An American Tragedy or A Disgrace?

After seeing the recent cover of Rolling Stone magazine I realized that mankind, as we know it, is doomed. The main story was entitled “Britney Spears an American Tragedy.” I thought to myself come again?

My first reaction was violent laughter. That was followed by a seething disgust. It was nothing personal toward Spears herself because clearly she has serious problems. But that is just the point. Most of her problems her own doing coupled with having gutless parents. Why do I say this?

To begin with let us assume that she has some internal struggle that complicates her judgment. Now I will explain to you that this all the more reason her parents should be ashamed of their handling of this girl. How is this?

I am Bi-Polar and believe me that complicates life more then you can imagine. However that is all the more reason to seek and accept help. My parents made sure I had help and support. In fact they insisted on it! Nonetheless they did not allow me to use my illness as an excuse to do wrong or stupid things. Like taking drugs and/or abuse alcohol for instance. These vices are not good for any one but especially people with mental or emotional problems. At least an average person can enjoy alcohol in moderation but for sufferers of a mental disorder this is not safe. Even more so if you are taking needed medication. And anyone who doesn’t realize the link between parental foundations and to your view of those things in adulthood, is living in severe denial. I thank and owe my parents for being frank and honest with me. Also for them not allowing me to be places where drugs and excessive alcohol use was likely to be.

What do you think kids are doing at unsupervised parties or trips to Cancun? If you are on a diet do you eat your salad staring at a hot freshly delivered pizza? Or if you have an allergy to cats do you fill your house with cats? So why would you let your kids with adolescent and pre-adult curiosity and hormones be placed in the line of fire? If on the other hand you think that is normal then do not have the audacity to think any one should feel sorry for the permanent damage it causes. And the emotional baggage is permanent make no mistake about it.

So concrete was my parental training toward these harmful practices that as a musician adult I played in bars and restaurants and had no problem staying very far from alcohol abuse and completely avoided any drug use. Just as clear was there teaching of the proper view of sexual intimacy. There was no confusion and there wasn’t any mixed feelings. Young people do not possess the ability to understand the emotional and mental responsibility that goes with sex. So young men and women have no business engaging in activity that will inevitably lead to sex.

I’m sure their are some readers thinking what a self righteous, old-fashioned jerk I must be. You are reasoning so many of us had sex as teens and we turned out to be fine. Of course you are completely ignoring the statistics and the facts. You overlook the scars and baggage you have carried with you into adulthood to the point you deny even having such lingering attachments. Nevertheless you keep telling yourself that immorality during youth has no negative and harmful bearing on life. Then your children will be like Spears and her sister for that matter. The research has been exhaustive and it always turns out the same data. Enjoying sex is something that only mature adults could possibly understand.

So shame on the Spears family. Everyone of them. You play with fire and you are going to get burned. This is no tragedy, this is a disgrace. She doesn’t represent me or any one who is trying to do their best in life. They sought the lime light for their children and allowed them to “soak” up all the atmosphere it has to offer. And the two girls took on the “spoiled brat entitlement” attitude that is pervasive in society. And as much as I would not wish their troubles they are having on them or anyone else, they are simply reaping what they sowed. You plant corn seed and you are going to get corn.

Finally shame on the media for covering this garbage and a train wreck of a life. Who is she afterall? She is just a performer of a style of music. Her sister is just a child actress. Popular doesn’t equal important. There are tens of thousands of young teen girls and women just like her and nobody cares about them. Many of them come from abusive families and broken families. Who is reaching out to them?

And what have the two Spears girls contributed to young girls and women around the globe? Absolutely nothing. They sure have taken their money though. People demand that athletes should be role models and yet these two attention starved girls have teens all over the world looking up to them. And the media is like “oh poor Britney.” Why not tell their young fans the truth? Oh they are role models indeed. The same way Michael Vick is too young boys!

An American tragedy? Please don’t insult America or any group of citizens like that. Hey I enjoy entertainers entertaining me but I am not going to feel sorry for the troubles they or any one for that matter heaps upon themselves.

When are the everyday people like myself going to stand up and say “enough already?” This isn’t my soap box here, this is just one man saying “hey why is she so important? Her and her family did this to themselves. What about the hordes of other people who need help?”