How much should a rapper rap before someone puts a muzzle on his right to free speech?

Ontario Attorney General Jim Flaherty suggests Grammy Award-winning rapper Eminem should not be allowed to set foot in Canada because his lyrics advocate violence against women.

Thankfully, the feds aren't listening.

Granted, the street language from his The Real Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP might be too graphic for ears younger than the 27-year-old Marshall Bruce Mathers III. But that's why there's those well-pasted Tipper Gore-approved warning labels on CDs deemed offensive.

Yet he speaks only of what he knows -- the lousy fight-filled environment he grew up in and, as duly noted on Kim, the domestic violence he recently endured with his now ex-wife:

"See it all makes sense, doesn't it?/You and your husband have a fight/One of you tries to grab a knife/And during the struggle he accidentally gets his Adam's apple sliced," says Eminem before later cracking up with, "You were supposed to love me/NOW BLEED! BITCH BLEED!"

Does that advocate violence against women or does it paint a bleak picture of life in a troubled relationship?

Either way, the fact this issue is even being raised is garnering great publicity for Eminem. He can preach, he can holler, but fans will be lured to the heavy beats and rhythms than follow his lyrics to the letter. Some might sing along, but few are fully cognizant of lyrical content.

Now, put the rapper in the role of a teacher. If dear Mr. Mathers took up condoning students to consider killing their spouses, hate blacks or Jews (like Malcolm Ross, Jim Keegstra or Ernst Zundel), that would be cause for alarm. A teacher is considered a knowledgeable figure, an authority figure who can impress upon young minds what is right and wrong.

That's when governments should step in and distribute the muzzles.

Eminem speaks his mind, but he's no hate-mongrel. If you don't like what he says, you can stop buying his CDs or boo him off stage (like Montrealers did to Ted Nugent when he ranted, "If you can't speak English, get the f--- out of Canada!" a stunt headliners KISS found so distasteful they gave him the boot).

As for his music, it's not for everyone, especially young kids. But if you ban him for his lyrics, then say sayonara to all rap, or to all music for that matter.