A Reliable
Voice in the
Community
Volume 6
Issue 27
Sept. 16 - 22, 2009
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A Reliable Volume 6 |
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Breaking News
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Yeah, he said it. Now what?
If you’re like most of the millions of viewers who watched the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video with the above comment, I’m sure your mouths opened about as wide as that of Beyonce — who sat watching in the audience. You also may have said what everyone was thinking. Wow. For many the “wow” was directed toward West for once again offering some form of untimely and/or outrageous statement when things don’t exactly go his way. For others it was in response to his interrupting a live awards show to offer his opinion on who really should have taken the little astronaut home that night. For me, it was about a grown man ruining the “dream” of a young woman — a teenager — with his rude and insensitive remarks. “I was excited to be onstage because I just won the award. And then I was excited that Kanye West was onstage,” Swift said. “Then, I wasn’t excited anymore.” Beyonce, when she won Best Video of the Year later in the evening, was noble and gracious enough to allow Swift to continue her interrupted speech. But the damage was already done. For days, the media and every talk show around have talked about West’s outburst. West has since apologized — publicly first and then directly to Swift via phone on Tuesday. Swift has said very little, but reportedly has accepted the apology. What can we learn from this incident … if anything? In today’s world, there are millions of teenagers who struggle daily to find themselves. Most are not as fortunate as Swift to have a supportive friend- and family-base to help them through the difficult times. So it is up to the rest of us to be like Beyonce — to step up to the plate when they are told they aren’t good enough. To be there when their best-laid plans go awry. Insensitivity and rudeness is what is pulling in the ratings. But it was grace, humility and kindness that helped save the day. Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig is an award-winning journalist who resides in the Bay Area. If you have an individual, organization, issue or other topic that may be of interest to the Globe’s readers, contact her at talk2mfc@yahoo.com. Visit her blog at www.stpminute.blogspot .com.
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| Copyright © 2009 The Globe Newspaper Group, LLC - All Rights Reserved. |
It was the praise heard around the world: “… but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!”