I guess I’m old.
That one four-word summation of how I felt after watching one of the songs performed at The Grammys is one way to view my reaction.
Or, and the summation I prefer…
I guess I’m sane.
If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, let me summarize.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion performed their “hit” song WAP.
No, I cannot type what WAP stands for. Yes, you can look up the lyrics if you really want to know.
No, it is nothing you’d want any child at any age to know about.
So, I guess I’m old.
I am officially that person, that parent, who cannot believe what passes for “art” or “music” in today’s era.
I guess on the positive side they performed the “clean” version of the song — as if there is such a version.
There isn’t a stretch of the song that seems to pass for appropriate. I can’t imagine any part of that song being recited at school or at the workplace or — well, anywhere without the person being reprimanded.
But it seemed fine for the Grammys.
If the words aren’t appalling enough, the costumes sure were. Or, maybe they weren’t enough — as in they didn’t cover near enough.
But to make it even worse was the dancing. And by the dancing, well, if you really want to see it, Google it. But be careful.
Combining the lyrics with the costumes with the dancing, it’s closer to pornography than it is choreography.
The good news is the Grammy Awards hit a record low. So few people witnessed the performance.
I really do not know what to say beyond what’s been said. It seems there is a lot more I could say, but I’d just come across as the old person shouting at the TV when in reality I could just turn the channel.
But what about kids who are exposed to this on a daily basis as if there’s nothing wrong with it?
We’ve errored on the side of free speech for quite some time in this country when it comes to “racy” and “vulgar” speech.
At some point, we need to realize a line needs to be drawn.
We literally have book publishers backing out of deals due to politics, but we have record producers and radio stations and music award shows comfortable with WAP?
What a sad commentary on our society.
I don’t know how we can fix this, but I know we need to find a fix. Because what I witnessed during that performance provides zero — ZERO — benefit to society.
There is nothing redeeming about it. Nothing that builds a positive, happy, healthy culture.
And I shudder to think what song will be performed in five years, 10 years, 20 years if we just act like this one is totally OK and worthy of a primetime performance.
How the same people who told us over and over and over that President Donald J. Trump was “offensive” for the last four years can make a decision to air the performance of WAP on national TV during primetime and not see the error in their ways baffles me.
It is truly just another example of how Americans are living in a Romans 1 culture.
I hope America isn’t completely desensitized to this, but I fear it is.
We’ll continue to hope and pray for our nation to return to sanity while understanding the road back to decency, normalcy and class is a long one.
