100 Issues for 100 Days: #26

#26: What Have They Got That I Ain't Got?

I didn't update last night partly because I was in bed by 8 and partly because 9/11 is always a difficult day for me. Being on the West Coast for 9/11 is a mind-trip. And being a teacher of middle to high school students who were born and raised on the West Coast is basically a mindfuck.

For the most part, children are out of touch with the impact of that day. But this is the only place where I've consistently encountered children who laugh and treat that day as a joke. To top it all off, my advising group is currently discussing "courage", which is one of our school's guiding principles. The topics essentially go hand in hand but for students who don't see that event (or most events that don't affect them personally) as important, it's hard to get them to understand the sacrifices that people make.

On a personal level, discussing courage with my students makes me wonder, why should they know what courage is when they never see it displayed? We talked about what courage looks like an what it sounds like and a lot of them talked about jumping in front of bullets and saving lives but what about the student that says it's not okay when they see someone making fun of another? Or the shop owner who stays in a dangerous neighborhood rather than abandon it?

We also talked about moral courage vs. physical courage. In the article I provided for discussion, the author referenced voting Obama into office as an example of Americans showing moral courage. My question is, what have we done since then? Now that he's there how are we supporting him because right now it seems like all we hear are the people who didn't vote for him. I'm not saying that I'm perfect because I've definitely missed out on opportunities to go to town halls and show my support but I have written to senators and representatives. Below is a clip from Real Time with Bill Maher where he talks about the lack of courage the Obama administration and the people who voted for him are showing. We have the majority and we need to exercise it. I feel strongly that the moment we show that we are not ready to back down the other side will because right now they're just blowing lots of hot air.

Today I Cried for a Man

I know networks are happy that despite the dry spell that is summer television, they've had a "story" like the death of Michael Jackson to sustain them but even with their continuing attempts to turn Michael Jackson's life into a circus, today's memorial service was a tasteful and uplifting remembrance of the man.

Yes there were missteps (Sen. Jackson Lee) and some questionable issues (a $4 million bill laid on the taxpayers of California, a bankrupt state) but all that was overshadowed by the powerful words and tearful good byes. Today I mourned Michael Jackson the man. Not how his music made me feel or what it reminded me of. I mourned a father who left behind three young children. I mourned a man who lived a life that was isolated and haunted by abuse. And most of all a man who despite the best attempts of those around him, maintained his childlike innocence and a dedication to help those around him. That's more than anyboday can say. And I agree that he was "the greatest entertainer that ever lived".


My favorite tribute from the memorial:

Death to AutoTune

So as the spring moves into summer (and I have some free time on my hands), I'm back here to blog and share.

It's been one week since Michael Jackson left this earth and it's become clear to me, mourning is almost never about the person who died. How else do you explain an entire world of people (including myself) who eight days ago probably couldn't say the words Michael Jackson without a snicker or derisive snort, crying and clamoring for that same man.

Will Michael be missed? Yes, of course. But I have to admit that my sadness (and it's still here, it has lingered) comes from all the great memories that I've associated with this man and his music. I want to say that it's all about him but that would be a lie and the time for lies is over. I am sincerely sad but moreso than for a man I'm sad for a spirit that was battered and broken by his family, by fame and probably never fully felt the joy that he brought to so many. That's what saddens me still, a week later.

I've been watching music videos since then. First the many tributes to Michael and then as music channels segued back into their regular rotation, I got a chance to "catch up" on what I've been missing and the sad fact is music is gasping for it's last breath. I won't deny the innovators but with them being so few and far between or in some cases unconsumed, what is the future for music? When people stand up and thank the people who have inspired them will they name a Young Jeezy or an Ace Hood? (Please, Jesus no) And even those that claim to be inspired by the greats are producing music as indiscernible and easily consumed and digested as popcorn.

Though I'm still mourning the loss of Michael Jackson and watch in dismay as the tabloids and 24-hour press tear him apart for the sake of a story, one tidbit did cheer me up. UsWeekly reported that while Michael's children were homeschooled, he himself tutored them in art, music and African-American history. I can't think of anyone better :)

Who missed the memo?

2009 is supposed to be the year of change, hope and innovation. That's what we've been hearing about and with the inauguration of President-Elect Obama looming, this was supposed to signal a turning point for race relations in this country. So why was a Black man shot by a police officer while he was on his stomach with his hands behind his back on the very first day of this year of hope?

Since the shooting of Oscar Grant, no action has been taken by the BART police or the city of Oakland to investigate or prosecute the officer who fired his gun. Despite video evidence that is splashed across news media and YouTube, the officer has been allowed to resign and the mayor only released a statement after protests turned to near riots. All this only 7 days into the year of change.

Sadder still is the story of Kalynn Moore, a New Jersey mother who not only experienced the sudden death of her son in childbirth but was further horrified to learn that the hospital had thrown the infant's body out with the trash. And to top it all off, the hospital has given up the search for the body.

I am not a person who likes to shout racism, every time a Black person is wronged but these are two situations where not only the authorities but the media have failed to do what they are charged to. Oscar Grant was a young father who was shot in the back, yet no steps have been taken to investigate his death, and the media has chosen to portray him and the people of Oakland as thuggish and deserving of such treatment. Kalynn Moore has seen first hand that the people in power view both her and her child as disposable not even worthy of search that lasted more than a week. I hate to sound pessimistic but I honestly believe if this child had been White, there would have been a prolonged and exhaustive search for its body. It would be national news and people would be holding vigils. Because that is the value of a White life in this country.

If we hope that 2009 will truly be a year of change then we need to be that change. The United States has been talking about an American dream that cannot be realized when the lives of some Americans are worth more than others. I'm happy for President Obama but we are not all Barack Obama, we're much closer to being Oscar Grants and Kalynn Moores. "Hope"fully, that will "change".

I Will Remember You

Every year I avoid 9/11. I either spend the majority of the day in my house watching television (something completely innocuous) or I turn off the tv and avoid major news outlets, etc. I don't like to remember that day. And it's actually a lot easier to do in California. But today I woke up and they were airing an episode of Iconoclasts* on the Sundance Channel which featured Renee Zelleweger interviewing Christian Amanpour.

They talked a lot about the news media's role in the world as truth-tellers. Obviously Amanpour is a shining example of that. They discussed Rwanda and Amanpour's personal guilt about the media not stepping in and eventually they talked about 9/11. They walked throughout the construction site for the new tower and memorial park and they discussed how the media, in deference to the experience we'd all gone through, tempered their reporting and only now were they slowly building back to the way it had been. That really made me think. Amanpour said that there was an Edward R. Murrow quote that she uses as her mantra:

This instrument [television] can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire, but it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box.

This quote means everything today. I think the reason why I avoid 9/11 every year is because I get so sick of seeing politicians using this medium to capitolize on a tragedy. At the same time, I'm conflicted because sometimes I use that "box" to avoid hearing or seeing anything of any significance. To be honest, I don't think the news media is getting better. I think that if The Daily Show wasn't funny (and therefore didn't pull in ratings), we wouldn't have a true unbiased news outlet. The media is supposed to act "without fear or favor". We always want to talk about how Americans have freedom of the press but do we have an unbiased press? No.

I'm not sure where or what I'll be doing next September 11th but I'm going to try not to avoid it. I hope that this country will have progressed and that journalists will be holding our government leaders accountable but mostly I hope that it won't hurt so much to remember.

*If you've never seen it Iconoclasts is a really great show that pairs celebrities with their idols to conduct an interview. One of my favorite episodes is Alicia Keys & Ruby Dee.