Some Things Are Easy To Kick Around:
Many of you know that I was big into punk rock in my younger days. Well, as much as a middle-class suburban kid can be into punk rock in their younger days. One of the main reasons I was into punk rock was that it was actually about something. While most of my friends were bouncing around to whatever was on the radio, like Prince, Tommy Tutone, Pat Benetar, Bon Jovi, Molly Hatchett, Def Leppard, Nina, Men at Work, etc., I never got into them. Sure, their tunes were catchy and somewhat likeable (I mean, c'mon...who doesn't love a good 80's compilation every now and then?) but the music had kind of lost passion. Or spirit. Like much of the 1980's in America, it was about dancing and having a good time.
But punk was about something. You may or may not have agreed with what they were about or the talent level of the musicians or the garage sound, but it got in your face and made you think. Well, except the Ramones. They were more about having a good time and playing catchy, hook-driven punk (which is why they lasted much longer than the other bands). But Black Flag could make you think about whatever they were singing about. Didn't matter if they were singing about how stupid fraternity guys were or jocks or the government or abortion...
...the bands came at it with full-force and angst.
And, punk music was easy to kick around. The fashions. The sound. The fury. And most people didn't like it and did kick it around. So, those of us into it had our music, and by extension, our identity, attacked. We responded by elevating our own importance and acting superior to those who "didn't get it, man."
The problem with the punk movement (which I still believe was wonderful in that it got any 15-year-old really believing they could start a band because they'd listen and say, "I could do that.") is that it attacked anything and everything that was pretty easy to attack and didn't offer much by way of solution. I mean, if "anarchy" is all you're bringing to the table then your "movement" is only going to last so long.
And, the reason it's only going to last so long is that anger gets tired. Anger can only go so long. That fatigue is where depression sets in. So...Hellooooooo, Grunge!.
So, I thought today, I'd kind of show some love and hugs to things that are easy to kick around...some have even been Diner targets:
First, suburbia. Yep. It's easy to take shots at our cozy, homogenous & material life. But, ya know something? It's a biblical concept to enjoy the fruits of your labor and folks here are hard-working folks. We've got nice houses. Low crime. Good schools loaded with excellent teachers. We pay taxes. We have amazing opportunities for us and our families. We have resources we use to help others who don't have it so good. We have a wide variety of experiences and opportunity available to us and our kids. So, kudos to a suburban lifestyle.
Second, my church. No church is perfect, and ours has been through an awful lot in the last few years (moving into a large facility, staff turnover, etc.). But my church really has that "family" feel and we have a group of folks that really do love and care about each other. We are made up of people who tend to want to dig deeper into what it means to walk with God. We have pastors who care and try and work lots of hours to help people do that. We have committed volunteers who help our infants, children, teenagers, and adults all the way up to senior citizens. We do what we can to serve others all over the world and in our own backyard. It's easy to complain about a music style that isn't your preference or a program you didn't like, but, I belong to an extended family that I enjoy doing life together with. I can't imagine picking a church for shallow reasons like a pastor's personality (or passion, whatever the heck that means) or a good program or a music style. Those things can be nice, but hardly worth choosing a church over). So, kudos to CBC! And, while I'm at it, kudos to the many good churches in our area. There are several!
Third, Britney Spears. I know. Her behavior of late makes her an easy target for late night comics and such. But, you know something? She's a mom with kids who seems to have surrounded herself with folks that aren't really looking out for her best interests. She's very young, and I believe that fame and fortune can have downsides that are just as awful as anonymity and poverty. And she doesn't seem to be dealing with it very well. I wonder how she'd respond if somebody who really cared about her and her well-being decided to walk alongside her and help her think in ways that would help her instead of just trying to squeeze the last bit of blood out of the turnip. It's sad, really. Think about what you'd want to do if this were your sister who isn't famous and rich and she were in the same straits. So, kudos to that somebody out there who can help this young woman get it together (and hoping she'll want their help)!
Fourth, politics and picking a president. No matter how you slice it our little representative democracy is the best thing going. The reality is that we get what we deserve, but the inherent system isn't at fault. We are. But I don't worry at night about folks arresting me and doing horrible things to my family because of my religious beliefs. I am glad we have that free speech thing. I like the fact that we have elections that don't involve guns and, in worst-case scenarios are settled in a court of law with a gavel. And, so what if all we get as candidates are politicians and not statesmen? The lesser of our evils aren't really all that evil...they're just slick. So, kudos to the good old U.S. of A.!
Finally, that lady who lied to Club Libby Lu to get her kid a trip to see Hannah Montana. Yes, she had a lawyer and a psychologist beside her when she went on the Today Show (and I'd say your life isn't what you thought it would become if you EVER wind up on the Today Show sitting beside a lawyer and a psychologist) to apologize. But the bottom line is that she said she was sorry to our soldiers and sorry that she did it. And, you know what? I'm not too sure that we shouldn't just accept her apology and move on and let her get back to her life. So, kudos to that lady for the apology!
