With the recent passing of Whitney Houston, many people have turned their attention to the importance of life and the power of death. However, we as Americans have developed a somewhat skewed idea of death in the “celebrity realm.”
Quite a few famous musicians, artists and actors struggle with addictions to alcohol, drugs and promiscuous lifestyles. There is another group of Americans who have great struggles as well, but they remain out of the spotlight even though their jobs are much more important. These are the people who have given their time, dedication and hard work to training and disciplining their bodies to serve our country in its fight for freedom. For these men and women, every day is a battlefield.
I find it very upsetting when I hear endless media coverage, Grammy tributes and memorials for the death of one pop star who died from poor lifestyle choices and affiliations, yet hear only statistics in regard to the passing of thousands of soldiers in the Middle East and around the world. It is unsettling to know that our worship of pop culture has caused our thinking to become so foggy.
I will admit, every so often there is a news story of a heroic soldier who lost his or her life in service, and the family may even be honored for his or her bravery and dedication, but what about the others? The thousands of lives that go unnoticed and whose names are added to a list? I believe those names deserve more than that when compared to the recognition that is given to the life of a cultural icon.
Don’t get me wrong. I am the first to appreciate a good movie or song, but I believe that for far too long we have idolized the lives of celebrities to the point that we discredit and discourage those whose lives are lost for our safety and freedom.
Yes, paying due respect to each and every life that is given by a service member would be quite a feat. So, maybe that is not the answer. Maybe the change should be in our method of celebrating the life of a pop star. Maybe we should just tone it down a little and act as if their lives were ones to be remembered and respected instead of worshipped.
The loss of life is tragic no matter who it is and what the cause is, and I am not saying that we should not pay respect to the lives that have been lost. I am, however, feeling a need for a re-evaluation of the way in which we express that love and respect, whether for our favorite singer/songwriter or for our troops overseas and at home.
