“No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you’ve come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.” ~ Madonna
I was raised Catholic by Republican parents in the Midwest, graduated high school when Ronald Reagan left office.
Despite my upbringing, I became everything hardcore conservatives hate – An agnostic, progressive liberal living in California, a hippie who frowns upon guns, loves Madonna songs, and has a same-sex partner affectionately refereed to as “Chango”.
Guy Penn is an American perspective – my red, white, and blue seen through a pink tinted lens, and put to a beat…
Politically speaking, I am a member of the “Madonna Party”, which is far left of the Democratic Party (which was formerly known as the Republican Party).
While I enjoy Madonna’s music, I love her politics. Her progressive ideals, how Americans perceive and react to her are omnipresent in my posts.
Given our similar backgrounds, Madonna embodies progressive American pop culture, religion, and politics over the past 30 years. No one has been more resilient to the cultural thugs, been more eloquent and artistically poignant at telling opponents of progress – F@!% off!
It is a statistical fact (not really, but engage me)…. People who respect Madonna’s politics have superior IQ’s. It takes brains and restraint to see past the glitter and cleavage, to understand Madonna isn’t selling music and sex. She’s singing about a world less judgmental and reactionary, more optimistic, inclusive, and kind.
The irony about Madonna, what makes her so provocative and appropriate for this project, is that Madonna is a bully in search of peace. She has zero tolerance for bullshit, calls out hypocrisy where she sees it, and is undeterred by social norms and popular opinion.
Madonna is a bully who specifically invites and confronts bullies. The mission of Guy Penn is to peacefully and respectfully do the same.
Damon Wallace (aka. Guy Penn)
Madge & Me ~ 1985
Progressive politics and the politics of Madonna are the subject of “Guy Penn & the Gospel According to Madge” written by Damon Wallace.
“The light that you would never see.
It shines inside, you can’t take that from me.”
~ Madonna
Prelude to a Dance.
As long as there’s been AIDS, there’s been Madonna.
While the virus that causes AIDS predates Madonna’s fame, during the initial years of the outbreak the illness was referred to as G.R.I.D (Gay Related Immune Deficiency). It wasn’t until August 1982 that the disease officially became known as AIDS, after the CDC offered “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome” as a less discriminating alternative.
The summer of 1982 was also when a catchy new track began surfacing in New York City clubs. The pulsating groove was infectious, even Sire Records fell victim to the infused beats. Later that October the record label signed a deal with the bohemian artist singing on the track, Madonna.
And so it came to be… Like many gay men of my generation, my story came to be about a boy and two titans, each equally hellbent on world domination: Madonna and the Plague.
ACT I: “The Kid, the Stalker, and a Magic Poem”
I recall the day I first learned about AIDS. My dad was reading the Chicago Tribune and tossed the completed front section on the floor. On the back was a full page article about AIDS symptoms. Among the many ailments listed: fevers, night sweats, wasting, soars in the mouth, and skin lesions. And if the symptoms weren’t horrific enough, the article stressed that the disease had been especially devastating to the gay community.
It’s difficult to explain how I felt at that moment, but at best I’d describe it as seismic déjà vu. For a moment, time rippled like a tolling bell. I wasn’t reading an article in the newspaper, something menacing was whispering “hello” in my ear.
As an only child of working parents, I had a lot of time to obsess about my fears and confusion.
Poetry, specifically, helped me write what was unbearable to speak.
With AIDS lurking about, by 1985 my poems centered around survival, my hopes of evading “the stalker”.
It may seem irrational to be worried about AIDS at fourteen, but I was just coming to terms with my sexuality and had reservations about both lifestyles ahead.
For me, the decision wasn’t whether to be straight or gay. I knew what I was. Instead, I saw two very different alternatives:
In one life, I’d be a prisoner, locked away in a secret cell, peeping at my life regretfully through a keyhole.
In the other, I’d be a fugitive. Although I’d be stalked and likely captured, I’d be free to love who I choose.
Not getting AIDS was never a question. Should I live life as a gay man, I was certain the disease would be my cross to bare. Although I didn’t see it this way at the time, my decision ultimately came down a very American question – Was I willing to die young for freedom?
I am a white male living in the United States of America who was raised Catholic. Trust me when I say, being gay wasn’t the path I wanted to travel. Yet despite AIDS, my upbringing, and the likely discrimination I’d encounter, being queer felt more honorable and brave. I had just enough foresight to realize that the alternative – lying, faking love and marriage – would be selfish and destructive for all involved.
I said goodbye to a never-to-be wife, confident it was best for her and the kids. Then I closed my eyes and covered my ears, prayed my heart wouldn’t guide me off a cliff.
Stumbling blindly into adulthood, I did my best to avoid AIDS, but it proved to be a futile task. By my late-twenties, AIDS was everywhere, and I was surrounded…
What happened in the mid 90′s is a separate post altogether, but suffice it to say – My pleasures depended on the permission of no one. Call it pent up frustration, but my twenties were reckless and carefree, a stark contrast to the introverted poet I was a teenager.
Unfortunately, because I was carefree in my twenties, I misplaced most of my poems from 1985. Despite the loss of my journals, there was one poem – a simple rhyme that grew louder with each passing year – that haunted me throughout my adulthood.
In the end, that poem is the reason why I created the website, Guy Penn, and why I’m writing this specific post today…
ACT II: “A Fairy God-Diva named Madge”
For 2 years, I’d done the impossible, I’d managed to ignore Madonna.
Up until 1985, what I knew about Madonna I didn’t like. I was annoyed with the song “Borderline”, because I thought the title was “Waterline”, and anyone comparing love to water pressure was just weird and not to be trusted. I also remember three girls singing “Holiday” during recess. When I asked them what they were singing, they started squealing about seeing Madonna at “The Virgin Tour”,which was, by all accounts – totally gross.
But then came one fateful night… I was recording Friday Night Videos with my Betamax VCR, eager to capture my favorite song at the time, “We Are the World”. The video that followed was “Material Girl”, featuring the one woman missing from the star-studded lineup, the one woman who would outshine them all – Madonna, wrapped in a big red bow.
