Rap Music Sparks Arlington Cyberwarfare

Music can soothe the savage beast, but it can also inspire the fighting spirit.

A Tupac Shakur song played at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse had the latter effect, Arlnow reported.

The 22204 zip code's online listserv raged with angry e-mails about profanity-laced music that got played over the bar's sound system.

The debate started when a customer heard the "raunchy" lyrics of "cussing rap" music, Arlnow wrote.

The offended woman described the incident on a neighborhood-only listserv.  She said when she heard the lyrics of the song included curse words, she requested the music be changed.  The bar assured her that the song was almost over, and let the song continue.  However, the woman wrote, another rap song immediately followed, with "more of the same."

Arlnow reported her comments:

“Ok, so I am a dem, tell me all about our civil rights and freedome of speech. But I too have a right to not be offended when I visit a local establishment I have otherwise supported for the 23 years I have lived here,” she concluded. “What is next, porn tapes on the TV at the Grill?"

According to the story, the woman said she would oppose the renewal of Arlington Drafthouse's liquor license.

A war of words ensued, with listserv members weighing in with angry invective on both sides of the debate.  The owner of Cinema Drafthouse, Greg Godbout, eventually wrote in with a 2,000 word missive apologizing to the woman but calling for cooler heads.

Godbout's email, via Arlnow:

“I recommend to all the others on this list, before you jump to alarmist conclusions and seek out to destroy neighborhood icons," you all take a breath and check it out for yourself."

You can check out more of the exchange here.

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