Thursday 4 July 2013

[Happy Fourth Of July] Lady Gaga Sings The American National Anthem



I know a lot of you guys wanted me to post this video earlier, but since I hadn't had anything planned to commemorate the Fourth of July, I thought I'd save it for today! So get your mini-flags ready my American friends as Lady Gaga delivers her version of The Star-Spangled Banner!

I should mention that this performance actually took place last week, a few days after the royal smack-down the Supreme Court gave Prop 8 of the Defense of Marriage Act. Being such a momentous occasion for the LGBT community, it was unsurprising Mother Monster decided to make this her first public appearance since her hip-operation in February. In addition to the Star-Spangled Banner, Gaga also gave the New York crowd a little speech thanking the community for their support.

Check out Lady Gaga's speech, and theatrical performance of the American National Anthem (which starts at 1.04) below. "Land of the Gay", eh?





Thoughts?

Do you want to see more Divas tackle the Star-spangled Banner? well check out this post and vote on who was your favourite!

130 comments:

  1. I like it, it's not as embellished as other modem renditions, I'm in a love /hate situation with lady gaga ATM but I liked this . I feel her affections for the lgbt community are genuine but I think she realises its a powerful community to help boost album sales but being part of that community im yet to feel I'm being taken advantage of hahah RAINBOW CAKE FOR EVERYONE !

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't like how she changed the words.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I saw this like last week. I was laughing at the lyric change.... It shouldn't be so controversial considering the song isn't nothing but hypocrisy anyways.... I could rant about that but all day and night but I may offend people...its not like that I don't want to offend people but...this time I'll be quiet...-_-

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vocally spot on if generic but Over Acting at it's worst. Ugh!

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOL I for one wouldn't have minded. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think it is funny that this nation prides itself being the land of the free and discriminates against people....such a double standard. And this has been one that has been going on for nearly 240 years. Not just with homosexuality but this terrible issue of racism here in the Southern United States....Boy I tellya'... If this was the 1940s, I'd be a dead lil boy...


    I mean there are plenty of other issues I can just talk about. I like Gaga's efforts, very theatrical and comical...I'll just, say that her rendition was a start.... lol

    ReplyDelete
  7. Watched this via live stream as it happened and was only expecting a speech. My reaction when she started singing http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybyodWw8E1qekaat.gif loved it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. TBH I hear you BlackRobin! Personally I always laugh when I hear the lyrics of the US anthem.
    I can tell you, though I wish many Americans a happy holiday, to many of us it is sooner a day of regret than joy. That 4th of July. ( hiya NSA! *waves* )

    Not that out anthem is any better..in the one verse we declare to be of German blood and in the next we swear eternal fealty to the king of Spain???? LOL


    Gaga, couldn't stand that ridiculous clutching of that rainbow flag. First off all...gays still do not have equal rights. Second...that woman is not gay ( don't bother Gaga fans! She 's not bi either and I do not buy self declarations by female pop/moviestars who've only ever had actual relationships with ..men).
    and possibly worse..though vocally on point it was vocally also a very bland rendition.

    ReplyDelete
  9. America's forefathers did at one time honor their God. They were rewarded handsomely for this. God made America the prosperous land that it is today. Now he will destroy it. America is babylon written of in the bible teaching all other nations to disobey God. Homosexual marriage is the reason Christ will return in fiery vengeance to destroy the vast majority of people on this planet. This is the reason God flooded the world the first time around. "They did eat, they drank, (they were prosperous and oblivious to their coming destruction) they married wives, (first offense. Divorce and remarriage. Christ said he hates it. He said you go to hell for it -adulterer-) they were given in marriage, (final offense...they allowed homosexuals that God calls an abomination to him, to partake in his most sacred ceremony.)until the day Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all." God takes marriage very seriously. It is the Earthly representation of Christ's marriage to his bride - the church. Lady Gaga is a worker of iniquity and God hates her with a passion Psalm 5:5. Hell comes next for all rebels!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fuck off douche!

    ReplyDelete
  11. LOL I felt the same way....but not for the same reason I dare say. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I just don't see how this nation will improve.... The thing is, this nation is full of people like Truth... All I'll say is that if I had a pitch fork and a tub of butter, there'd be a lot of pork to fry and turn over....

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't really think it will either but in order to keep up hope, I think trying to hang mostly with sane Americans helps.
    And there ARE those..I know some of them. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I liked it. The lyric change was nothing major; she was singing to a very specific target audience so the "flag of pride" made sense, given the circumstances, and at the end she sang "A home for the gays", not 'THE home for the gays', which should make all the difference really, to all the backward people (*cough* 'Truth' *cough*) who comments on it. Also, not that I feel like getting into it BUT if you were in any way devoutly religious, Truth, you'd stop playing God. God is the only one who can judge, according to Christianity, so perhaps you should stop rising above your station. Careful, you may just end up in purgatory ;)

    Anyway, before I get carried away, the performance was very solid. A little generic, like Opie Ever said, but I actually like this for two reasons. 1) Showed off Gaga's improved technique, her beautiful vibrato and tone and that incredible placement. BUT MORE SO 2) I'm a liiiiittttleeee (a lot) over the way every other "diva" in the game sings the national anthem at the moment.

    The whole watch-me-start-low-do-a-few-triplets-down-or-up-then-hear-me-use-some-mix-belt-then-watch-me-overuse-melisma-then-hear-my-big-belt-to-the-high-head-note-with-some-vibrato-on-'freeeeeee'-then-hear-some-more-tacky-melisma thing has been a tad overdone. Most of them are just imitating, and poorly, Houston's version in 1991.

    ReplyDelete
  15. thedigblackbick4 July 2013 at 23:34

    I didn't know she could sing that way, her voice is very theatrical. I actually like it tbh

    ReplyDelete
  16. I don't really care much for this rendition vocally or lyrically but its Lady Gaga. I am proud to be an american. http://m.youtube.com/?piggyback=2#

    ReplyDelete
  17. Using religion as a weapon, I see.... Not surprised by such a stoop...though you're no bird of prey....just a loon...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Honey you are either a troll or severely mentally challenged.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I don't think he's a troll. I think he is a reli nutter of the nastiest kind.