In the age of AIDS, Madonna became my bedazzled life coach. After so much dark introspection and fear, she had a way of drawing me back to the light.
Where AIDS was scary and grim, Madonna was sparkly, high-octane optimism, a musical cornucopia overflowing with Lucky Stars, Holidays, and Shoo-be-doo’s, reminding me life was to be lived, not feared.
Sprinkling disco beats from her celestial powered mirrored ball, Madonna managed to do the impossible in the mid-80′s – She helped me envision a world more celebratory, inclusive, and kind, where even a queer punk like me could be loved and accepted…
Although I became a Madonna fan because of her music, I remained one because of her support.
Madonna fought for gay rights when I didn’t have the esteem or the courage. She challenged social norms and hypocrisy when other wouldn’t, back when her voice was needed most – When men were dieing, the silence was deafening, and you could hear a pin drop on the disco floor.
Madonna songs typically gravitate around love, acceptance, pride, and enlightenment. It so happens, I’m a big fan of each. As an added bonus, I also enjoy dancing and sex (although I’ve learned to avoid both at once).
Above all, I must confess – Madonna bridges me to my youth. Now in my 40′s, where Madge is concerned, I’m still young, a giddy uniformed schoolboy, flipping eagerly through the pages of Tigerbeat at a local newsstand.
With a catalog of music spanning 30 years, fans sometimes retrofit their lives to Madonna’s songs, and I am no exception. The gospel according to Madge has always had an uncanny way of capturing pivotal acts of my life. So much so, at times I’ve enjoyed entertaining the question – Am I Madonna’s muse?
After one year of Madonna fandom, such a moment occurred. I received a special gift from Madge, a ballad that poignantly echoed the sentiments of my poem, “Time To Play”.
Sappy, sentimental bloke that I am – writing this post now, looking back at the AIDS pandemic – I like to imagine the ballad contains the middle verses of my misplaced poem, “Time to Play”.
ACT III: “Time Traveling with Madge”
This April I’ll be turning 42. Sitting here now, overlapping my poem with Madonna’s song, I realize – Albeit a couple years late, this post is a promise being fulfilled.
Despite my expectations and adversities, I am a man who lived to tell. As such, I’m feeling obligated to share a secret that I have learned…
AIDS is not the stalker I once feared. AIDS is my liberator. It didn’t force gay men out of the closet, it demolished the walls that Adam built, left us naked and vulnerable to the masses.
Nearly 30 million people worldwide have died since the AIDS crisis began, so I don’t mean to typecast the disease or undermine the magnitude of its horror and devastation. But when I frame the pandemic as bookends, I am suddenly humbled by how much the United States, among a growing list of countries, has changed.
28 years ago, I didn’t think people cared if I lived or died, because many believed gays were deviants, sinners worthy of the plague. Today, however, the majority of Americans support the right for me to marry my partner, believe our love is worthy of protection.
AIDS is not an exclusively homosexual disease. It has broken hearts both straight and gay. But in America we are haunted by its origins. Not acknowledging AIDS for the tectonic shift in popular opinion would be an injustice to all the gay men who fought and died, so that I could live to tell; it would be disrespectful to those who lost lovers, friends or family members to the pandemic, who demanded social change and medical research… Not acknowledging AIDS contributions to our national character would discount the breadth of our collective humanity, our nation’s enduring battle to be a more perfect union.
AIDS is a different kind of love story, one that shines from within. In the end, Madonna and the plague are a matter of perspective. Our reaction to each says more about us than them. In the past 30 years, for better or worse, both AIDS and Madonna refused to be ignored. Each invited our judgement and indignation, provoked us to reconsider the limitations of freedom and love.
The history of AIDS will prove to be a tragedy written in tears, but its final act is yet to be told. With the help of outspoken Americans like Madonna, however, the moral of this plague is becoming increasingly clear – I entered this fight wounded and alone, but I will leave it healed with a nation uniting behind me.
Whether you pray to a book, wrap yourself in a flag, or are enchanted by a pop star, what matters most are the lessons we learn, how we interpret words written and sung.
The gospel according to Madge is certainly open to interpretation. And I don’t presume to speak for all gay men of my generation, the first generation of teenage boys to sexually awaken to a world with AIDS in it. But I hope a few of my Madonna-luvin’ brethren from the 80′s are comforted by the audacity of this closing sentiment…
Where my soul was concerned, Madonna was the cure for AIDS.
If freedom and capitalism got drunk and had passionate sex, their love child would be Madonna. And whether you admire or despise their spirited baby girl, let’s agree – Madonna is independence gone wild, liberty run amuck in a corset.
I have a suggestion for progressive liberals that they likely don’t want to hear. When dealing with our opposition, it’s time to be less politically correct and more like Madonna.
You don’t have to wear a cone shaped bra or gyrate your hips. I am not asking you to hump the dance floor or grab your crotch on national TV. I’m simply saying, however you choose to do it, if you’ve got the guts and the urge – speak out, speak often, and speak loudly. Your voice is needed now more than ever.
Our opposition needs to be challenged and provoked, so lets give Republicans in power something to actually be outraged about. The days of placating conservative hypocrisy and appeasing their tantrums aren’t acceptable anymore. The facts are in. The planet is on fire, the middle class has been evacuated, and the luxury yachts bobbing offshore have a maximum capacity of 1%.
Welcome to the apocalypse, the dramatic conclusion of trickle down economics and manufactured morality. Given the dire circumstances, dancing may seem ill-fitted or inappropriate, but it’s time to fight crazy with crazy, so here’s my advice to my progressive sisters and brothers (and I’m looking at you, Harry Reid)…
Figuratively squeeze into a pair of pink leotards with a plunging neckline, grab your crotch with one hand, extend a middle finger with the other, and tell Republicans in Congress, “Filibuster this.”
However you choose, it’s time to be heard… Speak.
A recent paper found that both conservative and liberal politicians undervalue how liberal their constituents are. Conservative politicians, specifically, underestimated local support for universal health care and same-sex marriage by as much as 20 percent.
