Idol Gives Back
Watched Idol Gives Back last night, and I was super impressed by it. Two and a half hours of pushing and prodding people to give to charities that mainly go to benefit children all over the world. Heartbreaking stories and jaw dropping injustices were all on display on television's biggest show. You know in that Nooma Video called "Rich" where Rob Bell says "It's a dangerous thing to think that our world is THE world." Idol Gives Back worked to illuminate that point.
Yes having wealthy and glamorous people highlight the despair of the less fortunate can be a little off putting (see Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus visiting a family in the Appalachians). But arguing that point is a little being too cynical and judgmental. If Simon Cowell inspires me to give up some of my money to needy kids, then how can you really fault that.
I tell you one of the segments that hit home for me was the one Simon did in NYC. He was touting the Children's Health Fund which was started by Paul Simon and Dr. Irwin Redlener. Based out of the South Bronx CHF has several mobile hospital RV's that travel to undeserved areas in NYC to help families who can't afford health care. This resonated with me because since both boys are sick (cough and ear infections respectively) we had to go to see their doctor ($50) and get three prescriptions filled ($40). Not a problem, we could afford that and I am thankful for the great health insurance I have that prevented the bill from being $500 more if our only option was the ER.
I couldn't help but think about a family who wasn't in as fortunate of a situation as we are with a stable job and employer based health coverage. I can't imagine being the parent who looks at both their children who are sick who is forced to choose which one would get the medical attention because they don't have the money to get help for both kids. So would it be Zeke or Levi? A country who can come up with enough money to spend 9,000,000,000 a month to fight a war in Iraq, can surely find enough money to ensure CHILDREN for God's sake have all the health care they could ever need for free! If you don't believe that should or can happen then I think you should seriously examine your religious, ethical, and political beliefs.
Anyway if you watched the entire Idol show last night you know they ended with a rousing rendition of Shout to the Lord. Allison and I sat there with our jaws wide open at the choice of song the producers used to end the show on. It's particularly powerful considering that one of the central tenets of the show is song choice and what it conveys.
BUT...while Shout to the Lord was great, it was Carrie Underwood's choice to sing "Praying for Time" written by George Michael off the Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 album that brought tears to my eyes and fire to my heart. If Shout to the Lord was the equivalent of a nice feel good Psalm, then "Praying for Time" was like reading scripture out of Amos! It was cutting and damning of the tremendous wealth and security we in the developed world hoard for ourselves. And Carrie Underwood sang it that way too. She prophetically sang this song to the audience and millions of people watching at home. Check it out.
"These are the days of the empty hand
Oh you hold on to what you can
And charity is a coat you wear twice a year
This is the year of the guilty man
Your television takes a stand
And you find that what was over there is over here
So you scream from behind your door
Say what's mine is mine and not yours
I may have too much but I'll take my chances
'Cause God's stopped keeping score"
4 comments:
I can't even address Carrie's performace yet because simply re-reading the lyrics of GM's incredible song I have worked myself up into a fiery teary mess.
By the way, my last ER visit was ultimately covered by insurance but I initially received a bill - just walking through the doors and registering was $750. This does NOT include testing, treatment or even triage. I think the total bill was well over $3000 dollars for my tests and ibuprofen.
Medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in America.
When Levi had pneumonia we had to do a blood culture which they only do at the ER. So six hours, one IV, one X-Ray, and a blood culture later we left paying a $150 co-pay on a bill that was ultimately $2,500. And I know this is NOTHING compared to what other people have struggled with.
I cannot see a plausible argument as to why we can't insure every child until they are 21 regardless of pre-conditions, social class, or medical challenge. It's a miscarriage of justice that there are children in this country who lack basic medical care.
I have watched Carrie's performance multiple times and I tear every-time. It's the best sermon on Justice I have heard all year.
It's interesting what different ones of us focus on in the show. I also thought it was a fantastic show.
However, I was very touched by the Billy Ray Cyrus segment in that the young girl who had so little ... even so little education...wanted to be a teacher. That still gets me.
And I was very bored by Carrie Underwood's stiff performance ... so much so that I couldn't even figure out what the song was about. I kept wondering where she got that curtain she was wearing and if they were going to put it back up on the window when she was through. Ah well.
I guess that's what makes us humans ... and makes life interesting!
Like you I was thrilled at the closing song choice. I hated the closing comic choice.
It was a great show in so many ways.
Oh, and it was Annie Lennox's song that was a highlight for me.
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