Stuff that has been bugging me......

[mickeysaver]

First, I would like to say that I have been a Melissa Etheridge fan for years. I was a card carrying member of MEIN, her fan club until a couple of years ago. Nothing happened that made me want to leave, I just didn't re-up my membership because I only wanted to keep the membership for concert perks and since she wasn't touring, I saw no reason to rejoin.

I would like to add that I don't consider that I have done anything intentional to harm the environment. I do what I can within reason and budget to conserve energy. I do give a hoot, I don't pollute. I am all for preserving green space and I hate that any portion of our national parks system may be compromised in the name of oil.

In addition, I would like to say that while I am not a fan of any type of war and I believe that some of the "good intentions" that started with the invasion of Afghanistan and even Iraq have gone horribly wrong, I do believe that some of it has gone right, but what an American thinks about the way things should happen in a country in that part of the world and what the undereducated masses within that region that are strongly influenced by their religious beliefs thinks are vastly different. What we call failure is a huge improvement in their eyes.....let's face it Saddam sucked as a ruler.

Please, do not take part of the statement above as any sort of a slam against our military forces that have served, are serving, or are going to be called for their 3rd, 4th, or even 5th tours of duty over there. These men and women are doing a job that most of us would NEVER consider getting off of our pampered butts to do. They are underpaid and overworked. They are heroes and worthy of much more esteem than any celeb that you see on screen or in the star rags. I 100% support our armed forces.....with the exception of their commander and chief......and it hurts me to say that.

Until recently, I tended to vote for whatever party that I felt was going to do the most good for our country. I will admit that meant quite often that I have voted Republican. However, I was one of those "crazy people" that voted for Ross Perot. I did vote for Bush.....a vote that I regret in many ways at this point, but I voted for him. I respect his leadership after 9/11, but I have grown extremely dissatisfied with his performance along the way.

Ok, now, there is another point that I would like to touch on. The Live Earth concert and the NBC broadcast. NBC is owned by GE. GE is a big defense contractor, in case you didn't know. Most of the acts that were onstage did only provide basic lip-service to the environmental concept of Live Earth, some did seem more dedicated to the cause than others, like KT Tunstall, who seems like she should be glowing green. Melissa Etheridge took the event as a call to action....I can respect her opinions, but I don't necessarily subscribe to all of what she had to say. (see points above)

I did see Melissa speak out, but not on NBC. NBC decided that they didn't want to show her portion of the concert. Even though she is Al Gore's darling and won the Oscar for the song, "I need to wake up" from Al's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," she was not shown. So, if you were NBC and showing highlights from a global concert event that was partially sponsored by Al Gore and his tree huggin buddies, wouldn't you think that you would show Melissa Etheridge's concert contribution?

A lot of Melissa's speech was in regards to our president and politics....not just environmental stuff. She had some valid points and I did feel that she really pushed it to the extreme. I do agree that we all need to quesion authority and that we all need to do what we can to preserve our planet. I think that we all should have the right to hear what she had to say, even if it's not what we all want to hear.

So, is it just me or did GE censor Melissa for it's own self serving purposes? See for yourself. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/15/223826/026

Feel free to discuss. Maggie.....donning flame proof rainbow undies and lime green crocs

 

[Viki]

Hey, friend, no flames here ....

I agree with lots of what you said above on lots of topics.... and it sure sounds to me as if some sort of censoring figured in.....

BTW, thanks for being so frank about all of this .... don't anybody choke on anything but I've voted Rep and Independent too.... even voted for Bush.... and I sure so support our troops.... even in what increasingly looks like a really tragic call .........

 

[Tony-NJ]

great post and comments. i too am sure lots of Live Earth was sencored.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Hey Maggie. Found some jibbitz for your crocs. {{{hugs}}}

Thank you so much for the link to Melissa's performance. I did not see it, and clearly would not have if not for your conscientious act.

I agree with much of what you have said. I didn't vote for Bush though. Not a matter of bragging rights, mind. I just didn't like him "then" and don't now.

Support our troops? Absolutely. The relative I just had visit has done two tours of Iraq. We talked a bit about the time he spent there. He didn't say much, but then that's pretty usual for those who have seen active combat. I did ask him if he felt we needed to be there. He was silent for many minutes (this is a career Military man) and then very quietly said, "No. Not now."

I think much of what Melissa said was very accurate. What did happen to us? We watched as a previous war was protested and the troops were not supported. We learned from that. We learned that taking our frustrations out on the troops was not the way to protest anything. We did care. Heck, I was in 8th grade once too. I had "boy's" sneakers. They were yellow with the old version of the green ecology sign. I was militant in the protection of the environment. Got involved in the FIRST (OIY!) Earth Day. Adopted Virginia Woolf and "the world is my country."

What did happen to us? Did we really all succumb to ostentatious consumerism? Did we all really think that someone else would take care of the problems? Did we all really prefer to jump on the wheel of the rat race instead of giving something (time, money, action) to the needs of the earth? Did we really think that McDonald's was a good idea? Do we really want to turn over the responsibility for our world to people and factions that do not have a global concept?

Wow. Too much one Wednesday morning, eh? But what will happen tomorrow?