Do you find yourself singing along with a song without thinking what it really means? The Eminem song featuring Rhianna, titled “Love the Way You Lie” has many wondering about its message. Both artists have been controversial in the public eye for domestic abuse in their private life while still remaining with their partner. A year ago photos were released showing Rhianna’s face bruised beyond recognition by her boyfriend Chris Brown. In the latest video from Eminem’s new album, the way Rhianna snarls her lips while singing seems to express arousal at the idea of being abused. Abuse is a serious issue for millions of couples who find themselves in a vicious cycle of passion that leaves them emotionally and physically scarred. Just when you think Eminem is painting a character who knows he needs to stop being abusive he closes the song with “I apologize even though i know its lies. I’m tired of the games i just want her back I know I’m a liar if she ever tries to fuckin’ leave again I’ma tie her to the bed and set this house on fire.” What message is this sending? He says he’s sorry, he knows he is lying, and if she leaves him again he’s going to tie her to the bed and kill her? And she is still in love with him! These two artists have promoted the song as a way to speak out against domestic violence and as artists tend to do, they have romanticized the subject. The female character in the song is saying it is okay to lie to me and then beat me up because it makes me feel loved. Is this the love little girls dream of? Or is their self-esteem so crushed by this super competitive world that they feel like they do not deserve better. The video takes it even further by casting starlet Megan Fox and Lost actor Dominic Monaghan as lovers constantly attacking and apologizing. What it seems to say is that it is okay for these two people to be cruel to each other if they make it up with teddy bears, and beers. The video walks an edge though, and shows the female attacking the man first. Is there something more politically correct about a girlfriend abusing her boyfriend? The video does not show him hitting her, but it shows her hitting him. It shows him beating a man to a pulp at a bar and shattering miscellaneous objects. It shows them getting drunk together, lovingly, in the midst of urban squalor, with them both burning up in flames at the end. This song has been topping the charts for over two months. With its catchy lyrics and smooth production, this song has permeated pop culture and 9 year olds can be heard singing it. Are they capable of understanding the nuances of criticism against domestic violence in the song if adults have trouble drawing the line? What is this saying to young people? There should be no censorship of art, as it is often a reflection of ourselves. What does it say about us if we love to listen to a song that reflects two selftortured beings? Does it mean we hate ourselves as well?