Posted on 02/15/2012 4:02:32 AM PST by Kaslin
The media have no bleepin' clue how to cover the death of Whitney Houston. That's because she was slowly dying for years and many in the press simply averted their eyes.
It was ultra-disturbing that a beautiful woman blessed with an extraordinary singing voice chose a self-destructive path in full view of the world. I mean, here is a person who signed a $100 million recording contract, actually sold 170 million albums and commanded high six figures to deliver a 90-minute concert. Houston was a genuine international star, and yet she often was seen in public disheveled and confused, her substance addiction apparent. The media simply did not know what to say.
We live in a time in which addiction is categorized as a disease, and to do what Nancy Reagan once did and urge people to reject narcotics is considered uncool. How many young performers do we see doing public service announcements warning children to avoid intoxication? Right now, I can't think of one.
The national media pride themselves on being non-judgmental unless you are against abortion. Then you are dismissed as "anti-woman" or as a religious zealot. But in the arena of personal behavior, there's an excuse for just about every nonviolent activity and bad decision.
There is no question that some of us have a history of addiction in our families. There are folks who can use drugs casually and avoid dependence, but they are the exception. Once a person decides to dabble in cocaine, or opiates such as heroin and OxyContin, they are putting themselves at grave risk. And they know it. There are legions of famous people who wound up dead just like Houston. From Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson, the signposts are impossible to miss. No matter how rich and powerful you are, drugs can and will destroy you.
The current medical marijuana ruse is a great example of a society walking away from a responsible position. Ask any drug rehab counselor, and he or she will tell you that pot often leads a person to harder drug use and is mentally addictive itself. Yes, most people can function while stoned. But the more you alter your mind the more your perspective on life changes. Believe me, I know people who get stoned or drunk every day. They become incredibly desensitized to those around them.
On the kid front, the situation is dire. Once a child enters the world of intoxication, their childhood is gone. Presto, they are jaded. That's how dangerous drugs and alcohol are to immature minds. Society has an obligation to protect its children, not to tacitly accept or embrace mind-altering agents such as marijuana.
Houston, however, was an adult who made a decision to embrace the drug life. Reports say she tried to rehabilitate herself a few times, but you know how that goes. Once a person enters the hell of addiction, there is no easy way out.
And that's how the Whitney Houston story should be covered. As a cautionary tale. Another life vanquished by substance abuse.
Perhaps the TV folks will rebroadcast it and someone will save a better one.
I looked at a bunch of them on YouTube; and that was the best; though there was not very much difference between them.
Good analysis...
2 Kings 6:15-17
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
With some people, once drug use has started, there is no getting them off of it. One of my childhood friends had a brother who got into drug/alcohol use when we were teenagers. At the time, it was just something cool to do, lots of teens were doing stuff like that. With him, it just got worse and worse. He joined the Air Force right out of high school, got married, had a couple of kids--it would seem like everything was going fine for him. Except for the drug/alcohol use. His wife left him and he got kicked out of the AF. He died a couple years ago, at the age of 52. It's not like no one tried to help him. But the drugs had him.
With someone like Whitney, the celebrity culture is permeated with drug abuse. There seems to be a lot of pressure to adopt that lifestyle, and little help with getting out of it. On top of it, fame is a stress that seems to ruin a lot of people.
A similar story is shown in the movie, Lady Sings the Blues, about singer Billie Holliday. People tried to help her, and the drugs killed her anyway.
Wow. Amazing.
Such a great song.
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