    ReplyDelete
  20. That's really reaaaally sad :3. This kind of brainwashed ans repressed people are the ones who commit the worst perversions and atrocities.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I honestly hope you go to heaven,
    because I'd hate for someone like you to crash the party in hell :(

    ReplyDelete
  22. LOL Yes, his heaven must be really hellish ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Plus I hear it's hotter in heaven than it is in hell, and personally I'd prefer wherever it's cooler :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I was impressed with how she sustained the high notes; usually she sounds kind of forced belting up there. It's always hilarious to see people flip out over the way the anthem is sung... if no disrespect was intended, there's really not much of a point in starting a ruckus. xD

    ReplyDelete
  25. I prefer hot. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. seriously??? GENERIC??? people cant be pleased can they?

    when someone like mariah carey or beyonce adds all these vocal tricks and acrobatics (which IMO just distracts from the song) - people complain about them ruining the song

    and then when Gaga serves some great vocals and stays true to how the national anthem is supposed to go its too generic?????????

    anyway i knew people would be trolls and would find any little thing to criticize gaga

    its so apparent that people are seriously pressed because this rendition was awesome - nothing wrong with it whatsoever

    the vocals were good (although she could work a tad on her pronunciation), she kept it simple and her vibrato is stunning and sinuous

    - i also dont get why people are so butthurt about her changing a few words - it was at a gay pride festival so the modifications were appropriate - shes not disrespecting the fallen soldiers or anyone who has served this country, she is simply acknowledging that our country is finally starting to change for the better (even if there is still a WAYS to go).

    and for those who still push this bullshit about her being fake about supporting the LGBT community, you should really watch her speech the entire 15 or so minute speech

    it was so heartwarming and it brought me to tears because i know exactly how it feels to feel like there is nothing to look forward to or that i am not worthy to live because i am different

    gaga deserves so much more credit than she is getting both as an artist and as an activist

    there is absolutely no mainstream pop star as active and as unapologetic about her philanthropy and her support for the LGBT community NONE!

    plus her voice seems to be in tip top shape and people are honestly nit picking

    let me see katy perry, kesha, or taylor swift sing the national anthem like that

    ReplyDelete
  27. god hates her??? who the hell gave u permission to say who god hates and doesnt hate

    doesnt the bible tell us that no one can judge a human being but God? are you God?

    you have no right to judge anyone else

    i cant stand jesus freaks like you who shove their beliefs down other peoples' throats - i was born a catholic and went to catholic school for almost all my life and it was people like you who ruined my faith for me



    i really hope you learn to live instead of use the so called word of God to spread hatred and intolerance


    its not a good look on you honey - you're pressed

    ReplyDelete
  28. who said shes not bi?

    human sexuality is a very complex thing

    my uncle thought he was straight his whole life and was married twice to women - but he finally came out as bi when he turned 41 last year and said that his heterosexual side was always stronger but that he had always had a side that was attracted to men


    plus who do you know whos she slept with? you dont have to have relationships with women AND men to be bisexual
    she can marry a man but still be sexually attracted to women....

    i honestly do not give two shits if gaga is bisexual, if she is straight, or if she like to have sex with sofas

    she is a valuable ally and i am proud to have her standing with us in this battle for equal rights - there is a huge problem with gay people having this mentality that we cant stand with heterosexual people and that we are in this fight all alone, this nation will never be equal until people outside of our LGBT community speak up

    its so funny because you probably did not watch her whole 15 minute speech where she shared why she is so passionate about fighting for equality - she was crying and her emotions were real

    why the hell would she fake this? what could she gain from this? if she didnt care about the LGBT community she wouldnt be wasting her time attending these events and donating time and lots of money to LGBT causes

    she donated thousands of dollars every night in her show helping homeless LGBT youth

    i honestly dont see how you still think shes faking it

    shes done so much for our community and its sad people dont see it



    and even if she is straight - it doesnt matter because shes with us .... would you rather have her singing about how being homosexual is bad???

    ReplyDelete
  29. i am optimistic it will improve - it has too
    racism is still a big problem in our nation today but look at how far we have come - we started with a country that treated african americans unequally but now our president is of african american descent


    i do think though that big change will come later on
    but this is a good start and definitely a good sign for what is to come


    were not all equal yet but were on the right path to full equality

    ReplyDelete
  30. is she not allowed to show any emotion at all?
    she was crying during her speech
    obviously you only watched this part and didnt watch the speech in its entirety where she was cried a few times while she spoke

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have no issue with straight people standing by gay fellow human beings. As long as they don't pretend to A: be what they are not and consequently B: pretend they know what an actually gay or bisexual person goes through. I don't like fakers.


    As for who said she's not bi..uhm, I just did.
    I told you, your argument is a no sale. Sleeping with a girl once while experimenting doesn't make you bi..it makes you young and open to try out stuff.

    Your uncle I presume is not Gaga? In other words, his story has no bearing on Gaga.

    ReplyDelete
  32. No he's not. He is an African descendant and he is an American descendant. But he is not an African-American descendant. He is however an African-American

    ReplyDelete
  33. Again, it's called " over acting". You do know she also was an aspiring actress? She had acting lessons dude. And by the looks of it...a good thing she focused on singing instead.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I would say we have come pretty far from where we started from and I to have faith equality is coming but slower than fast.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anthony Ashcraft5 July 2013 at 08:53

    You can definitely tell she's been working on her vocals because I don't recall her sounding this good since, maybe, 2009? This makes me excited to hear what she's gonna do vocal wise with ARTPOP since she said back in March she was going to re-record her vocals with a vocal coach so they're as good as they can possibly be.


    What are your thoughts, Diva?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anthony Ashcraft5 July 2013 at 08:54

    I don't see many people bashing Gaga over this. In fact, most of the reaction to her actual singing has been overwhelmingly positive. It's just Madonna fans like Opie who aren't able to ever compliment her without throwing in some sort of insult. "Good, but generic." Leaving it at "good" would kill them.

    ReplyDelete
  37. the worst thing in religion is religious people!

    ReplyDelete
  38. WOAH really impressed with her!!!!! she really delivered and the over acting thing was funny for me. i'm glad DD that you posted this because i started missing gaga(though im still harboring some bad feelings for her) just last week when i suddenly heard bad romance, then realized how genius the song and the video was. anyway i noticed that gaga doesn't wear those outrageous outfits she used to wear what happened?

