Sunday, February 12, 2012

Whitney Houston: Singer and Addict

I don’t usually touch stuff like this, because I really don’t care much about celebrities and what they do, but I like to attack faulty reasoning and “sheeple”, so I’ll do it this time.

Folks, the hard truth is that a drug addict died at a relatively young age. This same thing happens countless times in our country and all over the world each and every day. Just because she was able to sing like the wind is no reason to herald her death any more than we would a poor person who left three kids behind in the ghetto.

Whitney Houston is a household name. I do realize that, and I greatly appreciate her voice and even her music. She wasn’t a B-List star, that’s for sure. But, just like Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Jani Lane of Warrant, drugs and booze proved deadly. Sure, we lost a great talent, but we didn’t lose a hero. We, as a society, didn’t experience a tragedy.

A tragedy is when a cop or fireman dies while saving people; a tragedy is when babies get neglected by their parents; a tragedy when horrible things happen to great people. Whitney could carry a tune and had a spectacular set of pipes, but that doesn’t make her a great person. I didn’t know her, but I know she had a drug problem and now she’s dead. Surprised? I’d be a fool if I were. It’s just as simple as connecting the dots. It was coming.

Today I literally got called a dick when I posted my views on Facebook. No, I’m not jumping on the bandwagon and pretending I was a huge Whitney fan and that I’ll be spending the next three days listening to the Bodyguard soundtrack, wondering what the hell went wrong.

I know what went wrong. Everyone does.

As I said, I can appreciate the loss, and I understand that it’s horrible someone so talented died so young. It’s sad, it really is. But, let’s keep it where it belongs, on the back page of the newspaper. There are far worse things happening within miles of you, every single day.

8 comments:

Christine said...

I agree, it was definitely not a surprise. Anytime a family loses a loved one it's a tragedy, whether it's Joe from down the street or Whitney Houston. I think mourning a celebrity is a "safe" kind of grief that people find cathartic. I don't understand it, but I guess to each his own.

Derek Odom said...

That is a good point. Of *course* the family and close friends are going to mourn, and that's fine. But the world falling apart is a bit much for my taste. Death is never fun, but I think the public goes a tad overboard when it comes to celebrities. Not all entertainers are heroes.

jeeperjohn said...

I have to say the press gives too much coverage to events that in the grand scheme of things have a negligable effect on society. I think if I hear "I will always love you" one more time I will puke the contents of my gut all over whatever is in the path.

Unknown said...

Derek I agree with you to a point . . . but it's not like Whitney Houston is the only celebrity passing that caused the world to screech to a halt. Look at what happened when Michael Jackson, John Lennon, and Elvis Presley died.

Q said...

Great post. I've stayed away from Twitter and Facebook in regards to Whitney just like I did for Amy Winehouse. Despite the fact that her death is a shame, the way everyone has glorified her as a deity has been sickening. Everyone is now the biggest Whitney Houston fan just as they were the biggest Don Cornelius fan and Etta James fan. This country is full of disingenuous people who just want to be seen as someone who honored some body who may or may not have deserved it.

Derek Odom said...

Q, I believe you and I think alike on more than a few subjects. That's exactly what is going on, here. It's like "soldier syndrome", where suddenly the public at large things anyone wearing an armed forces uniform is godlike. Not so. Time to open both eyes, America, or you get what you deserve.

Mootzie said...

I felt the same way when Michael Jackson died - the points you make in your post are quite true and I agree with you 100%.

Mr.OverKill said...

what they all said....