THE Americans have a cold and nasty term for it: collateral damage. This is US military speak for the accidental death of innocent bystanders. Latisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis were certainly blameless when they were killed during a gunfight outside a New Year party in Birmingham.

The initial shock that something so terrible could happen here has led to a debate about Britain's gun culture. Home Secretary David Blunkett can usually be relied on to jump in with both feet at the first sign of a crisis. He did not disappoint on this issue, "blaming gangsta rap for Britain's soaring gun problem", according to one national tabloid newspaper.

His colleague Kim Howells, the culture minister, leapt in feet first (and brain last), claiming the "time had come to stand up to the 'idiots' of rap culture", according to a national broadsheet.

Tony Parsons, author and TV arts pundit, opined: "Guns would not be a funky fashion accessory if we brought back capital punishment. Because nobody looks cool when they are hanging from the end of a rope." A fine sentiment, Tony - and clearly supported by the evidence from the US, where capital punishment has obviously discouraged all use of guns. Send that man off to see Michael Moore's film documentary Bowling For Columbine, a grimly hilarious study of American gun culture.

So here we are, in the middle of a solemn, yet frantic, chat-fest of the sort that bowls along after the sudden passage of sad events. Those of us who lie in wait for things to happen can start writing, with barely time to wonder if the humanity of the situation doesn't get lost in the rush.

It is a common liberal position to say that blaming violence on films or TV isn't on. Mostly, I would be happy to stick with that - not because I want to watch violent films or to listen to loud aggressive rap music whose lyrics throb with raw nastiness. No, just because films, and now a certain sort of music, are too handy as scapegoats.

David Blunkett's attack on gangsta rap was typically over the top. Even those of us whose ears would lift off and fly away rather than listen to a gangsta rap record can still spot a politician's bogus argument.

Does Mr Blunkett really believe that changing the lyrics of rap records would reduce gun use? Every time a Government minister reaches for such a convenient excuse, it is worth asking yourself what they are trying to hide.

After all, the reasons behind "Britain's soaring gun problem" are many and complicated, tied in with alienation and inner-city poverty on one level, perhaps - yet also connected to something more concrete: the ready availability of guns.

I may be a simplistic columnist, but if you remove the guns you remove the threat, don't you? I know it's not that easy - but, hey, blaming a social problem on the lyrics of songs is hardly reaching high into the intelligence bin.

Nasty rap lyrics - and some are particularly corrosive - don't count as one of life's finer points. But it's too easy for politicians who don't understand a certain youth culture to fling blame about.

Besides, even out-of-touch middle-aged types know some rap music can be powerfully positive. Ms Dynamite uses her songs to convey intelligent messages, staying cool while singing about safe sex and the like.

WITTERING old DJ departs Radio 2 to deliver bitter words in his new newspaper column... If Jimmy Young's rant at the BBC, who employed him to the ripe-as-brie age of 81, doesn't count as rank ingratitude, I'm not sure what does.

Still, maybe there's a reason to listen to Radio 2 now Sir Jimmy has left the building and taken his sour mutterings with him.

Updated: 11:09 Thursday, January 09, 2003