    ReplyDelete
  39. This was a very naive comment. For one Obama was born in Kenya and is not, by definition, African-American....

    As for racism, no....just no....not to hold onto the past but for the past 30 years, there has been no improvement here in the south.... Even more so, I'll give an example...

    My uncle and I went to go buy some deer rifles from a pawn store, buy they were sold out... We went to private vendors but they were sold out... They didn't even have ammo apart from pathetic buckshots... We end up buying a stripped riffle that we would have to mod and finish... However .303 was sold out st every store... Frustrated, my uncle asked a gun vendor about the ammo. She replied "ever since the gun control laws have been in consideration, white people have just been buying every 15, every 9 mil, every magnum, and every other gun as well as ammo..." (Down Herr, you can refer to a specific race without it being considered racist so and that is what she did, plus she was whiter herself)...

    Anyways, that sparked a whole conversation between us, with her telling us about confederates mass buying guns saying "I'll be damned if I sit down and let a nigger take over..." She said her boss told his superior and then they put a cap on how many guns one person can buy. Lol.

    In fact, I still have about 70 more examples from the past 2 years alone... The woman also recommended that we don't go on the annual pig hunt for a few years...for obvious reasons...

    ReplyDelete
  40. I kinda miss her fake cheek bones and countershading makeup and her eccentric dresses.

    ReplyDelete
  41. that's so bad! Here in Canada people are so much more open and respectful. Even in small places where there's like 1 or 2 black students in school they don't get bullied because of their color.

    ReplyDelete
  42. The relationship is complicated here. A good majority of the people here are unintentional racist then there a select few that blatantly don't like another race... Then you have those people who are not vocal about their dislike for a race. Those are the ones to be worried about, nice to your face but when it comes to the nitty gritty, they don't like you.... I can put up with all racists except those.

    ReplyDelete
  43. LOL well BlackRobin seems to disagree with you. ;-)


    Far be it from me to correct you guys on this, after all, you are living it.
    But as an outsider, from what I can see, yes, you've come a long way. Then again, as an outsider from an entirely different nation, seems to me you also still have an awful long way to go.

    I think that black president is not really a sign of how far you've come. He is more like an exception than the rule....so to speak.
    The recent response to that cereal commercial with that biracial couple is I think a more accurate representation of how far you've come. ( both in it's racists responses AND " white" responses to such racists comments)


    Have to say, if I wanted to make a point for how far integration has come, I would consider black mayors of major cities ( who actually ARE african-American descendants. And that IS an important distinction since that means you grew up in a different position in American society ) a better example. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  44. I once saw an interview with a black couple who were moving back from the west coast to the deep south. And when asked why, as a black man, he would do that, the dude said...because there you know when you are meeting a racist, on the west coast they hide it. He preferred to know. Totally get that!
    I have much the same feeling with homophobes. This is another reason why I am for free speech and against trying to suppress people expressing what is actually in their hearts.

    I like to know where I am at with people. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  45. The point you made on the president brought this quote to mind, "Getting one black man elected to upper office isn't equality. the day where it isn't an abnormality is the day we're equal." (Equal in terms of Politics)

    ReplyDelete
  46. Not a Madonna fan dude. Hoow many times do I have to say this? I do not even own any Madonna albums and I never have. Nor do I listen to madonna on aregular basis. Never have. There's like two songs or rather videos of her I listen to like once in a blue moon when I happen to think of them AND are in the mood.

    Like A Prayer and Justify My Love. And that last one I just now had to think real hard what the actual title was. Had to pop over to youtube in fact, in order to jog my memory.


    Also, it continues to amaze me, those insights in my person you keep thinking you have yet every time you pop up Anthony, which happens to be ONLY when there's a thread on Gaga, I have to point out to you I am not a he.

    If it had but good but not generic...I would have left it at " good" but unfortunately..it was " good but generic"
    But really ya poor sod, how desperate ARE you for random strangers to validate your tastes? If you cannot even stand that " generic" being added by me?

    ReplyDelete
  47. Good one! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  48. i have to agree with you opie, im a fan and i noticed straight away she was over acting , notice the about to cry then not crying moment haha.

    ReplyDelete
  49. It was the dramatic clutching of the little rainbow flag which I most noticed Ruru. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  50. haha yes ! if singing doesn't continue to work out there is always room in the mexican soap opera business.

    ReplyDelete
  51. I agree 100% on both spectrums. There are some outwardly racist people that not only are vocal about their dislike for other racist but go beyond tolerance with them. Still quite complicated and a subject matter that can be extremely mixed and diverse, but you just have to have a third eye open.

    As for homophobes, that is just as bad...I can definitely say that there is a strong chance a racist will be homophobic. Lol

    I also hope I don't make it seem that living in GA is horrendous because it is actually quite nice... It is just a lot of bad people who can't get over themselves.

    I just hate flat out racist people that have never been wrongly subjected to racism and go off of what people stated from experience, and think that their experience is gold....

    ReplyDelete
  52. Nah, you didn't make it seem all that bad. Of course, it helps I have facebook friends who also live in GA. I hear different experiences of the place. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  53. LOL DRAMA!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  54. I called it generic because purely vocally, there was little personality there. And no, I don't mean she had to add vocal tricks and acrobatics. I know plenty of singers who sing without those and yet have a lot of personality in their vocals.
    And I personally find such acrobatics usually unattractive.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Lol, I even have some examples from today, but it was more of a cultural and dialogue difference than anything.... I'd be wrong to just write it off as racism without being able to justify it. Lol

    Anyways, in the more urban parts of GA where plenty of people live and where there is plenty of cultural diversity, racism is barely prevalent. But in the more rural areas specifically southeast GA are where you are bound to find racism. My home town, just has a lot of older racist people and those closet racists I love to hate. Seldom, you see it in public unless you venture to a hardware store or to a pawn shop.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Yay! I'm all for free speech but I think lunatics should do their free speaking in asylums.
    Or own their own blogs/youtube/facebook etc

    ReplyDelete
  57. Well, if it is confined to hardware- and pawn-shops...I guess one could define that as significant progress. ;-D

    ReplyDelete
  58. I'd say so, it is just hard for me to be optimistic about it. Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  59. You should get rich. That way you need not ever be in either shop.

