To be fair, I wouldn't REALLY classify the people I am about to mention as HEROS, per say. But it was shorter than writing " people I have liked, enjoyed and/or admired who have REALLY dissapointed me"....... See? That is kinda wordy, don't ya think?
First one, this is from about a year ago, but it still bothers me. When the news hit about the hideous things Michael Vick did to his poor dogs in the name of the "sport" of dogfighting, somehow the topic came up on "The View". Now, I will be honest, I have NEVER watched that show, just not my cup 'o tea, so to speak. But I did see the footage of this exchange.
I could not believe Whoopi Goldberg DEFENDED that slimeball by saying it was a "cultural difference". REALLY? Torturing, drowning, electrocuting and killing innocent animals is a cultural difference? Ooohhkkayyy.
So, I am pretty sure there were lots of people that thought SLAVERY was a "cultural difference", what would Whoopi say to that?
I can't say I was a die-hard Whoopi fan before, but I liked her, enjoyed her work, LOVED her in "the Color Purple". I was really disappointed such a normally intelligent, forward-thinking person could be so ignorant in her views on such a basic topic as animal cruelty. It just made me sad.
Person #2 - Prince. I went through a time of being a HUGE Prince fan! I loved his music, he is a largely self-taught musical prodigy who can play multiple instraments. Not to mention sing, write music AND lyrics. He was unique! He pushed the musical envelope! He could be fabulouly controversial and yet commercially successful. Plus, I thought he was REALLY cute!
Now, all good, extremely famous, musical genius people seem to lose their marbles somewhere along the road. I accept that. And I hadn't enjoyed Prince's last couple release nearly as much. They were okay, but it seemed he lost his edge, his ability to be ahead of the musical pack.
But, imagine my surprise when PRINCE, king of Controversy, Mr. Super-sexy-androginous man, the pusher of every last sexual/musical envelope, announced that he was AGAINST gay marriage!.....WHAT!?!?!?! SERIOUSLY!?!?!?! Are we being punked here? This is PRINCE for crying out loud! He built his career on a largely gay fan base. HOW could he say such a thing?
And not only did he NOT support gay equal rights, but he stated the Bible says it's wrong.....!
Yeah! PRINCE is suddenly concerned with what the Bible says is wrong! Oh come on now!
(For the record, I don't agree with what many people interpret the Bible supposedly saying about Homosexuality. That is for another blog, but if you want to know the TRUTH, check out www.unidiversal.com ).
Anyway, I was quite surprised and dissapointed by Prince. Sigh...another one bites the dust. (sorry Freddy).
But the one that hurt me the most is a musician I bet most of you never heard of.
I was a fan of many Christian rock bands in the 80's. All the greats of my day. Petra, White Heart, Stryper, Steve Taylor, Amy Grant, Leslie Philips, DeGarmo & Key, Russ Taff, Barren Cross, the list is endless!!! But, my one true love of that day was a solo artist by the name of David Meece. Oh, how I LOVED that man! I had my bedroom wall COVERED with pictures of David Meece! I had ALL of his records (yes, boys & girls, actual records,,,I'm old ok?), I went to every concert I could get my poor mother to drive me to! I stalked...uh..I mean...waited for him after the show to get his picture...and drool, drool, drool! I thought he was THE hottie to end all hotties! Plus, he was/is a tremendously talented musician. A classically trained pianist. I was obsessed, as only a teenage girl can be.
My obsession faded with time, but listening to his music brought back fond memories. Ah, youth!
So, this past August (2008) I finally enter the computer age. I get an email addrress! (ok..I'm a little slow with technology...stop laughing!). I get myspace! Facebook! My own lovely little blog that you are reading now.
I reconnect with many friends from the past, and make wonderful new ones! FUN!
One day, I decide to do a search for David Meece on Myspace, and low and behold, THERE HE WAS! Okay, he kinda looked...old...but hey! Who doesn't? Of course, I sent him a friend request.
about a week later, he accepts! Hooray! My old flame, on my page! I put him in my top friends, right in between Harvey Firestein and RuPaul! I was so proud!!
