What to think about Britney

In the wake of the disaster that was the VMAs the internet is abuzz with talk about Britney Spears and her “comeback” performance.  The range of emotion seems to have gone from shock and disgust to pity and back to disgust again.  The critisizm has come hard and fast and shows no signs of letting up anytime soon.  I wonder though whose really to blame?  Is it Britney for wearing that outfit and being unprepared?  Is it the record label whose trying to convince us that that song is worth our dollar?  Is it the MTV for putting her on stage when they more than likely knew what would happen?  Or is someone else to blame?  Maybe it’s us.  I think MTV gave us exactly what we wanted.  Something in our nature delights in seeing people train wreck their lives.  We have an insatiable appetite for celebrity that must constantly be satisfied by the next sexiest star.   We love to see people fall, especially if we think they are above us in some way.  What is it inside of us that wants this so badly?  So what are we to think about Britney?  I guess I can’ t answer that question for anyone but me, but personally I’d like to think of her as a person.  A person whose made mistakes and taken some missteps.  A person not really any different from myself (expect for the bikini.)  You see “God so loved the world,” (John 3:16) and that means Britney as profoundly as it means you and me.  So I hope that before my heart rises up in judgment it will break with remorse over our culture and the way that it uses people and then discards them like yesterday’s garbage.  I pray I’ll be moved to see people around me not as objects to be used but as people with dignity, value and worth and that includes Britney.  

An Open Call to Lawrence Artists

If you are an artist here in Lawrence please check out our new blog Hope Lawrence.  The blog was created in order to promote for an event that we are hosting in the community.  Below is a description of what Hope Lawrence is about.

Hope Lawrence exists to give hope to those in need by connecting the arts community of Lawrence, KS to the plight of those ravished by the AIDS epidemic as well as other social concerns.  It is our belief that the arts can play an important role in bringing attention to problems that have been overlooked for far to long.  Everyone has something unique they can offer, and as artists we can lend our voice and talents in order to bring some relief to those who are suffering.

Our first Hope Lawrence event will take place on October 6th and 13th from 3:30-5:30pm in the basement of the Lawrence Community Center.  For two hours on these two Saturdays we will come together to paint, sculpt, and draw around the theme of Hope.  This will be a communinal creative experience where each person will work on their own piece but in a collective setting where we can get to know one another and see each others works in progress.  In addition to our individual pieces we will also have the opportunity to work on a collective mural.  The event will culminate on October 20 when we will hold an auction/street sale where we will sell the pieces in order to raise money for a charity addressing the issue of AIDS in Africa.  We will announce which charity here at this blog in the coming weeks.

Space will be limited so if you are interested in participating and sharing hope with those in need through your medium, please email us at spur2002@aol.com and let us know so we can register you.  There is no cost to register, but you will need to provide your own supplies.