While this disconnect is the result of multiple factors (special interests infiltrating government, the Orwellian mind grip of the conservative entertainment “news” industry, politicians beholden to the donor class, etc…), I place equal blame on progressives, the enablers of our existing political paradox.
Somewhere along the way, we progressives stopped “burning our bras”. We became less outspoken, substituted our passion for good manners and prudence. We allowed our opponents to define us and make “liberalism” a dirty word. We forgot an important lesson, one that history proves we’re destined to learn again and again…
The conservative moral majority is a myth. Despite what we’ve been conditioned to think for the past 30 years, the United States is ultimately a progressive nation. If we weren’t progressive: slavery would be legal, women would be unable to vote, being gay would still be outlawed throughout the land, and Barack Obama wouldn’t have been elected President… twice.
By definition progressive means, “making progress toward better conditions. Favoring or advocating change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are…”
Being progressive doesn’t mean you’re a Democrat or a Republican. As Abraham Lincoln validated, our inherent truths and unalienable rights are the constant. It’s the parties that ebb and flow with the times. And by most measures, America circa 2013 remains a progressive nation, and the pendulum for progress has swung full-swoosh back to the Democratic Party.
Polls consistently show that Americans largely approve of liberal policies. On fiscal and social matters alike, majorities support:
Marriage equality
Tax increases to offset the national debt
Gun control regulation
A woman’s right to choose
Campaign finance reform
Immigration Reform
A Public Option to compete with Health Insurance providers
Yet here we are, a nation of hippies (apparently) beholden to an intransigent Republican party that defiantly refuses to compromise with the progressive majority.
With the looming sequester cuts, conservatives would sooner self-inflict another recession than close a single corporate tax loophole or raise another dime in taxes for the rich. Despite their contributions to the debt (unpaid wars, tax cuts for the wealthiest, and a financial crisis caused largely by deregulation) the GOP insists that the poorest and sickest among us must foot the bill for the Republican fraternity’s binge spending and recklessness.
The only thing more offensive than Republican obstructionism is progressive America tolerating Republican obstructionism. The recent study only highlights the greatest failure of the modern progressive, what was once our greatest strength – Our ability to be noticed and be heard, to matter… which brings me back to Madonna.
Madonna is the baby boomer that never stopped burning her bra, the hippie still singing about love and peace…. star of the 30-year musical, “The Progressive Activist”.
Madonna challenged George W. Bush on Iraq, when many liberals cowered from the fight and found it unpalatable to speak out against the war.
Madonna spoke out for gay rights and AIDS research, before it was chic… before even President Reagan had the courage to publicly acknowledge the epidemic.
And yes, perhaps most trying of all, Madonna has challenged her sex. As I’ve written about before, Madonna is by most measures “a liberated woman”, living proof that it’s okay to be powerful and girly. In America, you can like girly things, sing girly songs, and hang with girly boys. And by challenging social norms and being unabashedly unashamed of being a woman, Madonna has emasculated her conservative detractors, one crotch grab at a time…
Liking Madonna is not a prerequisite for progressive liberals, but make no mistake – Madonna is emblematic of the progressives’ paradox.
Liberals yearn to be a nation more inclusive and kind, yet we discount progressives like Madonna and their feats, because let’s face it – Madonna doesn’t fit the conservative mold.
If progressives surrender to Republican hostage taking and conservatives ideals, it won’t be Barack Obama or Madonna’s fault. “Failure” will be progressives’ to own. Our generation will be known as “the generation that stopped fighting for the dream”, or perhaps most chilling of all – “the generation that succumbed to dreams and never woke up”.
Be more like Madonna. Fight crazy with crazy. Squeeze into a pair pink leotards with a plunging neckline, grab your crotch with one hand, and extend a middle finger with the other.
However you choose, join me in telling Republicans in congress, “Sequester this.”
It’s time to be heard… Speak.
Progressive politics and the politics of Madonna are the subject of “Guy Penn & the Gospel According to Madge” written by Damon Wallace.
“I’d like to express my extreme point of view. I’m not a Christian, and I’m not a Jew. I’m just living out the American Dream, and I just realized that nothing is what it seems.”
~ Madonna 2003
March 2013 marks the 10-year anniversary of “Shock and Awe”, the launch of the US invasion of Iraq… and the launch of Madonna’s music video, “American Life”, protesting the invasion of Iraq.
Madonna’s 2003 “American Life” video was a commentary about the “social disease” plaguing America leading up to the war. In the video, looking more like the yet-to-be famous Sarah Palin, Madonna croons about living the American dream from jumbotrons at a fashion show. Meanwhile, between cutaway scenes of bombs exploding, models in military-chic uniforms work the runway before the paparazzi and unimpressed affluent audience.
At the time of the video’s release, the backlash was so brutal and unrelenting that for the first time in her outspoken career, Madonna retreated from her detractors and withdrew the video (to see uncensored version click here). On the subject, she said in a statement,”Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video.”
A decade later, there’s something haunting about “American Life”. Knowing what we know now, Madonna’s then controversial video seems more like an accurate foretelling of the past decade than the distasteful, unpatriotic betrayal critics made the video out to be in 2003.
When the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003, Main Street looked like a 4th of July parade… minus the crowds. There were US flags, yellow ribbons, and yard signs urging neighbors to “Support the Troops”, but all the action was happening indoors, where Americans were feeding on the 24-hours news coverage of the unraveling war.
For me, the greatest atrocity of the Iraqi War is not the manipulation of Americans, the war profiteering, or the deceitful lies that led us to Iraq in the first place. Other than the loss of so many lives, what I find most sobering is how disconnected Americans became from both wars… myself included.
Other than writing this post with a sanctimonious tone, what did I do to support the troops? Nothing. Not one protest, care package, donation, or yellow ribbon. Although I wished for the troops safety, I, like most Americans, ultimately got distracted as the war progressed. Sure, I scoffed at the mess when it spiraled out of control, demanded change I could believe in, but in the end – I was removed from the horrors of war, a complacent member of the audience, attending the “American Life” fashion show.