Anything you nice folks would like to add?
Many of you know that I was big into punk rock in my younger days. Well, as much as a middle-class suburban kid can be into punk rock in their younger days. One of the main reasons I was into punk rock was that it was actually about something. While most of my friends were bouncing around to whatever was on the radio, like Prince, Tommy Tutone, Pat Benetar, Bon Jovi, Molly Hatchett, Def Leppard, Nina, Men at Work, etc., I never got into them. Sure, their tunes were catchy and somewhat likeable (I mean, c'mon...who doesn't love a good 80's compilation every now and then?) but the music had kind of lost passion. Or spirit. Like much of the 1980's in America, it was about dancing and having a good time.
But punk was about something. You may or may not have agreed with what they were about or the talent level of the musicians or the garage sound, but it got in your face and made you think. Well, except the Ramones. They were more about having a good time and playing catchy, hook-driven punk (which is why they lasted much longer than the other bands). But Black Flag could make you think about whatever they were singing about. Didn't matter if they were singing about how stupid fraternity guys were or jocks or the government or abortion...
...the bands came at it with full-force and angst.
And, punk music was easy to kick around. The fashions. The sound. The fury. And most people didn't like it and did kick it around. So, those of us into it had our music, and by extension, our identity, attacked. We responded by elevating our own importance and acting superior to those who "didn't get it, man."
The problem with the punk movement (which I still believe was wonderful in that it got any 15-year-old really believing they could start a band because they'd listen and say, "I could do that.") is that it attacked anything and everything that was pretty easy to attack and didn't offer much by way of solution. I mean, if "anarchy" is all you're bringing to the table then your "movement" is only going to last so long.
And, the reason it's only going to last so long is that anger gets tired. Anger can only go so long. That fatigue is where depression sets in. So...Hellooooooo, Grunge!.
So, I thought today, I'd kind of show some love and hugs to things that are easy to kick around...some have even been Diner targets:
First, suburbia. Yep. It's easy to take shots at our cozy, homogenous & material life. But, ya know something? It's a biblical concept to enjoy the fruits of your labor and folks here are hard-working folks. We've got nice houses. Low crime. Good schools loaded with excellent teachers. We pay taxes. We have amazing opportunities for us and our families. We have resources we use to help others who don't have it so good. We have a wide variety of experiences and opportunity available to us and our kids. So, kudos to a suburban lifestyle.
Second, my church. No church is perfect, and ours has been through an awful lot in the last few years (moving into a large facility, staff turnover, etc.). But my church really has that "family" feel and we have a group of folks that really do love and care about each other. We are made up of people who tend to want to dig deeper into what it means to walk with God. We have pastors who care and try and work lots of hours to help people do that. We have committed volunteers who help our infants, children, teenagers, and adults all the way up to senior citizens. We do what we can to serve others all over the world and in our own backyard. It's easy to complain about a music style that isn't your preference or a program you didn't like, but, I belong to an extended family that I enjoy doing life together with. I can't imagine picking a church for shallow reasons like a pastor's personality (or passion, whatever the heck that means) or a good program or a music style. Those things can be nice, but hardly worth choosing a church over). So, kudos to CBC! And, while I'm at it, kudos to the many good churches in our area. There are several!
Third, Britney Spears. I know. Her behavior of late makes her an easy target for late night comics and such. But, you know something? She's a mom with kids who seems to have surrounded herself with folks that aren't really looking out for her best interests. She's very young, and I believe that fame and fortune can have downsides that are just as awful as anonymity and poverty. And she doesn't seem to be dealing with it very well. I wonder how she'd respond if somebody who really cared about her and her well-being decided to walk alongside her and help her think in ways that would help her instead of just trying to squeeze the last bit of blood out of the turnip. It's sad, really. Think about what you'd want to do if this were your sister who isn't famous and rich and she were in the same straits. So, kudos to that somebody out there who can help this young woman get it together (and hoping she'll want their help)!
Fourth, politics and picking a president. No matter how you slice it our little representative democracy is the best thing going. The reality is that we get what we deserve, but the inherent system isn't at fault. We are. But I don't worry at night about folks arresting me and doing horrible things to my family because of my religious beliefs. I am glad we have that free speech thing. I like the fact that we have elections that don't involve guns and, in worst-case scenarios are settled in a court of law with a gavel. And, so what if all we get as candidates are politicians and not statesmen? The lesser of our evils aren't really all that evil...they're just slick. So, kudos to the good old U.S. of A.!
Finally, that lady who lied to Club Libby Lu to get her kid a trip to see Hannah Montana. Yes, she had a lawyer and a psychologist beside her when she went on the Today Show (and I'd say your life isn't what you thought it would become if you EVER wind up on the Today Show sitting beside a lawyer and a psychologist) to apologize. But the bottom line is that she said she was sorry to our soldiers and sorry that she did it. And, you know what? I'm not too sure that we shouldn't just accept her apology and move on and let her get back to her life. So, kudos to that lady for the apology!
Anything you nice folks would like to add?
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