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"Soaring talent. Fucking tragic."
Jul. 23rd, 2011 09:49 pmThat was Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls' Twitter comment regarding the recent death of Amy Winehouse. Considering all the bad news of the last 24 hours or so it seemed painfully appropriate.
I'm honestly not really surprised Amy Winehouse is dead. Throughout her entire career she battled addiction and clearly seemed to be losing in recent months. Still its a shame that some people seem to only achieve rock immortality by dying. I know people are commenting on the "Curse of 27" that people think of in these cases but I think its just a case of averages. Some musicians with addiction issues survive long enough to beat them. Some don't. Amy Winehouse has unfortunately joined the list of those who didn't.
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Back in my past life many years ago I spent many summers working as a summer camp counsellor and program leader. It was a great time of my life and I have many wonderful memories. It was really rewarding to be able to help many young people develop their skills and talents, and its also rewarding to realize that many of the kids I led back then went on to become leaders, to go on to college and live productive and fulfilling lives. I'm not saying it was all me, I'm just saying it was great to be part of the village raising those kids.
I think that's why I found yesterday's savagery in Norway so horrible is that I get the fear, horror and guilt the adult leaders of that youth camp must be feeling. I'm sure there are some there who honestly wish they'd died with their charges, and who are blaming themselves for not seeing through the gunman's deception, or for not taking a bullet that killed a youngster. There are no easy answers here for anyone to find but there was nothing they could have done that would have prevented or stopped this slaughter, and I want that message to get through to them and to all affected.
A youth camp is not armed for a reason. It is a place for youth to come together in a spirit of cooperation and friendship, to learn of each others differences and to celebrate the common threads that bind us together in the great fabric of humanity. One extremist with a gun cannot, must not dictate to the youth of Norway, Europe, and the World that they must cower in fear as debate is silenced by the sounds of guns and the sunlight covered in gun smoke.
The spirit of youth is to challenge the world around it, to question, and to grow. As adults we may not always be able to protect them but we can encourage them to press on, both to honour themselves and the friends they have lost.
I'm honestly not really surprised Amy Winehouse is dead. Throughout her entire career she battled addiction and clearly seemed to be losing in recent months. Still its a shame that some people seem to only achieve rock immortality by dying. I know people are commenting on the "Curse of 27" that people think of in these cases but I think its just a case of averages. Some musicians with addiction issues survive long enough to beat them. Some don't. Amy Winehouse has unfortunately joined the list of those who didn't.
****************************************
Back in my past life many years ago I spent many summers working as a summer camp counsellor and program leader. It was a great time of my life and I have many wonderful memories. It was really rewarding to be able to help many young people develop their skills and talents, and its also rewarding to realize that many of the kids I led back then went on to become leaders, to go on to college and live productive and fulfilling lives. I'm not saying it was all me, I'm just saying it was great to be part of the village raising those kids.
I think that's why I found yesterday's savagery in Norway so horrible is that I get the fear, horror and guilt the adult leaders of that youth camp must be feeling. I'm sure there are some there who honestly wish they'd died with their charges, and who are blaming themselves for not seeing through the gunman's deception, or for not taking a bullet that killed a youngster. There are no easy answers here for anyone to find but there was nothing they could have done that would have prevented or stopped this slaughter, and I want that message to get through to them and to all affected.
A youth camp is not armed for a reason. It is a place for youth to come together in a spirit of cooperation and friendship, to learn of each others differences and to celebrate the common threads that bind us together in the great fabric of humanity. One extremist with a gun cannot, must not dictate to the youth of Norway, Europe, and the World that they must cower in fear as debate is silenced by the sounds of guns and the sunlight covered in gun smoke.
The spirit of youth is to challenge the world around it, to question, and to grow. As adults we may not always be able to protect them but we can encourage them to press on, both to honour themselves and the friends they have lost.