Thinking back to the reaction against Madonna and other artists, like the Dixie Chicks, who dared to express their opposition to the war, I wonder now – What if I had been more outspoken? Does it pay to speak the truth in the land of the free?
If Madonna is any indication, arguably “no”. For all intents and purposes, “American Life” marked the demise of Madonna, the American radio star. Preceding the controversy, Madonna had 12 number 1 songs and over a dozen more Top 5 Billboard hits. Following the controversy, however, Madonna had only 1 song in top five (thanks to Justin Timberlake).
Perhaps it’s mere coincidence that Madonna became “radio irrelevant” after speaking out against the war. Maybe you can dismiss 20 years of record-breaking success between the years of 1983 – 2003 and call it a fluke, but doing so would mean ignoring Madonna’s success outside America between the years of 2003 – 2013.
“Hung Up”, which was released in 2005, is one of the best selling singles of all time by any artists. While the song only peaked at #7 in the US, it broke the Guinness Book of World Records for reaching #1 in 41 other countries simultaneously.
Madonna’s 2012 “MDNA” World Tour is the 2nd highest grossing tour for a female solo artist of all time (1st place was achieved by Madonna in 2008 with her “Sticky and Sweet” tour).
The purpose of this article is not to say Madonna is awesome (although there is clearly some of that). Regardless of whether you love or despise Madonna, as a matter of principle, I’d like the record to show…
Regarding the War in Iraq, Madonna was right, and George W. Bush was wrong. When we didn’t want to hear it but needed to listen most, Madonna spoke the truth. And in return, boys and girls, the King’s minions banished the Queen of Pop from the airwaves, where she’d reigned for 20 years.
In 2003, then President of the United States, George W. Bush, manipulated Americans into supporting the invasion of Iraq. In the aftermath of 9/11, his administration preyed on our grief, fears, and patriotism, and lied about weapons of mass destruction, defrauding the citizens and ideals he swore to preserve and protect.
In rallying for unity, America sacrificed freedom and censored opposing views, discounting the very essence of the democracy that President Bush was peddling for Iraq.
Since the War in Iraq began over 100,000 people have been killed, including over 4,000 Americans. Perhaps by 2023, once the ground stops shifting beneath me, I’ll have a better vantage of the war’s historical significance.
In the meantime, this much I’ve learned…
Like it or not, in the past decade war became increasingly fashionable, and although there are obvious exceptions, on the whole, the American public became disengaged from the wars.
Had we been more engaged, we might have demanded justice and insisted that elected politicians atone for war crimes. But we didn’t. Because doing so, we were led to believe, would be unpatriotic.
In 2013, what I find unforgivable and un-American is that we didn’t fight more for our armed forces, we didn’t hold our government accountable for the well being of the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. A right we ultimately punished the likes of Madonna for valuing and exercising.
Does it pay to speak the truth in the land of the free? Despite her exile, I suspect Madonna would answer, “Of course, it does.”
After bursting on stage in a Mini Cooper, presumably feeling super-dooper, the “American Life” video ends with Madonna jolting her audience awake…
Freedom is not an illusion, or at least it shouldn’t be. It isn’t fashionable or chic and should never be taken for granted. Freedom is the result of sacrifice, integrity, and courage. It requires equal doses of pride and humility, the fortitude to accept our humanity and recognize when we are wrong.
In America, freedom is a measure of character. It means standing by my convictions and calling out hypocrisy, while fighting relentlessly for my opponent’s right to express their (misguided) views.
Freedom is intended to be a celebration heard throughout the world. Regardless of how much it may personally pain you, for America in 2013, freedom follows when we can admit together…
Madonna was right. George W. Bush was wrong.
On December 14, 2011, President Obama announced the end of the War in Iraq. On cue, a month later, in a formal ceremony watched by millions, Madonna returned home to the United States…
Her performance at the Super Bowl was the most-watched television event in U.S. history, drawing more viewers than the game between the Giants and Patriots.
Ushered into the stadium on a golden chariot pulled by centurions, Madonna’s performance was an over-the-top extravaganza… a fairytale homecoming worthy of an exiled Queen, who once upon a time defied a slack-jawed King and his minions.
While I believe Madonna is far more intelligent and disciplined, if I had to choose a Sarah Palin equivalent for Progressive Liberals, I would choose Madonna.
I suspect Madonna and Governor Palin would approve. Putting aside their polar ideologies and views, however, here’s my thinking – Both women really irritate and provoke their opposition. Yet they agitate their allies too…
In the case of Madonna most recently, some liberals wishing the diva had been more eloquent, not so crass in making a political point about President Obama.
If you don’t see Madonna as a politician, you haven’t been following the 30-year campaign of the singing Senator from Michigan, which is understandable given the demands.
Campaigning for Senator Madge can be taxing. She challenges her supporters most of all. For starters, you have to ignore the hecklers, reject the notion that Madonna is an opportunistic sellout seeking attention. Because as a supporter of Senator Madge, you believe Madonna is an outspoken girl from Detroit, determined to save the world one inclusive celebration at a time. Not without her share of controversies, but well intentioned all the same…
~ The Incident ~
On September 24, 2012, while performing live in Washington D.C., Madonna called President Barack Obama a “Black Muslim in the White House”.
When I awoke to the headlines the following morning, I was taken aback. I had just seen Madonna perform twice in Chicago the week prior. Nothing about her actions, the moral of her tour, would leave me to believe Madonna’s intentions were cruel, let alone ignorant where Barack Obama was concerned.
I ignored the sensation-bating article, hid the user comments, and watched the footage, bracing for the punchline…
~ The Reaction ~
If Madonna were diplomatic, she wouldn’t be Madonna, and I wouldn’t be the singing Senator’s imaginary spokesman…
Madonna’s comments were intended to be ironic. In effect, she was saying that in America anything is possible… Although Barack Obama is a Christian, we live in a country where even a black Muslim can live in the White House.
All the same, for what it’s worth, I have to admit…
I initially recoiled at Madonna’s statement. Truth is, I’m conditioned to flinch when someone says the President of the United States is un-American. Whether insisting Obama is Muslim or Kenyan, the underlying intent provokes me, leaves me feeling a little West Side Story and not so bueno.
