Lady Gaga and DADT
I am sure all of you by now have seen/heard of Lady Gaga's latest video appeal to the Senate asking them to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT). As a serious shortfall on my part, I had never heard of this law - I don't know what I thought happened to homosexual soldiers. But I watched this video and had a long think after.
My first reaction was - go Gaga! I am in compltely support of DADT being repealed if it means that men and women who want to fight to save the country they love, can. She seems to be trying to say that a person's sexuality has nothing to do with their personality, which is so very true, but then at the VMAs during one of her (many) acceptance speechs she thanked 'all the gays for remaking this video'. So the video was only made because gays helped make it? It couldn't have been made without them? (As a side note her meat dress made me vomit a little in my own mouth. But then she brought service men and women with her to the VMAs which brought the whole issue to a new audience of people who may find politics sintilating)
Obviously that isn't the only problem - it is glaringly obvious that she is reading what she is saying - and that's fine, 8 minites of sppech to memorize isn't all that easy but game show presenters do it all the time without making it seem as if they were reading - why couldn't she? It takes some of the credibility away from her message. Also if this is a passion for her, then maybe memorizing it shouldn't have been all that difficult (and it wasn't really 8 minutes was it? At some points all that was heard was the telephone ringing). The constant camera shaking also was more of a distraction than a nod to homemade videos. She's Lady Gaga - her homemade videos should be truly spectacular.
But how often does someone with power have the nerve to address the Senate? Sure they might sing of making changes, but that usually refers to thier role within a relationship which is fascinating no matter how many times I have to listen to it. Lady Gaga is so successful because she is so mainstream and she is only mainstream because she has a huge and diverse fan base. Her success rests on widespread appeal and this, most definitely, isn't going to appeal to every single person who loves her music. How many successful people have on purpose allienated the very people who love them?
And while I have an opinion on this (and an opinion on almost everything) I'm not American and (sadly) I don't have any power in changing the law. But I do wonder what will happen...
Click to viewMy first reaction was - go Gaga! I am in compltely support of DADT being repealed if it means that men and women who want to fight to save the country they love, can. She seems to be trying to say that a person's sexuality has nothing to do with their personality, which is so very true, but then at the VMAs during one of her (many) acceptance speechs she thanked 'all the gays for remaking this video'. So the video was only made because gays helped make it? It couldn't have been made without them? (As a side note her meat dress made me vomit a little in my own mouth. But then she brought service men and women with her to the VMAs which brought the whole issue to a new audience of people who may find politics sintilating)
Obviously that isn't the only problem - it is glaringly obvious that she is reading what she is saying - and that's fine, 8 minites of sppech to memorize isn't all that easy but game show presenters do it all the time without making it seem as if they were reading - why couldn't she? It takes some of the credibility away from her message. Also if this is a passion for her, then maybe memorizing it shouldn't have been all that difficult (and it wasn't really 8 minutes was it? At some points all that was heard was the telephone ringing). The constant camera shaking also was more of a distraction than a nod to homemade videos. She's Lady Gaga - her homemade videos should be truly spectacular.
But how often does someone with power have the nerve to address the Senate? Sure they might sing of making changes, but that usually refers to thier role within a relationship which is fascinating no matter how many times I have to listen to it. Lady Gaga is so successful because she is so mainstream and she is only mainstream because she has a huge and diverse fan base. Her success rests on widespread appeal and this, most definitely, isn't going to appeal to every single person who loves her music. How many successful people have on purpose allienated the very people who love them?
And while I have an opinion on this (and an opinion on almost everything) I'm not American and (sadly) I don't have any power in changing the law. But I do wonder what will happen...