tuluum's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We Could Be Heroes (rant-ass-tic) Interpretation: Get some work on "Ugly Girl" done today. Examine my standards, "am I living up to them"? Some chaos or disturbance may occur but since I am now at peace I will be able to deal with it. The Universe has got my back :D (Subconscious: The World) Yay for Black History Month in the United States :D Now I get to see the films of Oscar Micheaux again (they played some on Turner Classic Movies the other night). The History Channel and TCM also had some interesting pieces this morning. If only these works and documentaries were more integrated into the tapestry of 'regular' programming. Oh well... I'm still glad :) Can I just say that I was pissed that my soaps were pre-empted today because of the networks carrying the Columbia "Memorial" service? I don't understand the need to televise these things. I honestly believe that the net financial worth of someone's death, and not anything having to do with their intrinsic character, determines the amount of 'breaking news' coverage that they will receive. That's why Mother Theresa's death coverage was infintisimal (sp?) compared to that of Princess Di. That's why the Columbia is being hashed and rehased but those who die in plane or train crashes don't receive national profiles. You can bet when the Queen of England dies it will be the same thing, but who gives a crap about her really? What has she done for anyone of us lately? But her death will be a media spectacle. I doubt I'll live to see it though. She's gonna outlive us all. The tragedy, the real tragedy, is that the media now seems eager to determine and dictate the worth of a human life. That newsworthy means important, when it's nothing more than choices based on price/cost analysis. Grrrr.... can you tell I'm pissed off to miss my soaps??????????????? Honestly though, I think that the word hero is bandied about both too loosely and yet not loosely enough. The fact of the matter is that we are, inside of us, at some point, someone's hero. We all have that potential. Whether we realize it sporadically, just once, or on a sustained basis. There is no need for us to externalize and project onto others the term 'hero'. There is no need to deify or be in awe of others for what they have achieved unless we then use that awe and redirect it to motivate ourselves to reach our own unique and true potentials. A person doesn't become a hero because they are an astronaut. A person doesn't become a hero because they die on their way home. Hell Lance Bass was gonna be an astronaut. Those astronauts were not working for the good of mankind any more than millions of others on this planet who will die by natural and unnatural means, known and memorialized only by their loved ones. The Columbia explosion, and the 'heroes' it has created is a sad example to me of media exploitation, not of paying tribute or honor. What about all the other astronauts who came home safely. Are they any less brave? Are they any less heroic? A hero is not defined solely by death. The Columbia explosion is tragic but it is not a national tragedy. National tragedies in the US (if you ask me) are the vestiges of racism, lack of access to adequate health care, urban decay, failing economy, weak job markets, corporate fraud and downsizing, a failing educational system, the scatter shot wars on drugs and terrorism. And as for heroes? You want heroes? Just look around you. They aren't in the skies, they're right next to you. Hell there's probably one in the mirror looking right back at you if you really take a look. Treat all the heroes in your life well (and that includes you :)) Those astronauts died doing what they loved. If you died today, could you say the same? We can ALL be heroes, if even for just one day! **************************************************************************** Current Clix Ranking: 22 | Previous Clix Ranking: 21 11:49 p.m. - Tuesday, Feb. 04, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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