It's About Who You Know

The odds are most Americans don't read the British press, and although known for their tabloids and cheesecake shots on page five, there is also respectable media in the UK, like The Telegraph. Arguably they are more credible then our own NYT and WaPo, when it comes to unvarnished coverage of our political foibles.

So, knowing that machine guns, i.e. FULLY-automatic weapons, are illegal in the US unless manufactured before 1968 and transferred to someone vetted by our government with a Class III federal firearms license, what is one to make of this:

Wrist Slap for Gangsta Rap

That's pretty clear. If you're "from da hood" and you've got a trunk full, not just one, in case you meet a competitive rapper on the way home from your "club" with your "ho" then it is OK to get a pass on the multiple federal firearms violations.

The important thing, apparently, is that you helped to get out the vote for the Messiah. Yah, it's about dat community service thing. Get the youth vote. Explain it to them in terms they understand, like your lyrics demeaning women, destroying language and perpetuating the culture of solutions by 9mm. That's the ticket for the future of America. Let them feel your pain.

Here's what his mentor notes on how to get them involved:

"If you have two posters, one that says 'Discussion about the economic stimulus package' and another that has 'Hip Hop Town Hall, find out how to get yours' on it, which is going to get the kids?" said Mr Yearwood. "That's the power of hip-hop."

See, it isn't about understanding policy or economics or political process. It's about learning "how to get yours". It's about redistribution of wealth. How much nicer it is to get a government check and free food and healthcare. You don't have to put a hood over your head and bust a 7-11 with the possibility of an armed proprietor capping your ass.

So, what I conclude, as someone politically active myself, is that if I can get myself a quick felony conviction, downsize my vocabulary to a few scatological phrases, get a lease on a big black Range Rover and tweak my tan a bit, I can collect as many automatic weapons as I can get without apprehension over those pesky federal penalties.