The Death of Innocence in the pursuit of manhood

“The first casualty of war is innocence.” A quote made famous in the movie “Platoon,” it appears that the innocent no longer have to travel thousands of miles to a foreign country and discover the brutalities of humanity.  The innocent can remain in America and become a casualty in their homes and become video sensations.

Albert Roundtree Jr. of Florida has made headlines recently with his very sexually explicit song and video “Booty Pop.”  What makes the video disturbing is not only the exploitation of women through sexually overt dancing included in this sad video is a six year old  who is learning misogyny and gender exploitation under the leadership of his parents.

In an interview with Miami News, Tyler Council states, "It's supposed to be a joke, but I'd say about 30 percent of the people watching it find it funny," admitted Tyler Council, president of Froze-N-Time Productions, which is based in Oakland Park. "But I still don't regret it."”[1]  According to Mr. Council, Albert’s parents paid “peanuts” to have this video with “who hope their son becomes a rap star from it.”[2]

I would ask you to read again the statements of both Council and Albert’s parents. We have before us adults that are willing to sacrifice the innocence of a young man in hopes of fame.  Now Albert may end up on television shows, get a deal and make a few bucks, but the dollars and limited fame that will be achieved will not be able to repair the damage that will be done.

What damage is being done here?  A young boy is being taught that women made in the image of God are objects to fulfill his fleshly pleasure.  He will grow up to believe that manhood is defined by power, sexual prowess and the number of women he can ejaculate on.  He will learn from his parents who are responsible for his well being that fame and Internet notoriety carries a greater weight than his precious soul.   

Mr. Council fails to see that the video he produced and what the Roundtrees paid for is trash and their view of life; of men and women is the joke.  

Our American culture is not only slaughtering innocence in the womb, but we are increasing the slaughter of innocence at an earlier and earlier age.  Our children are learning from new pastors. They are hearing the sermons of Ester Dean, Trey Barber and Nicki Minaj.  If many of us were outraged at the physical death of a youth in the same state in early February, should we not be equally outraged at the slaughter of this young boy? When did we come to believe manhood is found in violence and sexual exploitation? 

This could be any of our sons. Forget that he is black. This is bigger than his ethnicity. He is a boy that will one day be a “man” who will interact with someone’s daughter. The women in the video are daughters and sisters. This is where criminal behavior begins its march.  Domestic abuse is not far behind in the rollout. The battlefield will be in the homes of these young people. The cost for this video will be more than “peanuts.” It will be totaled in destroyed lives, incarceration, sexual abuse, domestic abuse and people asking the same tired question of “Why does this keep happening in our community?”

Reach Records produced a track last year entitled, “Temptation” and it can be found on their album “Man Up.” On that specific track I would like to offer up a summation of this video “Booty Pop and then provide the remedy for true manhood. 

The Summation:

See God made intimacy to glorify He
The flesh wanna do as we please glorify we
That girl is not an object for playing
That's a woman not a barbie I don't care what Nicki say
And just like her sex is God's creation
You spit inside his face when you don't use it how he made it   

The Remedy:

Manning up is not just managing your sexual temptations
It's not just managing your sin that's not what it means to be a man
Because you can try harder and you can do better
And you can hang on longer that's not manning up
Manning up is our ability to lay down all of our effort
And all of our trying and all of our strength and say I trust in Jesus
I trust in his perfection I trust in his power I trust in his resurrection
Because he's the only one that can get me through this
And he's the only one that can make me free

 

Albert Sr., Albert Jr., and Tyler Council pursue Jesus and you will find true manhood.

 



[1] Gus Garcia Roberts, http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/07/director_of_6-year-olds_raunch.php


[2] Ibid.