    But joking aside, racism is of course the root of many issues and not always as neatly blatant as someone shouting racist crap.
    It also gets reflected in many policies in many areas. And as far as I can tell...a lot of that is still going strong in the US.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Lol, My stepdad is a mail trucker and has to deliver special cargo all over southwest GA and I was laughing when he told me about the laughing barrels and old whites only signs. Some towns haven't even changed, according to him.
    It all matters in how long your stride it...the longer your stride, the more crap you can step over. That is why there is an old GA saying "Take it all in stride". Lol I use it a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  61. We have come pretty far but I don't think Obama's situation should speak for it. I do view it as a milestone, first black president...WoooHooo!!!!!!! But I'm waiting for a day when it becomes normal for us to have a president of another race and no one acts all cuckieninja about it...then we will have reached a truly marvelous milestone. I want a woman for President next time, preferably a Hillary with a hit of Clinton. I believe a woman can RU. This country just fine, as long as they have a decided party system for the white house and congress....


    That shit pisses me da fuck off...I mean Americans voted for the shit and now we are blaming it on Obama when shit goes left of field...only a spearhead with ideas IMHO, so people need to learn that and open their eyes... But that is another can of worms...lol

    ReplyDelete
  62. Good for you! Don't ever buy into that crap! Stride right over BlackRobin! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  63. Ricky Yong Chin Yuan6 July 2013 at 02:31

    She opened her throat too far wide, this made her voice feel quite artificial to me. Also makes me feel like maybe Taylor Kinney has a big tool and opened her throat up for her. LOL.

    Anyway, this is too exaggerated for my liking. I hate it when artists try to make their vocals heavy. Agh.

    ReplyDelete
  64. omg hahahah cant at the taylor kinney joke but i wouldnt doubt his manhood is large
    but i disagree about too exaggerated

    ReplyDelete
  65. shes still technically trying to remain under the radar until her new album is released or atleast until we get an official release date
    there are some pics of her just wearing some simple versace dresses and some real simple get ups and she looks great
    i like it when she keeps its simple - i feel she should only limit outrageous outfits for performances and wear simple fashion every other time


    plus she needs to stop wearing foot high heels cuz im sure those contributed to the tear in her hip

    ReplyDelete
  66. okay i see where you are coming from
    but her history????
    shes claimed multiple times she's had sexual encounters with women


    and my uncles story proves that sexuality isnt defined by who you date or who you marry - its about who you are sexually and physically attracted to
    even if she has only slept with men (which she says is not the case and who are we to say who she has and hasnt slept with)


    if a man only chose to date females it does not mean he is strictly heterosexual - he could be attracted to the same sex and the opposite sex at the same time meaning he is bisexual
    his choice to only date women doesnt erase the fact he is attracted to both sexes


    gaga can be straight = still a huge LGBT ally
    gaga can be Bi = still huge LGBT ally
    gaga could be transgender = still huge LGBT ally


    and i know i cant change your mind about her but im just saying YOU and I cannot define her sexuality for her
    shes the only one who can do that and she claims she's bi so why not accept that


    most people are bisexual anyways its just that people have a stronger attraction either to the opposite or the same sex

    ReplyDelete
  67. what??????????? so are you saying racism has not improved one bit for the last 30 years????????
    and i wasnt targeting the south
    either way obama is not fully white so that is a huge leap in our nations culture


    i live in california and racism basically doesnt exist here and homophobia (where i live) is also basically gone


    so im pretty sure your comment was noobish


    do you think 30-50 years ago a black man would have been elected president TWICE
    I think not
    even if our country has a long way to go to be considered 100% equal, we have come a long way and DOMA is a huge victory for equality

    ReplyDelete
  68. i totally agree and i remember morgan freeman saying that racism wont be gone until the day when we dont refer to people as a white man or a black man (something along those lines) but just as people ...
    and i agree with him to an extent but i honestly dont this will ever happen


    i think its more realistic to just accept everyone for who they are
    celebrate each other's differences rather than see it as something that divides us


    i want people to say "oh hes a black gay man but theres absolutely nothing wrong with that"


    i dont think we will ever totally be colorblind but i just want us to get to the point where being a different color or having a different sexual orientation can be recognized but it can also be celebrated


    it is through our differences that we are the same

    ReplyDelete
  69. LOL I can absolutely define her sexuality. Whether it is true is another thing.

    Unfortunately...same goes for her.



    And most people are straight and live their entire life that way.

    I don't hold that fantasies define who you are. I believe actions do.

    I think a lot of the stuff people came up with the last twenty years regarding sexuality is a lot of imaginative self serving hooey. By people who prefer fantasy over reality.

    What your uncle's story proves is your uncle's sexuality. Not anyone else's.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Seriously?? homophobia in California is " basically gone"?

    That must be the reason then that 7 million of California's 17 million voters voted yes on prop 8.

    ReplyDelete
  71. That doesn't compute with you using Obama as an example dude.
    Didn't you get that was what I argued against and Serendipity agrees with me on?

    ReplyDelete
  72. Her voice sounds awesome. Yes it was tacky but honestly i think this is her best vocal performance ever. I'm not a huge fan but from other stuff I've seen she strained a lot. She must be working with a voice teacher. Good for her:) A lot of artists freak out when they work with a vocal coach because they feel like they have to be bad enough to get one. But really they help a lot. Now if only christina would heed my advice.... XD

    ReplyDelete
  73. I was in a bind with that post. Everyone who read it could tell it was emphasized. And you fail to see the significance it in my statement. 50-to 30 years ago doesn't matter...what matters is how big a deal it is to have a black president now....the truth is, it is not s big deal... However, people will blow up that balloon until it pops. As I mentioned in a previous statement, there is nothing "normal" about having a black president and it is too early to discern if it is a step In the right direction.

    Also the fact that you stay 1800-2100 miles away from me can't make you a valid voucher in any case. Racism is still prevalent in the south and the issue is not that is flat out noticeable, it just comes out in unexpected places.