Sandwiched between Madonna and Barack Obama, feeling a little awkward, waiting on someone to speak, I wondered – Is it okay to be ironic? If I object to race bating language, shouldn’t I bellyache over “racist bating” statements too? Does excusing Madonna make me a hypocrite?
No sooner, I remembered something ironic…
When I was in Chicago the week prior, Madonna endorsed President Obama, in a way that only Madonna can… She stripped down to her bra before a packed United Center, revealing “Obama” inked along her lower back, and proceeded to sing “Like a Virgin”.
But then I recalled the night prior to her endorsement. When en lieu of “Obama”, the words “For Give” were inked on Madonna’s back.
That night, Senator Madge rallied her supporters. She demanded everyone work harder at loving one another, asked us to not get so caught up in the tit for tat, the social disease…
Until asking myself whether I excused Madonna, I had all but forgotten about her proactive request to “For Give”.
And when I overlapped the two performances with the controversy, I started to realize something…
None of this is about Madonna, or at least it shouldn’t be…
Turns out, this lesson of forgiveness was custom built for me.
~ The Issue ~
I enjoy Madonna because she reminds me to be upbeat. I make a concerted effort to be optimistic and not judge, although when it comes to ignorance and extremists, here and abroad, I’ve been less successful and more skeptical of people’s intentions.
When asked about the President’s religion in a recent Pew Research Center Poll, 17% of Americans responded that Barack Obama was Muslim.
Despite the President’s word and evidence to the contrary, nearly 1 in 5 Americans is spooked into believing, or seeks to believe, that President Obama is lying about being a Christian.
I find this statistic hard to forgive. It represents a mindset exacerbated by ugly politics, and quantifies an effort to delegitimize Barack Obama.
We can disagree with Madonna’s approach, but I applaud her for spotlighting an issue 4 out of 5 Americans should be talking about more regularly. I also appreciate her request to “for give”. Because whether a provocative liberal like Madonna or offensive conservative like Sarah Palin, I need to listen with a forgiving ear. I need to focus less on who, what, and how something is said, and seek to understand why…
The issue is the reaction, my sensitivity to offensive words… I can scream at my TV shaking a fist, accusing people of being racists. Or I can forgive, choose to see 17% of Americans as ill informed.
I can’t stop ignorance, but I can vote against fear mongers and hate at the ballot box. I can write this article and celebrate 4 out of 5 Americans, taking comfort in the realization – This tide is retreating, the United States is becoming a more perfect union, one forgiving gesture at a time.
God Bless America, our President, Senator Madge, and Sarah Palin too. We are all fulfilling a promise, becoming a nation shiny and new.
~ The End(orsement) ~
In the end, the singing Senator from Michigan doesn’t need assistance from an imaginary spokesman. Madonna summed up her controversial statement eloquently enough, and much more concisely, when she concluded…
“Yes, I know Obama is not a Muslim — though I know that plenty of people in this country think he is. And what if he were? The point I was making is that a good man is a good man, no matter who he prays to. I don’t care what religion Obama is — nor should anyone else in America.”
Below is Senator Madge’s full length endorsement of President Barack Obama at the United Center in Chicago.
I hereby challenge the most liberal Obama enthusiast among us, top this endorsement…
Progressive politics and the politics of Madonna are the subject of “Guy Penn & the Gospel According to Madge” written by Damon Wallace.
“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
~ Barry Goldwater
Dear Republican,
You and I don’t always see eye to eye. Our ideologies, opinions, and approach to governing often differ, and occasionally our passions get the best of us. But first and foremost, I hope you will agree – we are both Americans, wanting what is best for our country.
Membership within the Republican Party appears to be increasingly exclusive. So before proceeding, let’s talk about you, the intended recipient of this letter…
Although more modern, you are an “Old School” Republican, predating 1980 revisions…
You value freedom and equality, the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You are fiscally conservative. You support limited government, limited taxation, and a balanced budget.
You are not conservative socially. Regardless of opinions and traditions, you recognize supporting small government includes supporting a woman’s right to choose, to make her own healthcare decisions.
You support the separation of church and state. You believe Leviticus should not govern American policy and citizens. Consenting adults should be free to marry who they love, regardless of sexual preference.
You are informed and decent. You believe President Obama is a Christian, born in the United States.
You, my Old School Republican friend, are not so very different from my parents, so please understand – I respect and appreciate your America. Although I am a Democrat, I share a similar dream.
It is because of our shared values that I am reaching out to you, specifically, why I am asking you to put party affiliation aside and hear my concerns with an unfiltered ear…
Politics aside, I hope we can agree on the following.
When Barack Obama became President in January 2009, he inherited:
Two wars
Unpaid tax cuts
A financial crisis caused largely by deregulation in the banking and mortgage industries
An economy hemorrhaging over 500K jobs a month
And a stock market in free fall
To be fair, Democrats and Republicans, alike, had fingerprints all over the problems Obama inherited. Leading up to 2008, Democrats too voted for wars, deregulation, and tax cuts that contributed to the mounting debt.
While the degree of responsibility may vary, had Democrats stood by their convictions, not been so intimidated during the Bush years, the financial crisis could have been minimized or avoided all together. There’s enough blame to go around.
But this is 2013. And from my perspective, the question is no longer, who caused the crisis (because make no mistake, we’re still dealing with the same crisis)…
Instead, I’m asking – Who took action and most effectively dealt with the mess?
I voted for Obama in 2008 as a referendum on Bush’s policies.
I understood Obama would be tasked with addressing the failures of the prior Administration: poorly managed wars that led to the loss of American lives, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and a decimated middle class on life support.
Despite the crisis Obama inherited, I also recognized that investments in America, like extending unemployment benefits, providing additional tax cuts, and saving the auto industry, were necessary to avoid calamity.
Unfortunately for the Republican establishment, I also realized something they’re desperately banking on us to forget…
The trajectory of Bush’s debt (charted above) doesn’t change unless his policies are reversed.
