August 24th: Our Biggest Problem

I feel like every blog I write starts with “I saw on Facebook.”

The truth is, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other forms of new media are the ways that people share what is important to them. It is an open forum that allows people to not only put out thoughts, opinions, and feelings, but gives their friends the chance to weigh in, to validate those experiences.

This week, it has been fascinating and downright upsetting to see how the world is falling apart. There are riots going on in Missouri, people being shot because someone was shot (yes, it makes sense for violence to lead to more violence). There are bombs being thrown every hour in the Middle East, with Israel defending itself from terrorist strikes. There are people dunking water on their heads, hoping to raise awareness and money for a disease that is ruining lives across the country and the world.

Yet, the story that most baffles me is the one that popped up less than 24 hours after Taylor Swift released her newest music video. People began to argue with Taylor. Yes, you read that right. With the world crashing down around us, there were those who insisted that Taylor Swift was one of the major global problems in need of immediate attention.

Here’s the background information. Taylor’s new video, “Shake It Off,” was released on Monday. The video shows the country-pop star singing as she attempts (rather unsuccessfully) to dance alongside many different kinds of dance. She is a ballerina in one shot, a modern dancer in another, and a hip-hop/rap star in another. The lyrics of the song, which talk about how she doesn’t let what people say about to her get to her, embody “shaking off” the bad things, and focusing on just being you.

Who could have a problem with a role model like Taylor singing about being one’s self, loving one’s self, and owning it with flare? A whole lot of people, apparently.

Within 24 hours, the internet was abuzz with people clamoring to call out Swift’s horrific example of cultural appropriation. She, in her wickedly offensive, and clearly hateful video, goes so far as to wear a flat brim hat, walk around in a letterman jacket with a hood, wear basketball shoes, and, get this, have a boom-box on her shoulder. She even allowed women to twerk! How dare she?!

Here’s the question, though. What could she have done that WOULDN’T have caused a stir? If she had put together this video, with cultural appropriation issues in mind, and left off the scenes with rap and hip hop themed outfits and dance moves, she would have been destroyed by the same people for not giving those genres fair attention, which clearly is an example of racism. Doing what she did, we clearly see she got accused of “perpetuating a black stereotype.”

Even twerking, which has been a major part of pop-culture, has a place in this video, especially in the fun and playful way Swift attempts to understand the dance craze. If she had ignored twerking, she would be accused of being a goody-two-shoes, too prude to understand the world she’s living in. As it is, she’s a raging racist who needs to be brought to justice.

Let’s be real, though. She isn’t perpetuating a black stereotype. She is perpetuating a hip-hop stereotype. Is hip-hop a predominantly black cultural piece? Sure. But is it a stereotype of all black people? Not even a little bit.

The most challenging part about this is the lunacy of the meaning of the song, in context with the criticism. One critic who has received a lot of attention for his comments is rapper Earl Sweatshirt (yes, that is his name). In his blast of Taylor’s video, he admits to NOT HAVING EVEN WATCHED IT. Seriously, Mr. Sweatshirt? Your quote: “haven't watched the taylor swift video and I don't need to watch it to tell you that it's inherently offensive and ultimately harmful.” The only thing inherently offensive and ultimately harmful about this situation is your desire to argue about something’s value without even educating yourself on the matter.

This video is about finding yourself, about dancing to whatever type of music is in your heart. It is about not taking yourself too seriously and not getting wrapped up in what other people say about you.

The world is a screwed up place right now. There are a lot of good causes, good fights to stand up for. This fight, though, is a petty argument, meant only to take advantage of a girl who is making the music she loves.

One of my favorite TV shows, the Newsroom, handles this best. When Will, the main character, is overwhelmed by the craziness in the world, he goes to bail one of his co-workers out of jail after his wrongful arrest for participating in a peaceful protest. Video here.

At the 1:49 mark, you see Will explode a little bit. He declares “So obviously, what I’m doing is dealing with the easiest one!”

People here are dealing with an easy thing. A young girl who doesn’t really have the ability to bite back. Our biggest problem isn't a music video. It is the world's refusal to learn how to pick our battles. Grow up, people, and learn to pick the right fight.

If you would like to argue about it, go watch the video. It’s posted above.

Louder than words

I was listening to the radio in the car today. I heard a song that I have heard a thousand times. I heard the song "Shots" by LMFAO. I've hummed along to this song many times before, but this time, I stopped to listen to the words for a minute.