    And you still didn't grasp why I said your comment was noobish. But, I already addressed that. Anyways, these milestones are great but personally, I stand unimpressed on my end of the boat. It is great for California and all but personally I could give a vole's ass about the state, considering I'll never go there. Great for them and all, but I'll be waiting 40 years for GA to adopt this because, with GA's track record, they are always the first to rebel and last to adhere...

    ReplyDelete
  74. yeah but someones sexuality has nothing to do with who they have relationships with
    it has to do with who they are sexually attracted to


    a woman can be bisexual but only date men or be bisexual and only choose to date women


    and okay you can define her sexuality
    but does that mean i can define your sexuality?
    if i knew you and you claimed to be bisexual but only dates women then who am i to say that you are NOT bisexual

    ReplyDelete
  75. ehem

    i said in the PART OF CALIFORNIA WHERE I LIVE

    not the entire state of California

    geez

    im not saying our country is equal but we have definitely changed for the better as a country
    to say we havent changed is naive
    we still have work to do but the citizens of this country have come a long way even though there is still a long road ahead of us

    ReplyDelete
  76. wow really you will look at any single thing to nit pick about wont you

    no matter what people say about Obama - its a very big deal that our president the commander in chief he is a man of color and his being elected as our president twice is not a sign that racism will be gone in the near future, but it does show that there are people out there that don't care about a mans skin color

    of course there is still racism - there is obviously rampant homophobia

    but here in the US tv shows are incorporating gay culture into their tv series, some states are choosing to legalize gay marriage, we have more and more heterosexual allies standing with us speaking up in the fight against homophobia

    also there is nothing wrong with acknowledging someone is black or that someone is homosexual, the problem arises when we discriminate others and treat them as lessers for the color of their skin or their sexual orientation

    as of right now i see the US as 50/50

    half of us are for full equality and the other half are still hell bent on keeping "traditional America" but there is a lot of evidence that shows we are changing for the better

    ReplyDelete
  77. Yes, and that woman chooses to only date men, she is choosing to live a straight live. And if she has always done that...she's got no right to speak for those of us who either don't have that choice or choose to date same sex partners. IMO
    Because she doesn't really know what she is talking about as she is choosing to avoid 99.9% of the issues connected to the subject.

    As for you defining my sexuality...feel free dude! :-)
    But like I said, whether what you define is true...that's another matter.


    Anyway, obviously I do not know her and can't say for sure whether she is bi or not.

    I can however give my opinion on which one of the two I personally believe to be the case.
    And since all evidence points at her being straight. The only thing indicating she would be bi is her claim, her words.
    Now since this is a woman whose entire career is based and dependent on pr image and copying rather than her being herself, I don't put sufficient stock in her word for it to counter the lack of evidence.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Now that we have gotten somewhere, I see that we agree for the most part, though I still think you have a false sense of how far we've come. Have you ever heard of closet racists? Those are the racists people who will never tell you they are racists and you find out by some horrible other way.... I hope you never meet one if you are a minority because I have and it won't result in a good turnout. IDK, if California has many of them but seriously, I hope you never encounter one... Personally, I don't respect them...I don't even acknowledge them as a person...I just don't like them...

    But I will say this, the day you discover how common they are will be the day you realize we hadn't gotten to far. As for your gauge on a particular neighborhood, not a good consensus. I just hope the real world won't be to tough on you, because many people in GA had to face to real world abruptly and prematurely.... :)

    ReplyDelete
  79. Nobody here said there has been no change at all. What we said is that the change is not as big as you claim it to be.

    And what you said was " i live in california and racism basically doesnt exist here and homophobia (where i live) "

    which normally is read as there basically is no racism in California. And there is no homophobia where you live.
    That is not an argument dude, personal experience ( especially not when it comes from someone who, I suspect, is very young)

    And it certainly is not an argument strong enough to counter official research.

    ReplyDelete
  80. YES!!! I should have stated it that way many comments ago. lol

    ReplyDelete
  81. LOL Hardly a minor thing . It was your main argument initially and now you suddenly agree with those who say it is a terrible argument. Me btw being the first to do so.


    The rest of what you are saying now is mostly what other people countered you with.



    And it is funny how you keep repeating we said something we never did. Namely that there has been no progress at all.
    And then throwing our arguments at that false claim.
    If you now agree you guys still have an awful long way to go, just say "I agree". Because we already know our own arguments and point of view...we posted them. You don't need to repeat them to us. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  82. LOL Took me a while to get there too.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Lol, hopefully he gets our points now. I got a feeling he did.

    ReplyDelete
  84. Dancing usually is an indicator for that having happened. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  85. Yeah, I think I'll leave at whatever his next response will be. lol He was fun while he lasted but dead end debates start to get stale.

    ReplyDelete
  86. Sounds like a good plan for me to follow as well. :-)
    On this as well as the Bi thing. I was so planning to not get into THAT argument again. But seeing as I am a sucker...I did anyway. :-(

    ReplyDelete
  87. yeah and those surprising gadgets she had oh the good times! wonder why she toned it down?

    ReplyDelete
  88. Well the obvious answer is that she is not in the swing of things again. She isn't in full force but she will be soon.

    ReplyDelete
  89. okay well let us pretend she is straight because that is what you keep proposing, she is still a valuable ally to the LGBT community

    she was just named the most powerful musician of 2013 by Forbes magazine despite not having any new material out for almost two years

    she has probably one of the biggest social media followings in the world and she is a force to be reckoned with

    now i dont know about you but that i someone i want on my side

    and she spends to much time fighting for the LGBT community - literally everything she does is GAY

    everything she does is gay

    she could have gone the easier road that rihanna, katy perry, and taylor swift have taken - by staying neutral and not doing anything controversial like passionately supporting the gay community - but she didnt because she truly cares for us (thats what her actions point to atleast)

    i respect your opinion but gaga is a huge Ally

    and someone so powerful in current pop culture can really help us educate the world about LGBT culture

    and please dont get me started on her "copying madonna"

    madonna was not original

    nothing in pop music is original it is all recycled

    of course madonna paved the way and i will say gaga was inspired by her - i mean which pop star isnt - but she didnt invent the idea of shock art