(For the record, I interviewed Harvey Firestein in 1995, and I briefly spoke to RuPaul at the Vortex in Chicago right before "Supermodel" hit mainstream, back in my radio days). :)
So, the election comes, and I am THRILLED that Barak Obama won!! I make new, proud, joyous posts everyday! I call myself Obamalicious....and I am you know!
Then, I notice, David Meece is missing from his place of honor on my page! Hmmm, must have been an accident, I think. I check his page. He added a new song. Something about Dancing with the Enemy. Then, I look through his friend list. Ewww! Sarah Palin? GROSS! Hate that girl!!
Oh, well, there's no accounting for taste.
So I sent him another friend request. I wait. Couple weeks. He accepts again! Hooray, I knew it was a mistake!
Ray Boltz, another Christian singer from the 80's comes out as a proud gay Christian man. Way to go Ray! He releases a pro-gay marriage song "Don't Tell Me Who to Love" (GREAT song by the way!) I make it my #1 profile song.
Shortly after, David Meece disappears AGAIN!!!.....Hmmmmm......this is suspicious......
So I try to send him ANOTHER request... and that worthless little snot BLOCKED ME AS A USER!!!!!!!! WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!?!??!?!?!
You mean I supported him all through the 80's, bought his music, screamed at his shows, to be dissed and blocked because we don't agree on politics?!?!!? OH COME ON NOW!!!!!!!
At first I was strangely hurt, now I'm just mad. And dissapointed that my High School crush turned out to be a narrow-minded, homophobic bigot.
I think THAT is what bothers me most of all. How could I have supported some one so close-minded? Blinded by his dark eyes and beautiful music I guess.
So there you have it. Fallen heros....famous people I don't really know that have let me down.
Okay, Obama....you're my last hope!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Gay Marriage........
December 10th, 2008 is "A Day Without Gays" day. http://www.jointheimpact.com/ came up with the idea of calling in GAY to work, and then spending the day volunteering, marching, protesting (peacefully, I hope) to show support for gay marriage.
As you may know, Proposition 8 passed in California, outlawing gay marriage. There has been a HUGE uproar in the GLBT and P-FLAG community ever since.
I also heard of a great idea for those of us who WANT to support this worthy cause, but realistically cannot take off work. Because, seriously, with the economy being what it is, people NEED their jobs, and let me tell ya, there are MANY places in this country where you would get fired (or WORSE) for calling in gay. Not good.
Even then, some people just plain need the money and cannot afford to give up a vacation/sick day.
Wear a white knot to work. White representing what people traditionally wear to get married, and tying the knot, ect. I believe this was first posted on http://www.whiteknot.org/ . When people ask what the white knot is for, you can tell them about prop 8 and gay marriage, gay rights/human rights and so on.
Beyond that, WHY do people so oppose gay people getting married? I fail to see how someone else's marriage, ANYONE else's marriage affects my own. Believe me, straight people have been screwing up marriage for a LONG TIME now. Lets give someone else a shot!
It just seems so arcaic to me. It's like looking back at when interracial relationships were illegal. We remember that and wonder how people could have been so blind, so foolish!
I hope someday, we will look back and wonder how on earth anyone thought opposing the union of two loving grown adults was considered acceptable. Be that 2 men, 2 women or one man and one woman.
Truthfully, I have seen as many (maybe more) examples or true committed love being demonstated by same-sex couples as hetro-couples. You can find positive and negative examples of ANYTHING! Why not give the gay couples the same basic rights as everyone else?
What does it hurt? How does it change ANYTHING that does or does not happen in my own life and home?
I just don't get it.
Hey! I've got an idea!!!! If we want to oppose something, lets oppose the union of STUPID people! Now THAT could do all of us some good............
As you may know, Proposition 8 passed in California, outlawing gay marriage. There has been a HUGE uproar in the GLBT and P-FLAG community ever since.
I also heard of a great idea for those of us who WANT to support this worthy cause, but realistically cannot take off work. Because, seriously, with the economy being what it is, people NEED their jobs, and let me tell ya, there are MANY places in this country where you would get fired (or WORSE) for calling in gay. Not good.
