Those who criticize Eminem for his “homophobic” and “misogynist” lyrics could be starting an interesting dialogue, but unfortunately they won’t take the time to learn what they’re talking about. “The Marshall Mathers LP” may be unique, but not in terms of its use of bitch, slut and fag. Eminem’s fellow Grammy nominees for “Best Rap Album” — Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, DMX and Nelly — all use lyrics many would interpret as misogynist or homophobic. If the Grammy’s were to ban nominations for any album that derisively used the words faggot and bitch, the Recording Academy have to would get rid of the rap category altogether and call it “The Will Smith Award.” Rap music couldn’t fully capture the feelings of inner-city kids if it sounded like The Wallstreet Journal. And despite what GLAAD might have to say about it, political correctness is hardly the biggest problem facing our inner cities.Those who attack Eminem for his controversial lyrics muddy the water by attributing the lyrics of other rappers that appear on the album to Eminem, as though the critics didn’t actually listen to the CD but just scanned an online lyric site to see what they could construe as homophobic or misogynist. Does Eminem not say enough offensive things on his own that his critics have to quote other rappers as him? Also, many in the anti-Eminem movement accuse him of being anti-women because he “raps about bitches and ‘hos.'” Actually, Eminem does not use the word “ho” once on the entire album. This is just a stereotype of rap music, not an indication of Eminem’s own CD. On the song “Criminal,” which critics cite most often as an anti-gay song, they quote him as saying, “My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/ That’ll stab you in the head whether you’re a fag or les/ Or the homosex, hermaph or transavest/ Pants or dress? Hate fags?/ The answer’s yes.” However, a few lines later in the song he says, “Relax, guy, I like gay men,” and at the very beginning of “Criminal,” he warns against people taking his lyrics too seriously. He wrote the song well after he was called homophobic for other songs where lyrics were taken out of context; “Criminal” was a response song. In all his other songs, he only uses “faggot” as an insult, not referring to gay men but to the Insane Clown Posse, boy bands or his mom’s lawyer. Eminem will be performing next Wednesday at the Grammy’s with Elton John. GLAAD has chosen to lash out at John for choosing to duet with Eminem, when they really should be praising Em. Performing with the openly gay singer is a very clear statement to fans that Eminem is not anti-gay, and he’s making this statement at the risk of losing some of his fan base, who may think Em’s “gone pop.”While the MTV show “Jackass” I complained about a few weeks ago has led two people to be injured in two separate copycat crimes after being on the air for only a few months, no crime or attack has been linked to Eminem’s music in any way. While copycat crimes aren’t the only indication of whether something’s harmful to kids, it seems pretty amazing that while a teen killed himself listening to Blink-182’s anti-suicide “Adam’s Song,” nothing negative has been linked to Em’s lyrics.With “Jackass,” I wasn’t arguing for censorship but for MTV to take personal responsibility for its show. Eminem takes some personal responsibility with “The Marshall Mathers LP” by writing songs like “Stan” and “I Never Knew.” “Stan” is a fictional story about an obsessed fan who is a little too into Em’s lyrics; Eminem writes the fan back, advising, “I really think you and your girlfriend need each other/ But maybe you just need to treat her better/ I’m glad I inspire you/ But Stan, why are you so mad?” Stan lashes out at his girlfriend and takes his own life when he doesn’t get a reply from Eminem quickly enough. Eminem responds that he saw the murder-suicide on the news and “it made me sick.” It’s a warning to fans not to take his lyrics so seriously.On the other hand, “I Never Knew” is a warning to parents that it’s their job to raise their kids and not Em’s. Eminem relates how he sees little kids watching violent movies and wonders where the kid’s parents are. He also raps, “Quit trying to censor music/ This is for your kids’ amusement (the kids!)/ But don’t blame me when little Eric jumps off of the terrace/ You should’ve been watching him/ Apparently you ain’t parents.”The controversy over Eminem’s lyrics — or over any questionable media for that matter — is a good thing. It gets people to think a little more about what they’re listening to, and it gets parents to pay a little more attention to their kids’ interests. But GLAAD and its partners in the fight against Eminem are doing the public a disservice by not taking the time to actually listen to what they’re criticizing.Jocelyn Marcus is a junior in English from Ames. She is wire editor of the Daily.