    ReplyDelete
  90. yeah i still disagree
    but nothing wrong with healthy arguing
    i like when people disagree on blogs like these because it would be boring without that discourse


    and yes I KNOW WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO
    but our nation has also changed a lot
    you can get a job without being discriminated against for the color of your skin (in most cases of course theres still discrimination)
    hell more and more people are accepting the fact that people are gay
    president obama early in his political career was part of the bandwagon that marriage should be between a man and a woman and now he is a huge proponent for gay marriage


    i already said i know we have a crap ton of work to do with our nation before its fully equal but we have to acknowledge the things we have done right so far
    we cant simply say barely anything has changed because its not true


    healthy arguing is good because we all need to let steam out
    it becomes a problem when we start personally attacking each other


    and @Opie Ever you said personal experience shouldnt be weighted in this argument yet you didnt say anything when @Black Robin used personal experience???
    really???? so you criticize me for using personal experience but not black robin because he is on the same side of the issue as you

    ReplyDelete
  91. its okay for you to use personal experience in your argument but not okay for me???


    and dont worry about me honey because i know what the real world is like
    of course there are closet racists - i have met many
    some people are racists even if they wouldnt like to admit it


    however, for each racist out there, there are also people who dont discriminate others for the color of their skin


    as for full equality
    before 1967 interracial marriages were illegal - now were at the point in our country where same sex couples are given their rights to marry who they want


    yes it is still a much divided issue - but i have hope that as time goes by gay marriage will be legalized in every state (yes it may take a couple of decades) but atleast we are changing


    i respect your argument and i have seen blatant and vague racism in many settings and like you i cannot stand people who are racist, but we also cannot say that there has been little change

    ReplyDelete
  92. you dont even live in the United States......................

    ReplyDelete
  93. no black robin said "not to hold onto the past 30 years or so but there has been little improvement in the south" hes making it seem like there has been little change
    and he lives in the south where racism runs deep so he doesnt know about the rest of the nation
    ive lived in the south and i know what he is talking about - but even then there has been change in the south - not to the point where it should be, but theyre working on it


    plus there will always be small towns where racism and homophobia runs deep, but overall as a nation we have come a long way

    ReplyDelete
  94. You know what, I'm just gonna say yes..... This whole thing is pointless...your argument is stuff I know and acknowledge... So yes it is OK for me to use personal experience in my argument but not OK for you....-_-

    ReplyDelete
  95. And a point were a commercial featuring a biracial couple still creates a big fuss.

    ReplyDelete
  96. There is a difference between using personal experience as an argument and using it as an illustration.
    You were using it as an argument, BlackRobin as an illustration.

    And if you knew me a bit longer, you'd know...even being on the same side does not protect you from possible criticism by me. Just ask ..well most regulars here. ;-D

    ReplyDelete
  97. Exactly, I don't live in the US. Which is why I have a more objective look on the matter.
    For one thing, my view isn't colored by personal experience. ;-)


    Other than that, it is a non argument.

    ReplyDelete
  98. Welllll, if in your view "there will always be small towns where racism and homophobia run deep", if THAT future vision is your end station, no wonder you think you are so much further than some others think.
    And AGAIN!!!! I NEVER said you haven't come a long way.
    I said you haven't come as far as you claim.

    But of course that was before I knew your standard was what it is.

    ReplyDelete
  99. LOL Looks like we both forgot our plan. Silly us eh? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  100. lol, I did.

    ReplyDelete
  101. Anthony Ashcraft9 July 2013 at 15:56

    She has been working with a voice teacher!

    ReplyDelete
  102. I felt the dramatic pauses detracted from the performance, the vocals were nice and supported though.

    ReplyDelete
  103. She really is a talented artist, just overshadowed by her own theatrics. People think "Poker Face" is a typical pop song, but listen to it in acoustic, and it's a beautiful song about dirty love.

    ReplyDelete
  104. Nah, she needs those theatrics in order to stand out from the crowd of decent yet not great singers she vocally belongs.

    ReplyDelete
  105. This is a reply to both you and BlackRobin I agree we have long to go but I feel we have come very far and will move very far. Obama was a big jump in how far we have come but I feel there is many smaller struggles to face such as the number of black mayors and governors and the current situation with biracial couples (socially), gay couples (legally and socially), and women (legally and socially). I don't understand your second part blackrobin

    ReplyDelete
  106. I replied to you and opie part though I didn't understand your second part

    ReplyDelete
  107. I was referring to the fact that The white house houses democrats and congress has republicans and neither can see eye to eye. When stuff doesn't get done, since Obama's the president, he gets blamed. I think that is not justifiable considering that we, as Americans, voted for a separate house. Sorry, I had gotten a little ranty.


    I personally would rather it fail as a single house so who to blame would be easily identifiable and we all can hate Obama for that then it be a separate house and we blame it all on Obama when he is only somewhat at fault. Don't let me pessimism dictate this all. I was going to address it on a positive aspect too, but today is one of those days where positivity is just plain cringe-worthy... lol

    ReplyDelete
  108. Haha ok I agree with a lot of this

    ReplyDelete
  109. Two interesting links

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_first_African-American_mayors

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African-American_United_States_Cabinet_Secretaries

    Particularly interesting to see how many African American secretaries Clinton appointed during his administration versus the one(!) Obama appointed. The one Obama appointed being one originally appointed by Bush to boot!

    ReplyDelete
  110. Well, first I mentioned were publicly elected officials because I think that would help the cause more than secretaries who are mostly shut away. Also the positions are earned and not just given away, he has to choose who he sees as having the greatest credentials. Also I cited Obama as a milestone not because he was the ender of all that is racist and was bringing us (blacks) into powerful positions, but because of his election and later reelection. I continue to agree with you that blacks have less positions in many levels but I still believe we have come very far.

    ReplyDelete
  111. Secretaries are shut away? Not the impression I got. Condeleeza was all over the globe. Heard plenty from Colin Powell as well.
    I think you didn't even check that list. Because I wasn't referring to the folks typing away in the backroom. I was talking about members of the president's cabinet, the equivalent of European Ministers

    And are you seriously suggesting there are no capable African Americans around for Obama to appoint? How can that be William, what with all that achieved equality??? ;-D

    Sorry William, you can make all the excuses you want but fact remains..secretaries are members of a president's cabinet. Fact remains..Clinton appointed 7 African Americans to his cabinet, even George Bush appointed 6. Obama appointed in his ,also, two terms exactly...... 1!

