I was sitting in my room the other night listening to Alice in Chains. Both old and new songs and as most committed fans have been doing since the new album came out, comparing the new lead singer, William DuVall to our blessed Lane Staley. There similarities in the voice that are at times uncanny and “chilling.” As the story goes, at the audition, when DuVall began to sing, everyone in the room stopped, the hair on the back of their neck standing up. As a long time fan of Alice in Chains, I am very happy with Mr. DuVall as the choice of the new lead singer and the new music that they are making.
This, and other changes in the color canvas of our celebrities and media images has forced me to stop and think, would all of this been possible had it not been for President Obama?
I know that a lot of people are unsatisfied with our current president’s standings and what he has accomplished (or not accomplished thus far) but I am already thinking that he is one of the best things that has ever happened to this country and I think that if people could just look past the fact that in this democratic system actual political change isn’t really possible not matter how good your intentions are, then one could see why this is such an amazing thing.
For one, I believe that you have to be a really bitter, unhappy, unbelieving, angry person to not feel at least the slightest bit inspired by his speeches. Even if only for a moment. And there are people in this country who are and many of them have every right to be skeptical. But nothing gets done, you can’t accomplish anything if first you don’t believe. I mean that’s all there is to it. If you want to be a cynic and judge and question everything then you will never do great things. And this country was built by believers and dreamers. If Obama could get the necessary people behind him that are the doers, then I think we are good to go.
Second, pretty much no matter what Obama does, it will never be as bad as what Bush did and was trying to do to us. I remember a few months prior to the election I was working in an Irish pub in Hell’s Kitchen and (ironically enough) all of the Irish immigrants who worked there were mostly all very strictly Republican. Well, needless to say, it was a very long few months for me leading up to the election. But I do remember having a conversation with one of our bartenders at one point and we could agree on one thing, Obama may not be able to save the world, as a matter of fact, he may not even “do” anything if he was president, but if he at least stopped the downward spiral, put all the madness to a hault, then I think his job was done.
And finally, and most importantly for this country, WE HAVE A BLACK PRESIDENT!!!! I honestly don’t think that people realize what an insane impact this is having on our young school children in this country. This is enormous and is quite possible the greatest thing that has ever happened in this country. I have been teaching at-risk children in the New York City area, specifically the Bronx, for almost ten years and the reactions of my students to the tangible, living, visible proof that they unarguably can grow up to be anything they want is so amazing that words can’t express it.
I mean look at the dramatic shift in the marketing scheme in this country. The fear to cross over to the dark side is gone. We have a new lead black singer in a grunge band and nobody even cares that he is black, it’s not “an issue” it’s just cool. The whole advertising and marketing canvas has changed so dramatically I feel like the 8 year old inside of me who was raised on blonde Barbie dolls with straight hair and no curves is just sitting in awe in front of the television.
A friend of mine who just recently immigrated from Ireland spoke for the European reaction to our new president when she said, “Its just so nice to see a race of people have something this wonderful happen for them. They have just been through so much.”
I am not saying that I don’t’ want more out of President Obama’s presidency. I too would like to see some real political change. But as even he has said, it takes all of us working together to make it happen. And trust me, that little black girl who grew up on Gun Hill road who now believes that change is possible may grow up to be the change that need.
No comments:
Post a Comment