Do you remember the Michael Jackson song that said, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror; I’m asking him to change his ways”? Well that’s what entered my mind as I read about Bernie Mac at the Chicago event for Senator Barak Obama. Mr. Mac’s moment on stage was not as well received as anticipated. Since the event we hear that the Obama campaign has stated their objections and distance from the ill-received performance. I understand that Mr. Mac’s appearance was a surprise and that makes it more difficult for the crowd, paying $2300 per seat, to accept.
The zeal of some people to “sound” politically correct; to “associate” their opinions as those that are appropriate, means we all take a hit to freedom of speech every time. How do we avoid this misguided zealousness? And it is misguided; many are simply too captured by “how polite it seems to hold hands and pretend to sing together”. Okay, let’s do four verses of “Kum Bah Yah.”
I don’t think some material is appropriate when you’re having a family event, but if things were not worked out before the event, then laying complete blame at Bernie Mac’s feet is more inappropriate. It was up to the campaign event director to indicate what content would be acceptable for the Chicago event. Alas, it has come down to the scrutinizing of the words we speak or plan to speak. Senator Obama, in the end, asks Bernie to “clean up his act”, while at the same time, reassuring his friend that there was no initial harm meant; an absence of malice, if you will. Nothing gained, nothing lost?
Jackson executes a quick turn on the stage, performs several pelvic thrusts to the delight of the preteen and teenage audience, grabs his hat to pull down over his head and belts, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror; I’m asking him to change his ways..”
We don’t hear much from Michael these days; maybe he did change that man in the mirror. I know my mirror has reflected back many issues for me to deal with, so looking at Michael or Bernie shows me that my own freedom of speech is under question. And that if need be my friends and associates will distance themselves as well. If the celebrity world can no longer speak freely, then the “private, lesser citizens” are next.
The zeal of some people to “sound” politically correct; to “associate” their opinions as those that are appropriate, means we all take a hit to freedom of speech every time. How do we avoid this misguided zealousness? And it is misguided; many are simply too captured by “how polite it seems to hold hands and pretend to sing together”. Okay, let’s do four verses of “Kum Bah Yah.”
I don’t think some material is appropriate when you’re having a family event, but if things were not worked out before the event, then laying complete blame at Bernie Mac’s feet is more inappropriate. It was up to the campaign event director to indicate what content would be acceptable for the Chicago event. Alas, it has come down to the scrutinizing of the words we speak or plan to speak. Senator Obama, in the end, asks Bernie to “clean up his act”, while at the same time, reassuring his friend that there was no initial harm meant; an absence of malice, if you will. Nothing gained, nothing lost?
Jackson executes a quick turn on the stage, performs several pelvic thrusts to the delight of the preteen and teenage audience, grabs his hat to pull down over his head and belts, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror; I’m asking him to change his ways..”
We don’t hear much from Michael these days; maybe he did change that man in the mirror. I know my mirror has reflected back many issues for me to deal with, so looking at Michael or Bernie shows me that my own freedom of speech is under question. And that if need be my friends and associates will distance themselves as well. If the celebrity world can no longer speak freely, then the “private, lesser citizens” are next.
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