Out of all of the performances at last nights Grammy Awards, the one that I felt delivered the strongest message to me, was Kid Rock. The Detroit native, who has gone from a hip-hop style rock n’ roll to country, played a song called “Amen” to open his act. On the projectors behind his band, the American flag was shown, then it would switch to other images including the flag of Iraq, India and China, and people of all races and so on. This was the first time that I have ever heard this song but I really connected with the lyrics.
The song speaks about the issues going on in this great country we live in. We all know that this country is not perfect but we are working towards fixing the wrongs and making a right. These issues included corruption, criminal offenders, the men and women serving our country, drugs and race. He makes some very strong points in this song and the one about race really made me think. The verse of this song goes:
“And how can we seek salvation when our nations race relations, got me feeling guilty of being white”
I find these words by Kid Rock very powerful, as well as meaningful. Every single citizen knows about the race issues that have been a part of not only the history of the United States but numerous other nations around the world. But today I think what Kid Rock is saying is true.
There are so many times that I have been in conversations about different things with people, white, black, Asian, Hispanic, who do not agree with what I stand for, and just assume that I am just the typical white man. Is this a fair assumption? Just to say that this is how I am because I am a white male, I feel should not be the case.
We all have the ability to do something in our lives regardless what color you are. Although not everyone has been born into the same situations as everyone else, there are opportunities for everyone. We all have the power to make change, as President Obama would say. So just because I am white, male, doesn’t mean that I have been handed everything on a sliver platter in life and that some how I am a total racist. I have been working since I was 16 years old and paid for my first car. Yes, I have been blessed with the opportunity to get a college education but it hasn’t come free. I work two jobs and have taken out loans to get me through school. I have also had and still have friends of all races.
I feel that this message from this song still shows that even today, over 40 years since the civil rights movement, that there is still a racial fire burning inside this country. Although it may not be the same issues that haunted this country for years, the presence of race issues in America is still apparent.
It is our choice as people, as Americans, to do something in this world, not only for society for ourselves regardless the color of our skin or our gender.
"Amen"- Kid Rock on www.youtube.com
I agree that Kid Rock's performance was very good at the Grammy’s and not that you brought it up the lyrics really do say a lot about our nation right now. I also agree with you about how people perceive the "typical white man". Most people perceive white men as old money millionaires that have everything handed to them. The blue collar identity that our nation was built upon no longer includes white men. It's seems like if a white male is poor than he must have really screwed up some where along the lines.
ReplyDeleteI too work through college and not paid for my first car but had to restore it myself. I've worked since I was 13, and not easy jobs, I started working construction and mowing lawns and later worked on a farm where I worked 40 hours a week at the very least.
On the other hand I appreciate the fact that white men are seen as white collar business men without a care in the world because it has driven me to at least represent what most identify me to be. I hope that with hard work I can become a millionaire and live up to the stereotype I am labeled with.