In 2008, I knew that ending 2 wars, implementing financial regulations, and restoring the middle class wouldn’t be easy tasks, especially when faced with deep-rooted unemployment, a housing crisis and special interests with bottom lines.
Despite the toxicity of politics and corruption in Washington DC, I genuinely believed the Senator from Illinois would prevail.
Four years later, I’m happy to report: Obama delivered. And it’s not a question of opinion. It’s a matter of fact.
Because of Obama / Democratic efforts:
One war is over and another is ending.
More homes are being sold, values are on the rise, and foreclosure filings are at their lowest point in five years.
Consumer protections against predatory banking are being implemented.
The hemorrhaging of jobs in the private sector has been mended by 32 months of continued job growth.
The rates of annual spending, revenue, and budget deficits have all decreased to levels not seen since before Eisenhower.
And as an added bonus…
The American auto industry is back on top
Bin Laden in dead
And America is more respected in the world
Are Obama’s policies perfect or complete? No, far from it… But I don’t blame the President or Democrats for policy shortcomings. At least they were present and accounted for…
Other than vilifying the President and terrifying the electorate on Fox News, where were the Republicans from 2009 to 2012? Because their actions reveal they certainly weren’t accepting responsibility or giving a damn about America…
Republicans incited unnecessary panic by threatening to default on debt and shut down government, causing S&P to downgrade the US credit rating, which further depressed consumer confidence and impeded economic growth and hiring.
Republicans have repeatedly held the middle class hostage, insisting the Bush tax cuts need to be extended for the wealthy “job creators”. Yet they ignore an inconvenient fact – the Bush Tax cuts did not net a single job, and the rich have only gotten richer.
Why is it acceptable that the political party that spearheaded the wars and financial crisis refused to pay down their debt? And why did they only become sanctimoniously prudent with spending when Main Street needed them most?
It’s not the politics of Washington DC I find upsetting. The reason I’m writing you is to point out – The Republican weapon of choice against Barack Obama is America.
Whether you’ve voted Republican, Independent, or Democratic in the past, we all complain about corruption in politics, a government that no longer works for the people but against us. But seldom is the corruption so blatant, insulting, and egregious.
We can reward government malpractice, fortifying corruption and greed into the system by not holding Republicans in office accountable. Or, we can dream again and celebrate Democracy. We can send a message to Washington DC. tailored for the Republican Party in 2013…
This is America, a land of principles and character. I reject extremism, refuse to be frightened, and I won’t reward incompetence.
Help me help you. If you value the Republican brand: reject extremism and intolerance, a government that intrudes into the lives of citizens and regulates the pursuit of happiness. Support politicians that work for the people, not against them. Hit reset on the Republican Party, and take back a brand that is rightfully yours.
As a liberal, I’m sometimes dramatic and verbose. This letter is certainly no exception… Regardless, thank you for your objectivity and consideration.
Your Republican pragmatism is appreciated, now more than ever…
I’m not sure how often you receive joint fan mail, but in this economy I like to consolidate where I can. Besides, I thought you’d both appreciate knowing – Of all the little people working inside my TV machine, the two of you are my most favorite.
Being unemployed does strange things to the imagination. In addition to constantly reevaluating past decisions and worrying about job prospects, I’ve become skeptical and a little paranoid. Which brings me to the point of this letter… I suspect that I’m getting punked on a reality show called, “The Voter”, and I need your help.
Hidden cameras disguised as dust bunnies (and the suspicious arrival of “Hank” the garden gnome) would be the only sane explanation for what I’m witnessing in America. The alternative – “realty” – would be too implausible and horrific.
The producers of “The Voter” want me to accept that America has been invaded by shiny objects and Kardashians. The network is banking on me to believe that citizens are too preoccupied with status updates, caramel lattes, and pictures of kittens, to notice their pockets being picked and the ground shifting beneath them.
I find it implausible that the Brothers Grimm can payroll a wind-up doll to run for President. I refuse to believe that sock puppets posing as newscasters on FOX News can frighten adults into believing in boogeymen. I understand how government should operate, and have enough faith in my country to know: the Senate is not minority ruled, the US Supreme Court would never sell the United States to the highest bidder, and Governors wouldn’t deny their citizens’ the right to vote.
The script I am living is poorly written science fiction, at best. I am insulted and demand to speak with someone in charge.
As my two favorite little people working inside my TV machine, I need you to do my bidding. Tell the producers of my stupid reality show – I’m not buying the plot. Bring on Ashton Kutcher, and drop the balloons. I’m done with the silly shenanigans, and I’m dieing to know if my parents are in on the prank.
In full disclosure you should know, I have a soft spot for Melissa Harris-Perry, and budding fondness for Chris Hayes and Jonathan Capehart. Should you fail me, favorite little people working inside my TV machine, I will seek the assistance of others. And I am not above going to CNN.
Thank you for helping to expose the producers of my twisted reality show. I’m depending on you to hold them accountable for their warped sense of humor.
Congratulations on your accomplishments to date. As the nominee for the Republican Party, I salute your triumphant win. There is no denying, you’ve earned this historic moment. The crowd cheers for you… Bravo.
Regarding the status of your application for President of the United States, however, I have some urgent concerns to address.
I do my best to give candidates the benefit of the doubt when it comes to misinterpretations and gaffes. I am an adult, after all. I am not distracted by shiny objects and boogeymen, and I am capable of understanding facts without the assistance of sock puppets. My vote is earned on a candidate’s character and their deeds, which is why I created this supportive, developmental action plan for you, specifically…
Below are five areas of opportunity I find disconcerting about your recent performance and behavior. Please review each point thoroughly, because immediate and sustained improvements are required on your behalf.
Thank you in advance for your urgency and adherence.
1) Act like you want this job, not like you deserve it.
Becoming President of the United States is not an entitlement. You are interviewing for the most critical job in the world. Don’t cower from questions. Welcome and invite them. Avoiding the press, discounting questions, and repeating shallow talking points ad nauseum, makes you look weak, uppity, and at best dense.
TIPS: Man up. Face the microphone. Live a little, go off script. Prove you’re not the snooty, inaccessible charlatan the Democrats are defining you to be. Campaign.
