American Idol's Jacob Lusk: The Oppressor's Bigotry is Losing in all Areas of Life...
American Idol's Jacob Lusk: The Oppressor's Bigotry is Losing in all Areas of Life...
By Samuel Marcus Brown
Please patiently follow me in this posting as I attempt to make a point concerning the real bigots and oppressors in this life and tie this together with the incomparable 'Jacob Lusk' from this season of the 'American Idol' competition that is showcasing the most formidable contestants in 'American Idol' history.
An oppressor is someone or a system that harshly dominates or subject a person or a people to a harsh or cruel form of domination.
A bigot is basically an intolerant person who refuses to accept different views.
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There are many forms and examples of personal, domestic and government wielded oppression that subjects people to harsh and cruel treatment.
We are now seeing the results of institutionalized oppression unraveling on a global basis; the proof is the unrest of the people in several Middle Eastern nations who've been under the oppression of dictators & tyrants for generations and are now fighting relentlessly for their freedom and the oppressors are losing in most of those countries.
Even here in the United States of America which is a fairly young nation that was built on the promises of equality for all people; the land of the free and the home of the brave where everyone has the right to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; yes we have ours issues as well.
The USA's history of equality & freedom for all people is quite embarrassing based on the initial pretense of the development of this nation. However the oppression and the ills of USA Slavery, the oppression of the Women's Rights Movement, the oppression & segregation of the Civil Rights Movement and the oppression & discrimination of the Gay Rights Movement; we are fortunate to say that the oppressor has completely lost regarding USA Slavery and is all but losing steam pretty badly regarding the rest of those cancerous ills in our society today.
The oppressors are everyday people like you and I who participate in forming systems and upholding those systematic institutions, religions and even attitudes that judges, discriminates and represses people often times in the name of tradition or religion; those individuals are called bigots.
A very good friend of mine asked for an update on the latest episode of 'American Idol' via text messaging since he missed it the night before; this particular friend is a very closeted, discreet same gender loving person who prides himself on only associating with other people who are like minded which was somewhat my method of operation once upon a time.
This particular friend and I are very much into critiquing music and the craft of singers, gifted singers & their voice qualities. I assumed that he and I would be in agreement that 'Jacob Lusk' is the best vocalist among the many other very talented and gifted singers on the show this year.
It was this part of the conversation that struck me to write this posting:
I will call my friend Dante to protect his identity. Knowing that Dante and I would be in agreement when I said that 'Jacob Lusk' was the best singer in the competition; Dante said "Jacob is great, but for some reason I aint feeling him." Foreseeing my friend's mentality about certain people who are different... I stated "I hope that your reason for not feeling Jacob is not because he naturally possesses effeminate qualities?" Dante responded "I hope not either but when he performs he does kinda irk me" so I proceeded to make the point that Jacob's overall singing ability, range and voice quality is superior to the other male contestants; not making light of any of the other gifted singers. (I have other favorites as well) Dante somewhat agreed that Jacob indeed sounds better but then Dante said "Maybe Jacob should try to hold it together so that he can win" (speaking of Jacob abandoning his natural effeminate qualities) I said to Dante that "you have just answered my 1st concern of when I asked you about Jacob's natural effeminate qualities; I knew that the truth would come out!"
I made the point that "Jacob's talent and ability is so great that he could win just being himself"
Dante said "Yea, a great possibility but let's not forget that this is America and unfortunately they are not ready" then I said "America is changing for the better in many different aspects"... "The bigots are starting to lose in all areas of life... there's a spiritual shift going on in the world right now..." We all must learn to take personal responsibility for our own personal actions and reactions to injustice.
I too have been guilty of having a bigoted attitude towards other same gender loving people who were different from me just as Dante expressed the same bigoted attitude toward Jacob Lusks' natural effeminate qualities over his extraordinary gift of song. Those bigoted attitudes are the same attitudes that represses, judges and discriminates which equals oppression.
Lord please forgive us all and give us all the courage and the fortitude to do better when we know better; to make the world around us a better and more peaceful place for all of our brothers and sisters.
PLEASE listen to Jacob Lusk sing "God Bless the Child" by clicking on the title of this post. You will then understand the magnitude of this young man's gift. I would like for you to forward this posting to someone very near and dear to you.
5 comments:
I have to admit, I have come down on my brother, Jacob, (in my own mind)
thinkin that I wish he'd not come across some feminine. That is his
natural personality & we should all accept & embrace that! He seems like
such a nice & loving young man who loves his family & the Lord. I feel
ashamed. Don't get me wrong...Jacob is 1 of my favorites! I have so
many!!! I love Pia , Lauran & Stefano!!!!! The rest are good too.
I will be praying about this. I pray that young Jacob can B protected as
much as possible from the mean things that are being said about him on
these cowardly blogs. He has a gift!!!!! I hope he goes far. I don't see
him winning, but I @ least hope he makes the top 5.
Much love,
D.Matt
Good Job Samuel:
Jacob is very talented and has an awesome gift. I have been rooting for him from the start.
I have had friends to comment about some of his facial expressions and body language. Comments like "he's such a queen" or "he needs to tone it down". My response in most cases is "I appreciate him being himself and think that his ability to be himself appeals to some of the voting public".
I will admit that after hearing those comments over and over again, I began to look at him differently. It was as if the comments had penatrated my emotions regarding him. Not that began to dislike him, but I noticed his antics more.
I continue to look forward to hearing him each week. Sometimes when you're great, you're just great and regardless of what people think about you, they have to admit that you're great.
I find it quite interesting when people make such remarks about Jacob. Adam Lambert, who was a contestant a couple of seasons ago was certainly more flamboiant and over the top than Jacob, but didn't receive the same criticism. I have to wonder if Jacob being an African American who happens to possess enfemminate qualities's is playing a factor in how people are judging him.
As African Americans in general, we tend to take it personally when we see one of our own and their image doesn't reflect our beliefs and views. We immediately put them on blast. How dare they represent us that way or how can they do that to us. What is the first thing we say when we see a crime has been committed, "I hope he wasn't a black man" or "I hope it wasn't one of us". We literally pray, "Lord, please let it be a white man". (lol)
Most of the negative comments I've heard unfortunately have come from other African American gay men.
Unfortunately, it's a part of our own deep rooted self hatred and distain for ourselves that causes us to judge and criticize others so harshly.
Samuel, thanks for bringing this issue out. This is indeed a teachable moment for us all. Let's learn to embrace each other more and celebrate our uniqueness.
Peace & Blessings,
Gregory Allen
WOW!!! I got chills watching him. I almost started crying. Who cares how he acts! the guy can sing!!!
D. Matt I really appreciate your honest and candid comments in regards to how this posting affected you which speaks volumes about your character. I think that Jacob's talent will make him the finalist.
Gregory, you hit it dead on the head in your assessment regarding the main purpose of this posting and you summed it up perfectly:
"Unfortunately, it's a part of our own deep rooted self hatred and disdain for ourselves that causes us to judge and criticize others so harshly."
Beba, you're right Jacob sings in a way that touches your soul; it so awful that people can be so mean when they are not comfortable in their own skin.
In scripture, it says “one gift with make room.” Jacob’s gift with surpass the negativity as oftentimes the larger American community is able to embrace the gift and the person behind the gift than one’s own neighbors (i.e. the African American and by default the black lgbtq community). Be careful about what you hate because oftentimes it could be the very thing that one is wrestling with in one’s own life.
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