Judging judgement...

After completing my blog about racism last night, I literally felt sick. I couldn't sleep, and as soon as I woke up and remembered it, I was immediately anxious. I drove to work wondering, did I offend anyone? Did I say something that would incite any kind of defense? Because, of course, this is not my intention. I have wanted to delete posts before due to their lameness, but never have I had to physically restrain myself from the delete key because I worried what people would think. It gave me a new respect for Obama. He writes completely candidly in his book about how little he has suffered from racism in comparison to some, yet how strongly it has affected his sense of self. But the greatest part is that he does so honestly, minus the "why me" pity party and without walking on eggshells so that no one gets offended. And, today I realized how important that is to the process of creation.

When my husband started playing with a well-known musician, I decided that no longer would I talk poorly about any musician or artist of any type. If ever anyone said anything negative about his music, my first reaction was to be a little hurt, but my main reaction was that it is a ridiculous claim. Because whether or not a certain kind of music has an effect on one person, it obviously does on several others. For which reason, I realized I can't talk crap about bands or singers that I personally don't like, no matter how strongly I dislike their work. Because to someone somewhere, even if only one, that music has meant something. And, that is all is takes to make a valuable artist. It is the same with any other art form, including writing. If some incident or statement affects just one, it is worthy of being heard. Art truly is in the eye, or ear, of the beholder.

You know, Gwen Stefani has actually stated in interviews that she can't go on her own band's forums because of all the negative postings about her and the band. I've always wondered, why would a non-fan waste their time posting on a band's site they don't even like? (It's that need to be right showing its ugly face again.) How sad that she is unable to interact with her true fans and hear all the positive things, because these critics feel the need to state their opinions, rudely and loudly. No one is going to like everything. But why must some be so hateful about it? Sure, we all deserve the right to say what we think, but when it is done in such a hateful way as some, I question the impulse behind it. Why would a person not put all his energy into loving what he loves, instead of hating what he doesn't? It just seems to me that that would be a more healthy- and happy- way to exist.


This is Toadie. He hung out with me today while I read my book and took a most glorious nap in my hammock in the sun.