Even then, some people just plain need the money and cannot afford to give up a vacation/sick day.
Wear a white knot to work. White representing what people traditionally wear to get married, and tying the knot, ect. I believe this was first posted on http://www.whiteknot.org/ . When people ask what the white knot is for, you can tell them about prop 8 and gay marriage, gay rights/human rights and so on.
Beyond that, WHY do people so oppose gay people getting married? I fail to see how someone else's marriage, ANYONE else's marriage affects my own. Believe me, straight people have been screwing up marriage for a LONG TIME now. Lets give someone else a shot!
It just seems so arcaic to me. It's like looking back at when interracial relationships were illegal. We remember that and wonder how people could have been so blind, so foolish!
I hope someday, we will look back and wonder how on earth anyone thought opposing the union of two loving grown adults was considered acceptable. Be that 2 men, 2 women or one man and one woman.
Truthfully, I have seen as many (maybe more) examples or true committed love being demonstated by same-sex couples as hetro-couples. You can find positive and negative examples of ANYTHING! Why not give the gay couples the same basic rights as everyone else?
What does it hurt? How does it change ANYTHING that does or does not happen in my own life and home?
I just don't get it.
Hey! I've got an idea!!!! If we want to oppose something, lets oppose the union of STUPID people! Now THAT could do all of us some good............
Monday, December 1, 2008
RADIO DAZE..............
Grown-ups LOVE to ask kids what they want to be when they grow up. For awhile I think I answered "dancer".
But, oooops! I am NOT graceful. Hmmmmm...what next?
Then I started answering "artist". I loved to color!
Oooooops again! Turns out there isn't a big market for crayola art. And I never progressed much beyond the stick figures in the drawing department.
Lets see, what else? Animals! I loved animals!
Even though that has always been part of my life (mom rescued animals ALL the time!), the pay for an animal activist is strangely lacking.
NEXT!!!!
Finally, I came upon an idea that just might work.....MUSIC!!!! Of course! I listen to music all the time! Even had my very own orange plastic record-player. Played mom's old 45's everyday.
(Yes, I did just say record player and 45's.....and I'm not talkin' SPF here).
However, I can't sing. Trust me, it's frightful! I liked the IDEA of playing an instrament. But actually PRACTICING.........not so much.
Then, I discovered RADIO!! You mean I could talk (LOVE to do that!), and listen to music all day.....and get PAID for it??? YAHOO!!!!!!
That described my entire career as a teenage! Talking and playing music! YES! This radio thing was the answer!
I actually started when I was about 14 (1984...the year...not the George Orwell book). How I got my headphones on over all that 80's teased-out-aquanet-schelacked hair I will never know!
Mom drove me to work (not old enough to do it myself). I started "interning" which was great because back then radio interns actually LEARNED stuff as opposed to getting coffee and doing stupid stunts for the Morning Guys like they do now.
PLUS, you had to be liscensed by the FCC back then to run the equiptment. I was so proud when I finally got that thing! Better than a diploma!!
As soon as I graduated High School, I got a full-time (paying) radio gig. LOVED EVERY MINUTE!
Lots of crazy stuff, met many amazing people, worked a wide variety of formats. Too much stuff to tell you about right now! But it was great (overall), never regreted those years!
I left radio in May of 1999 (another VERY long story...will blog on that later). You have know idea how bummed I was that I wasn't going to be able to play Prince's "1999" on the air that New Years Eve! (It's a radio thing....trust me).
Radio is so different now. In a way I think I got out just in time. Satellite and internet radio was on the rise. The FCC was deregulating left and right, so a few huge companies owned ALL of the stations. More "recorded" programming. Less freedom to experiment, have fun, actually DISCOVER new music.
And trust me, even though "payola" is illegal.....it happened ALL THE TIME!!!! Thus, consultants controled EVERYTHING we said and ALL the music we played.
By the way....consultants were stupid AND very corrupt....not a good combo.
But it was an incredible experience! And lots of fun! Tell you all more about that world some other time..........
But, oooops! I am NOT graceful. Hmmmmm...what next?
Then I started answering "artist". I loved to color!