2) “Everything bad bounces off me & sticks to you” is not a strategy. It’s a petty tactic.
This isn’t a playground, and your entire campaign shouldn’t be a referendum on the President’s cooties. We get it – You’re rubber, and Obama is glue. Grow up.
The Republican primary is over. Take comfort, you’ve locked up the FOX News demographic. The rest of the country, however, is looking to you as an alternative, an adult with a plan to deal with a crisis.
When faced with President Obama’s accomplishments or solutions counter to your own (that day), don’t become unhinged and act insulted. Outbursts and tizzies are unbecoming of an adult. You should be defusing, not inciting or engaging in, childlike behavior. Being temperamental only demonstrates – You are emotionally ill equipped for the job.
TIPS: Take a time out. Show some respect for the office you seek. Act professional and mature. Debate facts. Champion your solutions.
3) Share the tax returns being requested of you.
Interviewing 101: When asked by a potential employer for more proof supporting your credentials and character, do not say, “No. I don’t want to. I don’t have to. You can’t make me. Go away.”
There’s no easy way to say this, Governor. Your reaction to the voters’ requests for more taxes makes you look like a diva; a candidate so enamored by his own reflection, he is not of the people or for the people, he believes he is above the people – A King running for President of the United States.
This is America. You are not above reproach. Keep your ego in check.
TIPS: Eat a Snickers, the sugar would do you good. Show your taxes. Issue an apology to the voters for being disrespectful and stubborn.
4) Do not insult the electorate’s intelligence.
You are picture perfect, the personification of the American dream. But the time for substance has arrived.
Having a severely conservative platform built on positions that have all changed (abortion, gay rights, healthcare, climate change, immigration, stem cell research, tax policy, etc…) is flimsy and awkward. Stop being opportunistic. Don’t hide behind your running mate or allow yourself to be pushed around by party thugs and internal polling. Have some convictions, other than not showing more taxes.
Elusive solutions and directing voters to your website isn’t an explanation, it’s an insult and a copout. Don’t dismiss Americans and ask them to trust you, because polls show, unequivocally – we don’t. And why should we? Because you think so highly of your credentials? Outside of your feats with healthcare, what exists of your sketchy track record is not impressive. It is downright offensive to anyone smart enough to put country over party or a news network.
TIPS: Stop pandering. Step outside of the echo chamber. Share your vision for a better America. Back it up with a realistic blueprint that benefits all Americans, not just those funding your campaign.
5) Be honest
Blatantly distorting facts and editing Obama’s speeches to fit your boogeyman narrative about the President is dishonest and sleazy. Likewise, misleading people by inflating, ad-libbing, and fabricating your accomplishments is deceitful and sad.
Cheating only proves you can’t win an election based on facts or experience, so you have to resort to diversionary tactics, which means you’re banking on America’s stupidity… No bueno.
TIPS: Value what can’t be purchased, invest in some integrity. Stop lying.
Governor Romney, you appear to be a proud and emotional man, so I hope I didn’t offend you. But for country’s sake, please understand, some tough love was in order.
Thank you for appreciating my need to be candid. As an esteemed businessman, I’m sure you’ll agree – Being anything but honest would be a disservice to your ambitions and our great country.
I wish you ongoing success in your interview with the American people. I am eager for an adult conversation about our country’s future, and I look forward to your additional tax returns.
Should you be unable to meet the goals outlined in this action plan, I encourage you to put our country first and step aside. We have urgent matters to attend to. Your insubordinate behavior is not only selfish, it’s an unnecessary distraction and a mockery of the people you hope to buy.
“Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us,
we have to see it as something done by us.”
~ John R.W. Stott
Denise was a good Christian. I know she was a good Christian because when I worked with her at a bank in the early 1990′s she told me she was a good Christian frequently. She loved all things Jesus, even brought a bible to work, which she’d fuss over and highlight in between calls.
I was no stranger to good Christian women. I was educated by nuns up until high school. My mom’s family was Catholic, and my Dad’s family was southern Baptist and Methodists. They were all good, honest, hard working people, not without their faults, but their time with God tended to be more private and intimate, not so brazenly in my face.
Something about Denise’s Christianity was more aggressive. It felt more offensive, or at least I felt more guarded and guilty around her.
Back in the early 90′s I was but a wee queer, still somewhat closeted and not-at-peace with my gayness. The output resulted in me being a mild mannered, agreeable, clean cut banker by day / boy crazy, booze guzzling, sinner by night. So while Denise rubbed many of my coworkers the wrong way, I entertained her biblical ramblings. Denise was my penance, a reminder of how un-Christian I had become.
I still had a lot of guilt in my early twenties. I was far from being the priest I dreamed of becoming in the 2nd grade, back when Jesus was my best friend too. Engaging Denise was like hearing about an old childhood friend, but discovering how much he’d changed. Through Denise I learned that Jesus had become more angry and judgmental, less friendly than the generous man I knew as a boy. He’d gotten bitter with age, had a scowl embedded in his face… Jesus had done the unthinkable, he’d become a hater.
One typical afternoon – Denise speaking in tongues, my coworkers gouging their eardrums with letter openers – I noticed cops talking to the Director. My heart began racing, when they looked in my direction…
There’s nothing more sobering than watching your boss escort the police towards you when you have a bag a weed in your backpack. An image of my brokenhearted mother morphed into a man named Bubba, my cell mate to be… Before I could fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness, I realized something. The police weren’t there for me. They were there for Denise, who I’d soon discover had been embezzling money from customers.
I was naive to take Denise at her word. Her Christian banner with the blinking arrow had distracted and mislead me. Had I been paying attention to her actions, not her words, I would’ve realized Denise wasn’t so Christian after all. She participated in potlucks begrudgingly, yet ate more than her share. She never pitched in when extra hours were needed or a coworker’s shift had to be covered. And perhaps most telling, she always rushed customers off the phone, so afterwards she could judge and mock them, determine who was going to heaven or hell based on their debits and credits.
