One thing that has really crawled under my skin is self-righteousness. Especially staged, self-righteousness that tends to rear its reprehensible head at the point of the most incredible irony.
The pop-singer Whitney Houston died at age 47 over the weekend. What's more troubling is that a 9 year-old little girl died over the weekend. I never met her, yet I've heard so much incredible things about her and her truly inspiring message of hope. I also read of middle-eastern violence over the weekend. Acts of such sorrow, and desperation that just the very thought have left me a different person then the one that read the first sentence.
The days go by, and life goes on. Sometimes merciless and apathetic sneaking into the night. Other times it is miraculous and moving beyond words like the birth of a child.
What leaves me really disgusted is when people disparage the life of another because of some belief or notion that may or may not be true. In Whitney's case I've seen a lot of comparisons to her and the troops. As if her death is somehow invalid because of another's death.
One thing about the media, if you haven't realized is that the product is nothing more than a reflection of its perverse consumer. It's nothing more than high-brow Jersey Shore. Cable news is only as good as the ad-buy that companies will be willing to pay. The content only as good as the ratings. The quality of the news is nothing more than the meaningless attention span of us. Yeah, it's as jaded and dispassionate as that. There's no noble cause or what is right, so get off the high-horse and turn it off if you are so inclined.
A celebrities death is no more or less important than the death of someone close to you. As troubling as the thought of an innocent that had no choice in the matter dying, it's the way it has always been. JFK once said, "As we express our gratitude, we must not forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." I find this to be the ideal way to celebrate the loss of someone, especially our great military. My family, some of yours have had fathers and grandfathers fight for my right to decide whether that was my path. I am thankful for that. I don't pretend to claim that my mere words are reflective of the gratitude commensurate of such sacrifice. However, I will not downplay the death of someone no matter how great or flawed they might be. In my daily actions is where I can truly celebrate the lives of those that are here no more.
I will suggest that we don't place fools on a pedestal just because they are entertaining. The Anna Nicole Smiths of the world. The rapper that beats his girlfriend's bloody visage. The no-talent heir of a Hotel empire gets her own show and fragrance. In some cases, where a talent so profound as Whitney Houston or on a lower scale as Amy Winehouse can truly affect a person. Their lyrics can help maybe a friend deal with the loss of a close one, or just overcome the day. These people, meant something no matter how noble the cause. How they live their life is not something we can control. It's tragic and unnecessary. It is their life however, and we celebrate that freedom. We create the future celebrities that will dominate the news, and we are creating them now.
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