Oooooops again! Turns out there isn't a big market for crayola art. And I never progressed much beyond the stick figures in the drawing department.
Lets see, what else? Animals! I loved animals!
Even though that has always been part of my life (mom rescued animals ALL the time!), the pay for an animal activist is strangely lacking.
NEXT!!!!
Finally, I came upon an idea that just might work.....MUSIC!!!! Of course! I listen to music all the time! Even had my very own orange plastic record-player. Played mom's old 45's everyday.
(Yes, I did just say record player and 45's.....and I'm not talkin' SPF here).
However, I can't sing. Trust me, it's frightful! I liked the IDEA of playing an instrament. But actually PRACTICING.........not so much.
Then, I discovered RADIO!! You mean I could talk (LOVE to do that!), and listen to music all day.....and get PAID for it??? YAHOO!!!!!!
That described my entire career as a teenage! Talking and playing music! YES! This radio thing was the answer!
I actually started when I was about 14 (1984...the year...not the George Orwell book). How I got my headphones on over all that 80's teased-out-aquanet-schelacked hair I will never know!
Mom drove me to work (not old enough to do it myself). I started "interning" which was great because back then radio interns actually LEARNED stuff as opposed to getting coffee and doing stupid stunts for the Morning Guys like they do now.
PLUS, you had to be liscensed by the FCC back then to run the equiptment. I was so proud when I finally got that thing! Better than a diploma!!
As soon as I graduated High School, I got a full-time (paying) radio gig. LOVED EVERY MINUTE!
Lots of crazy stuff, met many amazing people, worked a wide variety of formats. Too much stuff to tell you about right now! But it was great (overall), never regreted those years!
I left radio in May of 1999 (another VERY long story...will blog on that later). You have know idea how bummed I was that I wasn't going to be able to play Prince's "1999" on the air that New Years Eve! (It's a radio thing....trust me).
Radio is so different now. In a way I think I got out just in time. Satellite and internet radio was on the rise. The FCC was deregulating left and right, so a few huge companies owned ALL of the stations. More "recorded" programming. Less freedom to experiment, have fun, actually DISCOVER new music.
And trust me, even though "payola" is illegal.....it happened ALL THE TIME!!!! Thus, consultants controled EVERYTHING we said and ALL the music we played.
By the way....consultants were stupid AND very corrupt....not a good combo.
But it was an incredible experience! And lots of fun! Tell you all more about that world some other time..........
Blast to the Past......
I was born in the wagon of a traveling show...OH wait! That's a Cher song, my bad!
Actually I was born in an evil, godforsaken place called Wabash, Indiana. Yeah, yeah, Crystal Gail was born there too. Fine.. so a grand total of 2 good things came from that place.
My mom fled to Wabash when she was pregnant in 1969. I was made during the "Summer of Love"...typical for me! My mom never wanted children. She was a free spirit. She worked very hard, was born into a looonnngg line of farmers.
But, she wanted more! She LOVED music, wanted to dance, sign, play piano. She longed to travel. No strings attached, just fun!
Then she met..."him".....my sperm donor. Tall, dark, kinda dangerous. VERY smooth. Said ALL the right things! Took her out! Told she was beautiful!!! (She really was! She looked like some kind of Petula Clark/Connie Francis beauty in her Senior picture. I'll share it sometime!)
But, ooops! He kinda forgot to mention he was married....that's not a PROBLEM...is it???
She wasn't happy, told that boy to take a hike. Mom and I always had a weakness for the "bad boys"! Oh well, no problem! Live and learn.....until....oh crap.....she was pregnant.
Sperm donor was already married, with 3 lovely children. Perfect little life. Good job at the bank. Great money.
"Yes, this poor, uneducated farm girl must be mistaken. I couldn't posibly be the father of her child! I mean....who IS she.....? No one of importance, of course."
Trust me, had abortion been an option at that time, you would not be reading these words right now....at least not written by me.
She was devestated! She had no money! She was a clerk at a small drug store. Her family were nothing but "uneducated" farmers. They already thought she was the wild child. A lost cause!