Although I never claimed to be otherwise, I was guilty of being unchristian the afternoon Denise was arrested. I took satisfaction in seeing her led away in handcuffs a couple hours later. I was comforted by her hurt expression, when I announced to my coworkers, “There goes a good Christian woman.”
I’ve known and loved many good Christians in my lifetime, but they never boasted about their Christianity. They never used Jesus as a weapon, because doing so was unchristian. Instead, they lived life by Christian values. They were gracious, kind, and forgiving, and offered help when they could. They left judgement to the almighty.
Be Christlike and loving: forgive the sinners, care for the poor, and embrace your lepers. But get your bible out of my face.
Don’t tell me you’re a good Christian. Prove it. Be more like Jesus, and strive to make the world a better place…
Although I am a Madonna fan, I accept not liking Madonna’s music or voice. People like music for different reasons, and Madonna is not the most talented musician, vocalist, or lyricist (she’s admitted as much).
Trashing musicians (let alone the most vile of them all “pop stars”) is also not exclusive to Madonna, but there has always been something especially pitchforky in the collective tone when it comes to her. After 30 years, I’ve heard most of the arguments against her, including but not limited to: Madonna is an irrelevant, manipulative, lip synching, untalented, materialistic opportunist who perpetuates the objectification of women and has forever ruined music.
Recently, however, press coverage and public discourse regarding Madonna has also had an undercurrent of “isn’t she gone yet?” with a splash of “pinch me, I think she’s irrelevant, and here’s my hour long dissertation and handout notes explaining why…”
Case in point. After originally reading the reviews of Madonna’s then forthcoming album, MDNA, I was eager to hear it. There were the typical pointed, not-so-kind reviews that seemed more personal than objective, but overall feedback was positive or positive-leaning. Consensus was that Madonna was in her element, creating good dance music again. Sold.
Naturally, the 20% of the reviews that were bad took up 80% of the coverage and 99% of the conversation. After news outlets begrudgingly reported that Madonna’s album debuted at number #1 on Billboard, the following week they were in a frenzy, stumbling over themselves to brand her an “epic fail”, because her album fell to #8 on the charts… marking the largest decline in one week sales for a #1 album in Billboard history.
Surely, the end was nigh. The hour was upon us. It was best to lock up the children.
I was struck by the jubilation in the narrative, like a battle against Medusa had just been won. Add to the media’s coverage the growing chorus of people eager to proclaim her finally a failure, and I likened Madonna to a witch being marched through a mob…
“We demand an end to Madonna’s evil disco tyranny. We will settle for nothing less than the Queen of Pop’s head on a platter!”
Fine. Let’s do this. I’m tired of fighting. But before we proceed, I just have one question for the mob…
What egregious crime has Madonna committed?
Is it her lyrics? Because if you actually listen to her music, she’s mostly singing about love and acceptance. There are worse things to condemn.
Is it her ambition? In America we honor hard work, ingenuity, and accomplishments. If Madonna were an Olympian, and ticket / album sales were a competition, career longevity was the marathon to be won, Madonna would be holding the gold. We’d erect statues in her name.
Is it because she’s annoying or offensive? Really? Look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Is my pitchfork and bad breath inviting to others?”
Is it her political and religious views? Hmmm, we may be getting somewhere…
Is it because Madonna is a woman?
Madonna hasn’t always been in her 50’s, but she’s pretty much always been written off as a has-been past her prime. She has always been a woman not to be taken seriously, because Madonna is a woman selling her sex, and by that I mean – womankind.
Whether you think she has helped or hurt the women’s movement, maybe we can agree – Madonna is an extreme, the counter Adam… Eve, the original good girl gone wild.
Madonna personifies what women have historically been told they couldn’t be (and after years of “progress” shouldn’t be): aggressive, independent, strong willed, and proud.
Madonna is living proof that it’s okay to be both powerful and girly. You can like girly things, sing girly songs, and hang with girly boys. You can be a girl that kisses girls, because there’s nothing wrong with being and loving a girl.
And in the process of being unabashedly unashamed of being a woman, Madonna committed the egregious act worthy of a mob. She became the undisputed top selling female recording artist in history… emasculating her detractors.
Admittedly, I find it odd that in my 40′s, I’m defending Madonna. Take comfort, over the years I’ve placed much emphasis on the question, why do I even care? Clearly, she’s doing just fine without my defense. But it wasn’t until recently, with ageism now added to the chorus, calls from the mob for Madonna “to start acting her age”, that I began to realize why I care…
Turns out, why I care is the same reason I’m a Madonna fan, why in my 40′s I’m still eagerly buying the optimism she’s selling. Because I hate bullies. I hate judgement. And I hate hate.
Madonna is a lesson to be learned and appreciated. She is proof that with hard work, creativity, and perseverance, a girl from Detroit can conquer the world… even when faced with a growing mob that insists you can’t because you’re unworthy or too old, because there’s someone better, prettier, more relevant and talented, acting more age-appropriate than you.
But we don’t celebrate Madonna. She is an epic fail, a woman to be marched through the mob and spat upon, to be judged and ridiculed for our pleasure.
Ignore and discount Madonna’s accomplishments. They don’t matter. Not here. We damn Madonna for being unconventional. She is un-American for daring to be free.
Madonna is a witch, and an old one at that.
I’d like to leave the mob with a cautionary reminder about persecuting witches. Their trials tend to be less about justice and more about the mob.
Madonna isn’t an evil disco Queen feeding on youth. She is the mirror on the wall, reflecting how you choose to see her and react.
I won’t begrudge you the music that finds you inspired, the fairy-God diva that helps you envision a better you to a disco beat. So don’t begrudge me Madonna.
The Lady has earned her spot on this dance floor.
Stop being a bully. Grow up and dance.
Progressive politics and the politics of Madonna are the subject of “Guy Penn & the Gospel According to Madge” written by Damon Wallace.
I was raised Catholic by Republican parents in the Midwest, graduated high school when Ronald Reagan left office.
Politically speaking, I am a member of the “Madonna Party”, which is far left of the Democratic Party (which was formerly known as the Republican Party).
In the meantime, this much I’ve learned…
Surely, the end was nigh. The hour was upon us. It was best to lock up the children.