What a mistake that was. I have never heard a song quite like it. The language was so intense I'm not even comfortable putting it on my blog post right here. This was the type of radio station that my 12 year old brother would listen to, and that I would have on in the car while he is with me. Yet talking about women in a demeaning way, inappropriate language as if it were cool, and alcohol as if it were a glorified substance to be abused.

As I arrived at my destination, I shut off the radio and exited my car at the mall. At the mall, the song and its teaching kept running through my mind. Suddenly, I passed several stores that sold all sorts of products: clothing, makeup, jewelry, and more. What I found interesting was that almost everyone I saw had a bag of some kind. Everyone.

I'm a big fan of the saying "actions speak louder than words". But what is even louder than that is that money. What we as a society spend our money on is what defines us as a culture. The fact that LMFAO has sold thousands (if not millions) of songs on iTunes. The fact that so many people are willing to spend their money on this inappropriate type of "art" is, at first, somewhat surprising. What is not surprising is that most of the purchasing is done by ignorance. Many people do not take the time to listen to the words of each song, to understand what it is that we are endorsing with our credit cards and checks.

The same can be said at the mall. I'm sure that many people have purchased products that have been suspected of atrocities to either human or animal ways of life. Both the companies Nike and Ugg boots have been proven at some point in their histories to use sweatshop work and animal cruelty respectively. Whether they still do this I will not claim to know, but I am not buying Ugg boots. I know too many girls who are avid animal rights activists, enthusiastic defenders of ethical treatment of animals who wear these boots out of the ignorance for the process by which they are made.

Does this mean that you should research every object that you purchase? Not necessarily. But I find it to be important that if a person is to take a stand on a particular issue, to make sure that he or she is not talking out of both sides of their mouth. How can someone say that they find demeaning women to be offensive, and yet have paid money for LMFAO to make a profit from doing so? How can someone speak out against animal rights when such animals suffered for the production of the boots on their feet?

I have the song "Shots" on my iPod. I don't intend on taking it off because I heard the words today. I don't intend to petition iTunes to take it off of their website. But I am saying that I am conscious of what is being said in the songs I listen to and that I have an understanding of what I'm endorsing. I do not endorse this song; I do, however, like the rhythm and beat that is used in it. But I am aware of the content and DO NOT IN ANY WAY SUPPORT IT. I encourage everyone to be mindful of what is going on around them and make sure that they are representing they type of people they want to be.

Guitar Hero

Rick Recht is one of the most prestigious singer/songwriters in Jewish contemporary rock music today. He has created dozens of songs to prayers, hymns, and ideals that are sung in congregations all over America, and even globally.

Today, I got the opportunity to play with him in a concert he gave at Temple Beth-El. This was, simply, one of the most meaningful musical experiences of my life.

Let's start with some back story. When I was about 10 years old, I heard that, at my temple, a young performer was coming to sing for us. It sounded like fun, so I went to temple early to get a close seat. It turned out it didn't matter, because Rick called us all up onto the lower stage to be closer to him and to the music. From that first song on, I was in love with his music, and I wanted so badly to be able to create it.

I began to pick up a guitar that my dad had purchased, and never got good. It sucked. It was hard, I couldn't get the notes to sound right, and I wasn't making the songs I had in my head.

I saw Rick a few more times, and every time he would tell me that I should play with him. I always politely came up with some reason to say no. The real reason was that I stunk. I never had the guts to practice hard enough to get any good.

Well, through some hard work and forced practice, I began to get better. I only really started working hard a year ago, when I was elected to my youth group position in which I felt obligated to be able to play songs and prayers that I was leading.

After a year of practicing, I was again presented with the opportunity to play with Rick, this time in front of all of my youth group friends. I decided to take the chance, and play. It was, in simple terms, amazing.

Now lets be realistic. I still didn't know how to play almost any of his songs, and definitely not well. But it didn't matter. Songleading is only about 10% guitar. Its really 90% excitement and enthusiasm. I sang my heart out on every song, played what chords I knew, and faked what I didn't, and bounced and smiled to the music. To hear that I was leading a group in song, no matter what notes I was playing on the guitar, was incredible. It was amazing to be able to be part of a community and create something with the person that inspired me to pick up Jewish music in the first place. I am forever grateful to Rick for inspiring in me that excitement. Now, it is my job to pass it on to the next Jewish musician.