But, her family loved her, wanted to help. Gave her all the support they could. But, she was worried about what people would say, since being an "un-wed mother" was still a big, bad thing in a small rural town.Thus, she fled that place she (and all of my family) was born in to hide out in ........Wabash. I hate that place.
She got a job, made up a story about being divorced (thinking that would help). We lived with my mom's older sister and my VERY COOL uncle. They moved there a couple years before that for work. My family was "nothing" socially. My sperm donor's family was "everything". Big shot at a local bank. No way anyone would believe her in her hometown...so she went into hiding.
Even though she did not want children ( a statement I heard MANY times) she did her best. Mom was born with what I now think would be called "bipolar disorder" or perhaps it was just depression, she had a rough time mentally and emotionally somedays. Back then they called it being.........moody and artistic.
She was not perfect, but I do know that she loved me. She lived the rest of her life (whitch ended in September 1998) trying to make up for the "sins of her past".
She never married. Had some "crushes" but did not date. She was trying to attone for her "sins". I being the (very) obvious result.
Oh, but Wabatuckey (Wabash) was NOT a welcoming place. We were kicked out of MANY churches. Sometimes, because she told the she was "divorced". They didn't want a divoced woman in their church. Heaven forbid, when she actually DID tell them the TRUTH, they would scoot us out the door before the first Hymn was finished! Turns out many of those churches didn't want "sinners" in their congegations. Go Figure.
Some people called her a Lesbian (because we had to live with her sister/my aunt). Some people called her a Whore.
EVERYONE (okay, not everyone, but lots of people) called me a worthless bastard. How I hate that word. The "kind" people called me an "Illigitamate Child". What the FUCK does that mean anyway?
Did I miss that? Was I not human?
Crap. All this time I thogut I had flesh, bones, a soul........feelings. Silly me.
I remember so clearly in first grade. West Ward Elementary School. Somewhere around 1976.
First grade teacher, Ms. Wulser. I. Hate. That.Woman.
We had to draw a family picture. ALL of our family. Up to this point, I had asked exactally one question about my sperm donor. Did I have one. Mom said yes. But he has another family. I said. Okay. Went back to watching "Sanford and Son", or "The Electric Company", maybe "The Jeffersons", not sure.
Anyway. In my picture was me (duh), my Mom, both of her sisters (my Aunts), my Uncle in the sky with wings (he died in 1974) and my cat. Good picture for a six year old!
Ms.Wulser held each picture up. Asked questions about it. Then she came to me.
"Is this your Daddy in the sky?" "No, that's Uncle Chucky". "You need to put your daddy in the picture" "I don't have one" (thinking to myself...LORD! This woman is stupid! Didin't she get the memo?) "EVERYONE has a Daddy Susan. You HAVE TO draw him. Even if you don't live in the same house". "But, I..DON't HAVE A DAD"! Thinking, cripes, and this stupid woman is my teacher?? Oy vey!
I had to stay in for recess until I put this person that didn't exist in my picture. I would not do it. I could draw Bugs Bunny, Snoopy, even Woody Woodpecker. THEY were real. This "Dad" people spoke of.....not so much.
After that point on, I was THE target. That is the nature of grade school. Find a weak spot...and JUMP on it. It didn't help that I was a shy, chubby kid either. Some people thought we were the biggest freaks in town. We finally left in 1983 ( I was 13). A new start!
Thus ends part one........
Actually I was born in an evil, godforsaken place called Wabash, Indiana. Yeah, yeah, Crystal Gail was born there too. Fine.. so a grand total of 2 good things came from that place.
My mom fled to Wabash when she was pregnant in 1969. I was made during the "Summer of Love"...typical for me! My mom never wanted children. She was a free spirit. She worked very hard, was born into a looonnngg line of farmers.
But, she wanted more! She LOVED music, wanted to dance, sign, play piano. She longed to travel. No strings attached, just fun!
Then she met..."him".....my sperm donor. Tall, dark, kinda dangerous. VERY smooth. Said ALL the right things! Took her out! Told she was beautiful!!! (She really was! She looked like some kind of Petula Clark/Connie Francis beauty in her Senior picture. I'll share it sometime!)
