Heston Speaks for Women

In her July 27 Counterpunch (“Ice-T Critics Miss the Rapper’s Real Target”), Sheila James Kuehl points out that the firestorm of criticism against Time Warner’s “Cop Killer” ignores a prime victim of Ice-T’s performances: women. She’s absolutely correct. Most of the public’s outrage has focused on the murder of police officers.

She’s quite wrong, however, to include me in her indictment. From the beginning, including my speech at the Time Warner shareholders’ meeting, I’ve pointed out that most of the songs in the album celebrate the criminal debasement of women in even more obscene detail than “Cop Killer” uses to call for killing cops.

Last week, buckling under pressure from the media and police groups, Time Warner responded with a ruthless but transparent marketing ploy. Pretending it was Ice-T’s idea, they announced they were pulling the “Cop Killer” song but reissuing the album with a new title and ad campaign, and including all the songs assaulting women.

My comment to the media: I’m glad Warner’s now understands you shouldn’t celebrate the killing of police officers. I’m sorry they still want to see songs about raping women, murdering mothers and sodomizing little girls.

CHARLTON HESTON, Los Angeles