Friday, August 03, 2007

This morning, right in front of my building, one of my Hispanic brothers got arrested, and I really couldn't tell why. But what I DO know is that everyone within a one block radius was staring at this dude. They watched him get cuffed, they watched him as he sat on the sidewalk, and they watched as the office gently placed him in the back of the police car. You'd have thought there was a naked woman breastfeeding the way folks were staring. And the poor guy looked so helpless and embarrassed. He had his head down, and a very downtrodden look on his face, which was totally understandable. But in my mind I was thinking, here is a black police office arresting an Hispanic brother right in the heart of DC...somewhere Dr. King is smiling.

Also this morning on the Today show, I watched Matt Lauer interview a father and his two daughters who lost their mother to the bridge tragedy in Minnesota. For some reason, I just found the entire interview to be cruel and pretty much unwatchable(except one of the daughters was VERY pretty...in fact it didn't even look like the parents could produce something that pretty..but that TOO is cruel). Anyway, Matt Lauer was asking the family very personal questions about their last words to the mother, how close they were, and what some of the mother's favorite hobbies were, and all the while they had to keep their emotions in check, since they were on live television. I guess on some level that's considered to be riveting television, and johnny-on-the-spot journalism, but I didn't like it at all. The last thing I would want to do if I lost my mother less than 48 hours ago, is to get on a nationally televised morning show, and try to talk to Matt Lauer..And I definitely don't know how Matt Lauer could conduct the interview, without feeling at some point that he should stop simply out of pity.

Act Won - The Roots
They use the clip from Mo Better Blues to underscore the plight of an artists. Do you play music that you like, and hope the people get it, or do you sacrifice you own desires, and play what the people want..

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

just think Rashad, that could have been you after what you did yesterday, LOL

enjoy your weekend!!!!

Unknown said...

well they agreed to be interviewed.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand how people maintain composure after something like that.

BewRadley said...

matt lauer is ruthless sometimes in those interviews..

TM said...

I can't watch tragedy interviews either. Often the reporter comes off asking any and every insensitive question imaginable and they end up looking like jack asses.

Everything loses it's meaning when you try to please others including music. I love what I love and if you don't get it ...sucks for you :)