Lupe is very much a fiasco, more so now than at the beginning of his musical career. He's gone out of his way to verbalize some of his opinions about President Barack Obama. I can't say that I would have done the same but that isn't what I'm here to write about. My opinion of him and what he chooses to speak out on are moot. What I will always speak up on is freedom of speech and how it is given/taken away from people based on WHAT they're saying.
No one can convince me Lupe isn't aware that with freedom, consequence always follows close behind. Regardless of them being good or bad, it is something a brave person is aware of before they embark on their journey to speak their mind...or at least should be. So when he was escorted off the stage and speculation was thrown towards it being the result of what he said, how he shouldn't have been there [even though he was invited], and blah, blah, blah, it made me think of one thing.
When the former President, George W. Bush, was in office...and EVERYTHING we had to say about him, that was negative.
So what if it was true. Was it respectful? Not all the time. Did we need to be saying it? Probably not. Did we do it anyway? Sure did. However, [my] people are demanding that EVERYONE have the utmost respect for our current President, Barack H. Obama. So why is it different for one president, and not the others? If we admit to a bias, aren't we just as bad as the White people we want to do away with bias, prejudice, and discrimination? Or have we successfully deluded ourselves into thinking that it's okay because they did it for so many years to us that these past 4 years and the future 4 aren't to be held in comparison?
Most of us were taught, that two wrongs don't make a right. How often do we apply that advice though? Look on social networks and unfortunately, it appears that we only apply it when it is to our benefit.
This is not a standard I hold others to but mark myself as exempt when I have flawed reasoning. I won't resort to childish boomerang logic either when we're talking about it BECAUSE you didn't WANT him to say what he felt, in the first place. Situations like this solidify my thoughts regarding oppression. There are many who've experienced it in some fashion so vividly that they'd rather seek to oppress others than do away with it altogether. Recognize it and then admit it, instead of hiding behind thinly veiled disguises of red herrings that distract from the real issue.
In a utopian society, freedom of speech would work across the board. I would be foolish to think that it could function efficiently right now though. Don't piss on my point by making it seem as if I agree with Lupe's antics. I would never handle myself in that manner if I had a voice that hundred of thousands of people are influenced by. Trust me, it'd be handled much differently.
My point is, respect everyone's freedom of speech. You don't have to like what someone is saying and that's fine but as long as they have a mouth, they can use it. As long as the law allows us to speak out against whatever bothers us, we SHOULD use our voice. We just have to be ready to deal with the backlash, if there is any. In Lupe's case, he has to deal with pretty much everyone thinking he's crazier than cat piss to exercise his freedom of speech. However, if you want to effect change, that's how you do it. You speak up about what you want heard.
Imagine all the people who wished Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would shut the hell up about civil rights. In 2013, some of us refuse to come out of our futuristic bubble to think back that far. I'm not comparing Lupe's erratic speeches to Dr. King's well-thought out rhetoric. The comparison comes in that they both had something to say when LOTS of people were in the mood to disagree. Yet, they said it anyway. Dr. King paid for his outspoken words with his life. Lupe might not pay with his life, literally but figuratively, he's kind of committing suicide. It's what he believes in though.
Who are any of us to take that away from him, just because we disagree with what he's saying? His repercussions will catch up with him but until then, he still has the right to speak his mind. Just like you and I...
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