    Also, it was Jeremiah who named Obama as proof of something it imo isn't. as I recall? You just started to back him up on that.

    ReplyDelete
  112. Well first please don't try to insult my intelligence I ACTUALLY live
    in America and have studied this country for countless hours past Wikipedia and I have ACTUALLY lived in black skin and studied this history again past Wikipedia and I have ACTUALLY felt Racism.

    I said "secretaries who are mostly shut away." Colin Powell, Condelezza Rice (after the latter's resignation), Hilary Clinton, and John Kerry, the best known secretaries, all served the same position, secretary of state. Not only that they owe all or part of there acknowledgement to past careers, the color of their skin, and/or their gender. And majority of American people barely know anyone besides this and if they do it is someone who served in the same office.

    I also said "I continue to agree with you that blacks have less positions in many levels but I still believe we have come very far." This was addressing the mayor list and the other positions I previously cited.

    "Sorry William, you can make all the excuses you want but fact remains..secretaries are members of a president's cabinet. Fact remains..Clinton appointed 7 African Americans to his cabinet, even George Bush appointed 6. Obama appointed in his ,also, two terms exactly...... 1!"

    Opie what excuse have I made I said "the positions are earned and not just given away, he has to choose who he sees as having the greatest credentials." I never said there was no capable black people I said he has to make the choice based on credentials not color of the skin. But I don't feel that appointing a bunch of black people to his cabinet will help very much.

    Also when I comment I state MY opinion not someone else's. He may have cited him first, but I was clarifying my reasoning in citing him as proof in my reply to you earlier.

    Sorry But I hate when people try to belittle my intelligence, twist my words around, and assume before they know.

    ReplyDelete
  113. First off all, I did not mean to belittle your intelligence at all William. I'm sorry you took it that way.


    I do, in all honesty, think you are a bit naive about American politics but I do not think that has anything to do with your intelligence. More with the amount of time you have had so far to study certain subjects just simply because you are young and much of your study time has to be allocated to your primary education at school. Subjects you will have to pass exams on.


    Secretaries may not hit the news much, other than the Secretary of State and the Attorney general but that does not mean they are invisible. And it certainly does not mean they do not hold powerful positions both within their particular field AND in their influence outside of their field.
    You, by suggestion Obama could only find one African American eligible for such a position are basically saying, they are not around. If that were true you would be proving my point regarding exactly how far that group has actually come.
    But it is not true because Clinton found 7 and even republican Bush found 6.
    That Obama only found one says either something about the kind of people he surrounds himself with and/or about how much he cares to do his bit for the advancement of African Americans.

    The excuses you make for Obama is suggesting there are no African Americans he could appoint and that's why he doesn't.
    Both Clinton and Bush proved there certainly are more than one.



    As for your claim Rice and Powell got their position based on their race/gender/past positions. So do any white appointees William. Same difference.

    The significance of that mayor list is how long ago and how many African American ELECTED mayors there have been already even before the big civil rights successes of King and what followed.
    And how that makes a better point than one " black" president who only got that in position because he is in the pocket of the white 1%. Which means William, he is neither a black success story nor really doing much for the cause.


    Jeremiah came with the argument and you started to back him up. I took your posts in that light.

    Finally, talking about assuming, I too have studied America beyond Wikipedia William. In fact I have studied America in school, it was an final exams subject, and on my own for decades before Wikipedia even existed
    .Longer than you have existed actually LOL
    So please don't dismiss my knowledge anymore than you don't want me to dismiss yours.

    And my first experience with racism is 5 years old and a woman down the street was telling me I shouldn't play with the two kids I played with because they were black monkees. I still remember my disbelief at the idiocy and nastiness of said woman.
    I have also been told to " go back to my own country",

    I have dated a black guy who warned me before entering a bar he wasn't familiar with, that we might get refused entry,
    I have seen on the face of the guy interviewing me for a job that I was a no chance the moment he realized I am gay,

    I've been arrested and thrown in jail for no good reason because the police knew they, based on my position in society, they could get away with it,
    I lived in Israel and saw discrimination of Palestinians.
    Don't assume I don't know about racism and discrimination William just because my skin is not the same hue as yours.

    ReplyDelete
  114. You are missing it I didn't say those things because I was assuming you were any less intelligent on the subject what I was saying that where you read about or study about the things that go on here for black people and in general I live it. It isn't my choice its my responsibility to know these things, to research them, and to understand them. I see these things on everyday and they have become a part of me. And again you are assuming that my opinion is based on me being ill informed or on my incapability of understanding, instead of someone who just validly see things differently.

    "You, by suggesting Obama could only find one African American eligible for such a position are basically saying, they are not around."

    I didn't say that I said " I never said there was no capable black people I said he has to make the choice based on credentials not color of the skin."

    The excuses you make for Obama is suggesting there are no African Americans he could appoint and that's why he doesn't.
    Both Clinton and Bush proved there certainly are more than one.

    I repeat "I never said there was no capable black people I said he has to make the choice based on credentials not color of the skin."

    "As for your claim Rice and Powell got their position based on their race/gender/past positions. So do any white appointees William. Same difference."

    I never said that I said "Colin Powell, Condelezza Rice (after the latter's resignation), Hilary Clinton, and John Kerry, the best known secretaries, all served the same position, secretary of state. Not only that they owe all or part of there acknowledgement to past careers, the color of their skin, and/or their gender." This was the acknowledgment of the public which was what I was addressing in that part of the comment not how they go their job, all of which were/are capable. Also the effect that secretaries (excluding the Secretary of State) have outside their field is at best microscopic very few no their name, their point, or their predecessor's, unless they worked to create a huge reform.

    I don't know your skin color opie unless you are really a red dragon ;) but I am sad at what you went threw but I wasn't saying you didn't understanding, I was explaining that I did.

    It seemed to me with paragraphs and lines like:

    "I was talking about members of the president's cabinet, the equivalent of European Ministers"

    "And are you seriously suggesting there are no capable African Americans around for Obama to appoint? How can that be William, what with all that achieved equality??? ;-D"

    "I think you didn't even check that list...And while ignoring that list of secretaries, I think you also ignored that list of African American mayors in the US. An elected position."