But, ooops! He kinda forgot to mention he was married....that's not a PROBLEM...is it???
She wasn't happy, told that boy to take a hike. Mom and I always had a weakness for the "bad boys"! Oh well, no problem! Live and learn.....until....oh crap.....she was pregnant.
Sperm donor was already married, with 3 lovely children. Perfect little life. Good job at the bank. Great money.
"Yes, this poor, uneducated farm girl must be mistaken. I couldn't posibly be the father of her child! I mean....who IS she.....? No one of importance, of course."
Trust me, had abortion been an option at that time, you would not be reading these words right now....at least not written by me.
She was devestated! She had no money! She was a clerk at a small drug store. Her family were nothing but "uneducated" farmers. They already thought she was the wild child. A lost cause!
But, her family loved her, wanted to help. Gave her all the support they could. But, she was worried about what people would say, since being an "un-wed mother" was still a big, bad thing in a small rural town.Thus, she fled that place she (and all of my family) was born in to hide out in ........Wabash. I hate that place.
She got a job, made up a story about being divorced (thinking that would help). We lived with my mom's older sister and my VERY COOL uncle. They moved there a couple years before that for work. My family was "nothing" socially. My sperm donor's family was "everything". Big shot at a local bank. No way anyone would believe her in her hometown...so she went into hiding.
Even though she did not want children ( a statement I heard MANY times) she did her best. Mom was born with what I now think would be called "bipolar disorder" or perhaps it was just depression, she had a rough time mentally and emotionally somedays. Back then they called it being.........moody and artistic.
She was not perfect, but I do know that she loved me. She lived the rest of her life (whitch ended in September 1998) trying to make up for the "sins of her past".
She never married. Had some "crushes" but did not date. She was trying to attone for her "sins". I being the (very) obvious result.
Oh, but Wabatuckey (Wabash) was NOT a welcoming place. We were kicked out of MANY churches. Sometimes, because she told the she was "divorced". They didn't want a divoced woman in their church. Heaven forbid, when she actually DID tell them the TRUTH, they would scoot us out the door before the first Hymn was finished! Turns out many of those churches didn't want "sinners" in their congegations. Go Figure.
Some people called her a Lesbian (because we had to live with her sister/my aunt). Some people called her a Whore.
EVERYONE (okay, not everyone, but lots of people) called me a worthless bastard. How I hate that word. The "kind" people called me an "Illigitamate Child". What the FUCK does that mean anyway?
Did I miss that? Was I not human?
Crap. All this time I thogut I had flesh, bones, a soul........feelings. Silly me.
I remember so clearly in first grade. West Ward Elementary School. Somewhere around 1976.
First grade teacher, Ms. Wulser. I. Hate. That.Woman.
We had to draw a family picture. ALL of our family. Up to this point, I had asked exactally one question about my sperm donor. Did I have one. Mom said yes. But he has another family. I said. Okay. Went back to watching "Sanford and Son", or "The Electric Company", maybe "The Jeffersons", not sure.
Anyway. In my picture was me (duh), my Mom, both of her sisters (my Aunts), my Uncle in the sky with wings (he died in 1974) and my cat. Good picture for a six year old!
Ms.Wulser held each picture up. Asked questions about it. Then she came to me.
"Is this your Daddy in the sky?" "No, that's Uncle Chucky". "You need to put your daddy in the picture" "I don't have one" (thinking to myself...LORD! This woman is stupid! Didin't she get the memo?) "EVERYONE has a Daddy Susan. You HAVE TO draw him. Even if you don't live in the same house". "But, I..DON't HAVE A DAD"! Thinking, cripes, and this stupid woman is my teacher?? Oy vey!
I had to stay in for recess until I put this person that didn't exist in my picture. I would not do it. I could draw Bugs Bunny, Snoopy, even Woody Woodpecker. THEY were real. This "Dad" people spoke of.....not so much.
After that point on, I was THE target. That is the nature of grade school. Find a weak spot...and JUMP on it. It didn't help that I was a shy, chubby kid either. Some people thought we were the biggest freaks in town. We finally left in 1983 ( I was 13). A new start!
Thus ends part one........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
