Americana Music Reviews

 

Sleeping Through Your Wake-up Call?
by David Miller

I sat down to write this column about things that are happening throughout the world. I was going to talk about the recent DC sniper killings, throw in some things about the most recent suicide bombings in Jerusalem, and maybe talk about the ongoing search for Osama Bin Laden and the rest of his Al Qaeda buddies. I thought it would be easy to sit here and spout off some dry, witty humor mixed in with some serious commentary. But you know what I found out?

I'm almost like the 95% of Americans out there that don't give a shit.

No, really. If it doesn't happen in my house, in my car, or on my two-hour drive to work everyday it may as well not happen at all. I mean let's face it...DC, Israel, Afghanistan...that ain't exactly right outside my window.

I think a lot of us thought that after 9/11 we would take a more active role in the lives of others. We all saw the power of working together as a nation to help New York and Washington try and recover from the devastation. People said that the terrorists had roused a sleeping giant and evildoers everywhere should beware. It was like a great awakening of the collective consciousness that would lead to a better world for us all. We knew we had been lax in working towards a better life, and this was the wakeup call that had been so desperately needed.

And for about a month it was.

But now we are back to our everyday lives with our heads in the sand when it comes to the plight of our fellow man. I'm a perfect example of that. I read the headlines everyday. Do I read the stories that follow? Rarely. I spend more time worrying about the Dallas Mavericks and the latest No Depression than I do about the soldiers fighting to make this a better place. Or the police officers and firefighters that are still out there, day after day, week after week, toiling through their job. Not to mention nurses, teachers, probation and social services workers, and oh, so many more. I need to say this to myself just as much as I need to say it to you: We didn't quit needing these people two months after 9/11. We need them everyday. And I think we need them now more than ever.

We still need these people out there ...because God knows I can't be bothered to get up off my ass to do it. Hell no, I need to know the box score from yesterday's football games, and check out who won the battle at the movie box office this past weekend (The boy wizard versus the ultimate spy...what a match-up).

It's one thing to know what the right thing is. And it's another to be able to actually do it. Believe me, I'm saying this to me probably more than I am to you. But if you see yourself anywhere in here (and I'm betting you do) I hope you will join me in trying to be more aware. Trying to help in some way.

So here's what I want you to do:

Send me the things you do (or the things you wish you did) to make the world a better place. This ain't no "Pay It Forward", and I don't expect us to change the world overnight. But I need a push in the right direction and I think you guys can help. As a reward I will send the person with the best suggestion a CD. (No, you don't get to pick it.)

Contact David Miller at miller-at-rockzilla.net

 
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