You know, while I made fun of Lady Gaga's goofy fashion statements yesterday, I didn't make fun of what she was doing.
Lady Gaga had not been summoned before Congress to give any kind of special expert testimony on the desirability of repealing or retaining the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military. Instead, she merely announced her opinion on the topic to her fans on her web page, and asked them to contact their representatives, as she herself was. For me to condemn that action would be, not to put too fine a point on it, the height of hypocrisy.
Look, the only topics on which I can speak with anything remotely approaching authority are a very few firearms-related ones; on everything else, I'm talking out my arse as much as... oh, say, Meryl Streep on the topic of Alar. The difference being that I, like Lady Gaga, am doing it on my own web page and not, like noted biochemist Meryl Streep, as some kind of "expert witness" in front of a Congressional subcommittee.
Anyhow, back to entertaining you guys. Would you like fries with that?
You are right. Her vid was way too serious and self conscious, but it was pretty cool. Good for her for getting involved.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with Dame Gaga having an opinion and expressing it. Nor do I have problem with asking others to get involved.
ReplyDeleteI just can’t take that opinion based on “I feel” very seriously. Don’t think winning VMA award makes your opinion on DOD policy very valid. I might listen Keith Richards on drug policy because he has some expertise in the area but not on economics.
Don’t sell yourself short. You defend your opinions on your blog every day. There is an exchange of with those who do not agree you. Writing the thesis is not what gets you the validation. Defending it does.
Gerry
I find Gerry's comments intriguing and ... for me, anyway ... provoking in a thoughtful way.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I'm a Canadian ... so that might disqualify me from commenting on matters American. Keep in mind, though, that if your economy goes to Hell in a hand basket, guess which other North American economy will be holding its nose in free fall. Keep in mind that if your political system fails, you're going to roll over us in your conflict resolutions. As a Canadian once said, if America sneezes, Canada gets pneumonia.
What happens within you ... or to you is immensely important to us. (That's why I was so impressed by our political decision to support at least one of your combat initiatives in the sand box.)
Secondly, I truly believe that "feel" is as important as the so-called expert input from the professionals. How many Americans vote with their heart or vote how they feel ... versus voting in an intellectual manner? Underneath, most of us are ideologues ... and we're not as practical and pragmatic as we would wish to be.
Successful political efforts and politicians know this, I think ... and they construct political campaigns with these viewpoints in mind. Surely, Obama's success would not have happened if every voter ... right, left, centrist, independent ... had carefully and assiduously assessed his campaign utterances.
You see ... this is why I try to at least read the Roseholme blogs. If nothing else, Tam and Roberta will either give us the benefit of their expertise ... restricted as they may be ... but also they let us into their hearts ... so we know where they stand ... what they believe, what they feel.
If only they ... well ... that's not going to happen ...
Thanks for your comment, Gerry. It did make me respond ... and that's much more important than whether we agree or disagree.
Regards.
If she (Gaga) wants to say, hey get involved, fine. If she wants to say, this is what I think & why, fine. If she wants to say, I want you to think this, fine, but her status as a celeb means nothing to my willingness to accept or reject her arguments.
ReplyDeleteJim
The problem isn't that Miss Gaga has an opinion and expresses it, but that the media is acting as if this opinion matters more than any other random yobbo on the street.
ReplyDeleteMy problem is that I am expected to take seriously the expressions of an agent provacateur, a person who has created an identity based upon shocking society's sensibilities. She is essentially nothing but a contrarian on a soapbox. Now that she asks me to take her seriously I keep flashing back to Harry Mudd whispering "I am lying right now!"
ReplyDeleteOf course, there are apparently a majority of voters (including felons and the dead) who take Al Franken seriously, so it just might be my own hangup.
Anyway, Tam, please continue entertaining us. Just don't tell us any more of you weird dre- oh shit. No, really, the dream stories are the best part of the blog!
Onion rings, please.
ReplyDeleteRings, for sure.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, & put a little chocolate in the shake this time around, m'kay?
Better than James "High Noon" Cameron...
ReplyDeleteMajor difference between you and Gaga is that she has decided to be Taken Seriously (in the Hollywood Sean Penn sense), except that she is preaching her point of view w/o any give or take on a Subject which she knows nothing about. Has she served in the Military? Does she run a Blog asking for comments on topics she posted? Or is she just preaching to the Choir to maintain the Fan Base that used to support Bette Midler and Madonna? Heck, you do more to inform those willing to think about Serious Issues of the Day in one month's Blogging than most of the MSM'S Talking Heads have done in the last 5 years, so don't sell yourself short.
ReplyDeleteSteak Fries, please. Oh, and some Deep Fried Mushrooms w/ Ranch Dressing, too.