It dawned on me a few days ago that, in our struggle to win back our country, we're leaving a powerful weapon in the rack, unused by anyone but our enemies...pop culture. Yes, I'm talking music, movies, sports and video games.
Generation.com is arguably the most media-exposed, high-tech, plugged-in, and entertainment-centric generation in this nation's history. Entertainment isn't just a distraction for the 30-and-under set. It's not just a reward for a long week's toil in the fields, the garage, or the factory. It's a way of life, and increasingly, it's a livelihood as well.
Pop culture holds sway over Generation.com like nothing else. Young people emulate their favorite rockers and rappers. They snap up anything with a picture of their favorite greasy-haired pretty boy actor from the "Twilight" movies. They spend nearly every waking moment thinking about someone or something cool they saw in a movie, or in a video game, or on last night's installment of WWE or UFC.
Why are we not using art and pop culture for our own purposes? The Left has long used it effectively to push their agendas, and to warp and skew the mindset of the younger generation(s). Why don't we? Is it because as conservatives, we find art beneath us? Do we think that art is something that "they" do, and we don't? Or is it just that there isn't the infrastructure in place to record, film and market conservative music, movies and video games?
Certainly there are conservative business people and opinion makers out there who have the capital, or could band together to raise the the money needed to build movie production companies and record labels. I'd do it myself, but I'm just a dirt-poor musician and songwriter who wishes there were such backing for my music. I'm not alone. It takes some searching, but conservative rock bands can be found. I'm also quite sure there are conservative, pro-American actors and actresses out there who would love to be able to ply their trade without fear of being blacklisted by the liberal Hollyweird thugocracy. If we could put their talents to use for the American cause, and to win the hearts and minds of the younger generation, isn't that something that conservative movers and shakers could get behind? More importantly, isn't it something they might open their checkbooks to support?
So instead of getting your shorts in a knot the next time you hear a car load of kids thumping out the latest gangster (c)rap, imagine that same car and kids, blasting a song about how great it feels to be free and to be an American.
What we need is the infrastructure to turn ideas into songs played on car stereos, movies in DVD players, and video games in X-Boxes. What we need is for conservative celebrities and athletes to feel free to express their views to American society, and not fear for losing their jobs if they do. What we need is the support of those who have the means to build that needed infrastructure. We need them to open their checkbooks and help us advance our conservative, pro-American agenda. The talent is out here, ready to win back the hearts and minds of Generation.com, and to win back our future. We just need support.
