I went to a Matisyahu concert last night with my hip mom and groovy aunt. I had been looking forward to it ever since purchasing a ticket a few weeks back. Mom has seen him in concert 5 times now, but she still gets as giddy as ever. We were ready to jump around, sing, dance, and soak in the lyrics of his music along with everyone else in the crowd, or at least a good portion of it. Maybe we were on the wrong side of the room though, because I don't think there was much lyric soaking going around. Alcohol, profanity, promiscuity, and violence soaking aplenty; maybe the message didn't have room to get in through all of that.
I have to say, it was the least enjoyable concert I've been to ( and this is number.. 12, I think ), the most disappointing for sure. I was with my mom and aunt the whole time, but that didn't stop much. I was climbed on, I had beer splashed on me, and I was slammed around by a guy that must be one of the new humans created by this evolution process; he obviously couldn't hear me nor my aunt pretty much tell him to back off. I had to resort to using an elbow, but there seems to be a package thing with the ears going on.. he either had ribs of steel, no feeling in his torso, or I need to work out more.
I'm finding out that people are becoming more comfortable with themselves in public. With doing certain things in public. With absolutely not caring at all in public. I saw a couple in their 30's enjoy a good long kiss at Ceder Point on Sunday. The much younger couple right in front of my mother beat them. I've seen signs of drugs and usage in my neighborhood (not often!). Last night, I saw the most dark circled, wide eyed people on planet earth. One such person was wearing a glow-in-the-dark wristband, which he held an inch in front of his eyes, twirling. Saddest part.. he was wearing something else as well: a yarmulke.
None of this really surprised me, to be honest. It bugged me, sure, but it didn't surprise me. What really did it was the fight. It was the end of the show, the encore. People were chanting, "One Day! One Day!" This song is one of my favorites. I'll quote it directly, leaving out repeats :
Sometimes I lay under the moon
And I thank God I'm breathin'
Then I pray don't take me soon
'Cause I am here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know someday it'll all turn around because
All my life I been waitin' for
I been prayin' for, for the people to say
That we don't want to fight no more
They'll be no more wars
And our children will play, one day
It's not about win or lose 'cause we all lose
When they feed on the souls of the innocent blood
Drenched pavement keep on movin'
Though the waters stay ragin'
And in this life you may lose your way
It might drive you crazy
But don't let it phase you, no way ( bridge and chorus)
One day this all will change
Treat people the same
Stop with the violence down with the hate
One day we'll all be free and proud
To be under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like
During this song about PEACE, about UNDERSTANDING, about EQUALITY... a fight starts. Right next to my aunt. These people weren't teenagers. They weren't even in their twenties. They were middle-aged men. I have no idea what caused it. By the looks of things, the dude with glasses accidentally bumped into two men, who looked as big as the security guards (and the guards were huge), so they pushed him into other people, one happening to be my aunt. Now, I love my aunt; she held him and talked nicely to the old bullies, trying to just soothe them and smooth things out. When that didn't work, she asked a simple question, "Why here? Don't do this here." The reply? "Shut the *#%! up, don't *#%!^(& touch me." I was there, right next to her. I know that part of the reason she involved herself was to make sure I would remain ok where I was. The other reason was because NO ONE ELSE, none of the young men, none of the older men standing around did a thing. Another woman led the victim away, with a look on her face the same as my aunt's: Why?
All of this made me angry, frustrated, upset. It also made me sad. All of these people here to listen to one person, one person who carries the weight of example on his shoulders, the sorrows of a people, of nations, of his family. One person who went through hell to get to wear he is. ... The question is, where is he?
Matisyahu is Chassidic. This religion has a dress code of certain fabrics, certain styles, certain colors, esp for men. Matis is not following it. This religion does not permit men and women outside of their own families to touch one another. Matis went crowd surfing, passing right over me. I ducked, and I did not touch him. I am a 'fan' of him on the evil facebook. He's swearing. I can understand the crowd. The stupidity of the masses. They aren't proclaiming anything, trying to spread any message; they just want a fun time. Matis does have a message, he does try to spread this, and he professes and makes known what he believes. I know that celebrity carries with it many burdens and stresses. I also know that Matis married a Chassidic woman, and has children. Not only is he supposed to be a light unto us, but to his own little family as well. What is she thinking of all this? What is he? This is where I get the look, this is where I don't understand: Why?
"Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised." (Heb. 10:23)
| "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or els he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve Yahweh and man." (Matt. 6:24) |
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