What Lives Matter?

By now, you probably know that the Tenors Quartet member Remigio Pereira has officially apologized for altering the lyrics of O Canada when it was sung at the Major League Baseball all-star game. He changed the lyrics to include the controversial statement of " all lives matter ". That was the part that got him into trouble.

My thoughts and comments:

The fact that you need to clarify or emphasize " all lives matter " is troubling. Of course all lives matter. Yes, even the lives of your enemies matter. All means All.

On the other hand, to say ' black lives matter ' is very legitimate and necessary, to remind the white majority that yes, all lives matter and you must not forget that All means All, and it includes the black people that you continue to discriminate against.

It is risky for a white person in America to say " all lives matter ", even if he or she does not really mean to offend or hurt the minority. Why? Because " all lives matter " is already understood, so there is no need for clarification or reiteration. But " black lives matter " continues to be ignored or forgotten, so it is reasonable for the African Americans to keep reminding the white majority that they are humans, too, not animals or slaves.

The analogy is that a slave being abused said, " My life matters " and the master being the abuser replied, " All lives matter. Actually, my life really matters, but yours doesn't."

Does it mean that white people should never be allowed to say " all lives matter " ?  No, freedom of speech is a fundamental right in a free country. However, you take your own risk if you say it in the wrong way, at the wrong time and place, in the wrong context, or to the wrong people. It's like telling jokes about people of different races, ethnicity and cultures. If you are not a professional comedian, you'd better be careful, otherwise your jokes may turn out not funny but controversial and offensive. Racial jokes when told properly may be funny, but Racism is always wrong.      

Regarding American police brutality and aggression against the black people, an African American friend sounded so sad when she said, " We are tired of singing we shall overcome." 

Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments 

Obama in Canada

I watched U.S. President Obama give a speech in the Parliament of Canada. I must say that he is a great speaker. In musical terms, the analogy is that he is a great singer. Whether you give him a good song to sing or not, he can still deliver a great performance. That said, how many listeners ever try to analyze the lyrics of a song and see what it says? And whether the singer actually does what he or she sings? 

I agree that the U.S., Canada and Mexico, actually the whole world should reduce the use of fossil fuels for energy, and switch to using clean, green and renewable energy.

I disagree with Obama that he said gender equality is a universal value. I mean it 'should be' a universal value, but it is not. Many countries are still very backwards, ultra-conservative and unfair. They are still very misogynistic and discriminatory against women. Look at Saudi Arabia. If you are a woman, you are not even allowed to drive there.

Regarding the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), I have talked about it before. Of course, Obama was trying to get Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada to come on side and have the TPP signed and rectified. Is the TPP good or bad for the U.S. and Canada? It depends who you are and whom you ask. If you are interested, you can read what I wrote about the TPP on August 1 and October 5, 2015 in my blog Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments.

Regarding global disputes and conflicts, I'm not sure Obama really meant what he said. Certainly every peace-loving person would choose to resolve such serious problems diplomatically and politically, not militarily. But the U.S. military actions everywhere in the world, and the ' let's drop a bomb ' U.S. foreign policy, just don't concur with what Obama said.

I would like to ask this question: when will Washington (and the world) learn that violence is a problem, not a solution? Being a pacifist, my position is that all disputes and conflicts must be negotiated and settled through peaceful means. No violence, No killing, No war. Thank you.

Nelson Mandela

A great man has passed. RIP Mandela !

Human Sexuality

HUMAN SEXUALITY: there are men who were born female. There are also women who were born male. There is still much ignorance, misinformation, lack of understanding and prejudice in this world regarding human sexuality, largely due to religious, cultural and non-scientific beliefs and traditions. We all started out as female in the womb before becoming male or female weeks later. This is what I believe: there is a whole spectrum of sexual orientation for both men and women, from very macho to very feminine. Most of us are in the middle or so-called normal range, between 2 extremes. There is no 100% straight or gay sexual orientation. You may be 99% straight, but there is still 1% gay-ness in you. Or you may be 99% gay, but there is still 1% straight-ness in you. Whether you are straight, gay, bi-sexual or transgender, you are a NORMAL human being. People invented sin, abnormality, immorality and all the B.S. about human sexuality, which is something natural and NORMAL.

Is Lady Gaga a man ?

Is Lady Gaga a man? Is she an inter-sex or hermaphrodite ?

Some religious, conservative and primitive people have no love, no spirituality and no scientific understanding, yet they think they are superior and normal. They discriminate against the gay people, bi-sexual people and trans-gender people, but I have found that some of the greatest artists and musicians are actually these people.

What is the true meaning of Lady Gaga's song 'Born This Way'? Do you know anything about the rumor that Lady Gaga is partly a man ? I am just curious. Whatever Lady Gaga is, she is marvelous !!!

Justice

Justice is for all. Reverse discrimination is just as bad as discrimination: black against white, gay against straight, women against men.