Eminem, the foul-mouthed white rapper who commented on The Real Slim Shady that he didn't "give a damn about a Grammy" won three out of his four nominations. And much to the horror of the religious, gay and women's group protesters outside the Los Angeles Staples Center, the Grammy audience gave a standing ovation after his performance of Stan with a polka-dot clad Elton John. I won't even attempt to discuss the ironies evident.

The Marshall Mathers LP has already sold more than 8 million copies in the US alone. It's challenging to listen to the album without getting raging mad at the lyrics, especially if you're a woman or gay. The hatred in it is enough to label it as the most hateful album ever nominated for a Grammy.

Here's what you'll hear in Kill You: "You faggots keep eggin me on/til I have you at knifepoint, then you beg me to stop?/Shut Up!�Or I'ma kill you!" Or try listening to "Criminal" and tell me his words are harmless: "My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/That'll stab you in the head/whether you're a fag or lez/Or the homosex, hermaph or trans-a-vest/Pants or dress - hate fags? The answer's 'yes'."

I don't understand the justifications people come up with to say that this is only his artistic expression. If he can't say the word "nigger" in his records out of "respect" for "black music", it means he has no such respect to women and gays. Never has he come out to deny that he is advocating violence against these groups-his silence is the most frightening part. Even Republican Lynne Cheney, the US Vice President's wife, has said that Eminem "is the most extreme example of lyrics used to demean women and advocate violence against women and gay people".

The Marshall Mathers LP won the "Best Rap Album" category not because of its content, but because of Eminem's musical creativity and witty rhymes. Unfortunately, the messages that come across from it are enough for me to toss it in the microwave and set it on "High".

Do you think all this hate was born because his mom named him Marshall?