    That you were trying to belittle my intelligence by (seeming to me) twisting my words and assuming that I didn't understand concepts which ten years old grasp and by assuming I ignored the info in the wiki pages or just didn't read them.

    ReplyDelete
  115. I am assuming you are uninformed on some things because your words show a grasp on things which do not seem to include certain facts. I think you are plenty of intelligent and that's why I assume it has to do with your age and the fact that you have to spent a good deal of your time, forced, on other matters to be learned in which you actually will have to pass exams.
    Which means I was in no way trying to belittle you William. :-)

    I argued your claim on how you " are living it" and I am not because it A; assumed a level of ignorance of the facts on my part and B: because it assumed what you are living is it and you know therefor all there is to it.

    You forget in this discussion, probably because he left, that BlackRobin was making the same assessment of the present situation that I was. And he IS black and he IS " living it".
    This is an example of why personal experience is a poor gauge for judging a general societal situation.

    It didn't come across as you " explaining" that you do live it William. Because you
    knew full well that I know you are an African American and you know that
    I am certainly smart enough to know that means you are living it. No need to " explain" that.
    It came across as you attempting a poor argument.

    FYI I am of a very very pale complexion btw. I am so Dutch, best I can do
    is one single Italian great great grandfather but other than
    that...generation after generation of pale skinned caucasian. LOL

    All those quotes were responses to your actual words posted. To what those claimed.

    The second indeed went to you not understanding the significance of those positions in the cabinet.
    I think, seeing your expansion on how little power you think those positions wield, I am actually correct in that assessment. Because they do hold power. Enormous power.

    An example:
    A big reason for Americans, in a country producing enormous amounts of food, going to bed hungry. Many of those being African Americans due to many of those being amongst the poorest because of the still factual inequality.
    The reason for the enormous rise of obesity and consequently diabetes since the eighties, is how farming is subsidized and organised.
    The Secretary of that department therefor wields enormous power over the lives of a very large part of the African American population.
    They also hold power in other ways because a person in such a position is respected by other power wielders and therefor more likely to be listened to on other subjects. His support can get people a foot in the door or even actual wider scale support for other causes in Washington.

    And what I was pointing out was that your words suggest you think either those African Americans appointed by Clinton and Bush were not appointed on basis of ability but on skin color. Or that these 13 appointees all disappeared and there is only one African American of sufficient merit left in just the one field of expertise.

    There rarely is just one viable candidate for any given position and choice which one actually gets the job is always based on personal motivations of the one handing out the position.
    Obama in the case of equal merit opting for an African American candidate would therefor constitute him actively helping to advance the position of African Americans in American society. He chooses not to led that guide him. Clinton did.
    The reason why I say there ARE viable candidates is because even Bush appointed them. And I personally seriously doubt Bush was appointing them only because they were African American. I am pretty convinced him appointing indicates they were also amongst the most viable candidates.

    ReplyDelete
  116. You should really listen to vintage Gaga: Captivated and Electric Kiss.

    ReplyDelete
  117. Why should I?

    ReplyDelete
  118. Seems to me you are actually the one not digesting anything here.
    Each and every point you are repeating what you said earlier rather than responding to my arguments.

    As for believing you live in one of the best countries...well now, that would again depend on your standard. How far down the list does still rank as "one of the best".


    If it was the Olympics, we'd draw the line under the top three and America in most aspects usually used to measure quality of live, like factual data, would not be winning any medals.
    But if it is measured by what Americans " believe"...oh yes, you live in one of the best countries.

    But yes, I agree we better just stop this discussion. Which was kind of the intent of me posting that summation of where each of us stands. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  119. I feel she's better than just 'decent'. She may not have an extensive range, but she's got power, and her voice is strong and is well supported. She doesn't use her falsetto a lot, but it's really beautiful (Paparazzi). Those songs are from a live show she performed at - her voice wasn't as developed as it is now, but it shows how she's perfectly hitting each not live. Plus her piano skills are wow.

    ReplyDelete
  120. LOL Seriously dude. I understand you "feel" she is all that with a cherry on top but see...I do not. Why do you rabid fans always assume when someone doesn't care as much for your favorite as you do, it is because they haven't heard them?

    I know all about her live shows and her use of a backtrack. We are under a review of her singing the National anthem live..obviously I heard her sing. I call her decent because she indeed can sing on key.
    I call her decent but not great because as an interpreter she is just that..decent but not great. As we hear in her rendition above and as we can hear in her singing on Tony bennet's album. An utterly generic rendition of The Lady Is A Tramp.

    As for her piano playing, for real dude...it's not "wow" compared to most professional pianists.It's ,again, decent but not great.

    ReplyDelete
  121. the acoustic version is awesome

    ReplyDelete
  122. its pop music
    you take it too seriously


    and of course she isnt going to be as good as those professional pianists - all those guys do is play piano they dont worry about singing or dancing at the same time


    bottom line gaga is a solid singer and dancer


    just like kelly isnt the best singer in the world - shes awesome but shes nowhere near the best
    and alison krauss? one of your faves - she isnt the best singer in the world either - even though you act like she is

    ReplyDelete
  123. ROFL So now you claim Gaga is singing and dancing and playing piano at the same time?
    And btw Gaga is actually a pretty poor dancer as entertainers go.

    An another brilliant argument from the dude who just left 8 replies regarding Gaga, in a row..." it's pop music. You take it too seriously"

    ReplyDelete
  124. Could you just let up a little and chill out? You're one of the most negative people who comment on this site.The National Anthem is a difficult song to re-interpret if you have a limited range to work with. Be a little objective with your criticism and just admit GaGa gave a skilled acapella performance of the National Anthem, which many singers that are widely considered more talented sometimes totally mess up, without ripping her to shreds. GaGa actually interprets her music very well and maybe it's just different opinion, but I thought she complimented Tony very well on The Lady Is A Tramp.

    ReplyDelete
  125. LOL, that was the response of the decade... Short, sharp and to the point!! I wasn't expecting it to be so blunt!

    ReplyDelete
  126. LOL You spoke too soon. I decided to add a little something.

    ReplyDelete
  127. LOL, well it's still good.

    ReplyDelete