Susan Boyle was on CNN with Larry King yesterday...

You can see the clip on the site in the title link. He asked her to sing something for the viewers. And she obliged with the first verse of 'My Heart Will Go On' from 'Titanic'. Acapella, mind you, and was note perfect. So her appearance on the show wasn't a fluke. (I posted the one song she did on a charity CD ten years ago below, and she is unbelievably good.) One of the jurors of the UK show 'Britain Has Talent' officially apologised to her on the show for being cynical at first, and somewhat callous in his attitude, and invited her to dinner in London. She accepted.



This story has gone so viral on the net, her turn on the show got over 27 million hits on YouTube in about five days' time. A man about my age in Pakistan posted a vid addressing her directly to tell her that she had moved him to tears. He said he doesn't understand enough English to understand the text, but was going to look for the text on Google to appreciate it even more. He was still choked up. Sometimes you can win hearts and minds in the oddest ways....

There is a lot of analysis going on in some quarters about this remarkable event right now. I think it appeals to everyone who didn't have a nice life, have reached a certain age, but are certain about the one talent they do have, and were bullied, so cover it up with a bit of humour, and cheekiness, and most of us never get the chance to get up in front of all the bullies, and then amaze them so that they bloody choke on their sense of 'superiority', because they are 'pretty', or thin, or conform to what the media deems is 'beautiful'. So she showed the snobs that she could do something they will never be able to do in a million years. And shamed them in doing so.

And made millions of people world-wide fall in love with her. I would be willing to bet she has already given some people the courage to step up and do THEIR thing, whatever it is. That makes her even more loveable.


Yesterday was Silence Day in America, speaking of bullies....
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/10504/day-of-silence-a-huge-success-again-while-the-opposition-tries-to-pull-a-fast-one

Pam Spaulding keeps us up to date. I was trying to find the story about the eleven year old little boy who hung himself because his peers taunted him about perceiving him as gay, and the teachers didn't intervene. You can find out more about this in her article. To tie this up.... Just imagine. If Susan Boyle hadn't had the spirit she has, she might have gone the same way, and no one would have known what a wonderful talent she was given. I hate to imagine what the hate against that poor little child robbed the world of, when he took his life.

But the right wouldn't be the haters they are if they didn't strike back with vitriol.
Again, have to lead you to Pam.

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/10521/fundie-day-of-truth-is-today

I am going to restrain myself..... Now where did I put the duct tape...

I got a shit-load of bullying riding the busses yesterday myself. I took that last photo of our newest streetcars inside to show you how neat they are. They have info-screens and you can read news while going across the city. And returning on the bus, there was an interesting mix and tried to take a surreptitious shot of what they look like when they are full.

It was a bit cloudy and dark, so the flash went off, and next to me, I hear, 'Du DRRRECKschwein!' (You filthy pig!) Look left, and this seventy-something harpy with dark glasses is glaring at me. ('Filthy pig is about the worst thing you can say in German. Never understood why. Pigs aren't 'filthy' at all, have been on farms.... but it is a huge insult.)

I said, 'WHAT did you just say?'

'You HEARD me...'

'Where the fuck do you get off, lady, you don't know WHAT I am doing and it is harmless.'

'That is what they ALL say...'

And I said, 'Ok, Lady, I'm gonna come clean! I took a crowd picture to put on the internet... so I can show the ENTIRE world what nasty people I have to share the nice public transportation with!' She was gulping for air, believe me.

'And get your fucking MIND out of your crotch.' Now I really hate being rude, but that went beyond the pale.

See, I finally grew up. I do not let people bully me. But then again, I am a geezer...

Somehow this all ties together.

Was up sleepless last night, and depressed, so I went over to YouTube and watched the entire show 'Revolution' that Margaret Cho did not all too long ago. It is up in 8 parts, but the eighth is the one that sort of spurned on my synapses. A summing up, and have been ruminating, and brought the events of the past few days together.

Whether it is Susan Boyle, or myself, or people who have a different sort of look, it boils down to bullying and racism. We all have our talents and things we can give to the world, if the world would let us. But mostly no one gets the chance without making compromises and kow-towing to bullies. Forget tea-baggers. It is about equal rights for everyone, and we should all show the bullies our most fierce face?

I guess I got it.... Now where is Professor Higgins to spell-check?

Update: I caught this off a screen shot on Larry King today. I was correct in my assumption. Bullies. She must be extraordianarily strong....