), who repeatedly prefaced the word "violence" with the word "gun" in her report (ie: "gun violence" instead of simply "violence."

Media bias? What media bias?

 

[dasmi]

He shows proper trigger control on the billboard, at least.

 

[Old Dog]

Done deal. In this morning's news came a story that the studio has agreed to remove the offending billboards in L.A.

 

[raghorn]

If onle we could figure out a way to remove all of the offensive people from LA...

 

[slugfast]

50 cent is about the last thing I want young children to look toward as a role model.