Is "History" Being Made Too Often?

Many of us who have labored through a history class will remember hearing the dire warning from all who teach history: "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." So far in my life I've had no trouble remembering history, and have managed to avoid assassinating any Archdukes from Austria. In high school, however, I did find out that forgetting Geometry does in fact require one to literally repeat it.

Recently I've noticed that the term "history" or more specifically "making history" has sure been thrown around a lot. I think we're using this term a bit too casually.

When I think of making history I think of, well, history. You know, important elections, wars, major events, natural disasters, etc.

The New Jersey Nets potentially setting the NBA record for worst franchise start? I'm sorry sports fans, that is not making history.

I mean can't sports writers come up with a better phrase than making history? Do they really think a sports franchise win-loss record should be described the same way as the lunar landings?

Baseball is even worse. How often do you hear commentators gushing over a pitcher who "made history" by setting a record for the number of strikes thrown on an odd day of the week with a full moon?

The phrase is also grossly overused in politics. Yes the election of Obama was historical (indeed all Presidential elections are). But remember the night Pelosi said the House health care bill would pass, her quote was: “Today we will pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act… We will make history..."

I know the Dems see this whole health care debate as big deal and frankly it is. But does she really believe voting on her bill was a chance to make history?

There is one thing Pelosi and supports of her insanity should realize.

Infamy is sometimes as easily made as history.

This Time The Music Gets Lost in the Scandal

One of my all time favorite rock and roll stories involves rock god Alice Cooper biting the head off of a chicken. Way back in the days of Heavy Metal's infancy, Cooper was on stage performing a concert at temporary venue erected on someone's farm. Somehow a chicken wandered up on stage. Cooper had never been on a farm and assumed the chicken, as most birds, could fly. He picked it up and threw it out over the audience. Of course the fowl fell into the crowd where the, no doubt stoned, masses of moshing fans promptly stomped it to death.

The next day the press reported the incident something to the affect of "Alice Cooper Bites Head Off Chicken on Stage." Apparently Frank Zappa, responding to the stories, asked Cooper if the rumors and stories were true. Cooper initially denied it to which Zappa famously replied, "Well whatever you do, don't tell anyone you didn't do it."

You've likely heard by now of American Idol runner up Adam Lambert's performance on the AMAs this week which prompted literally thousands of complaints to the network and a subsequent cancellation of another show. No chickens were involved but Lambert kissed another male musician and gave a face-full of crotch to another.

I'm sure the whole incident will no doubt serve as great publicity for his album and certainly can be justified under the mantra that even bad press is still nonetheless press.

However Lambert spent all of the Idol competition and the months afterwards not focusing on his sexuality but on his music. This prompted many in the gay community to criticize him for not being gay enough.

Clearly Lambert's actions were both premeditated and designed to shock and to garner attention. And they were likely in response to these critics. The tragedy is that now instead of a focus on his very obvious talents as a musician, the story is instead about what really amounts to a juvenile publicity stunt.

Lambert of course claims a double standard, and claims the furor is because he is gay.

Unlike Alice Cooper, who frankly needed a good chicken biting story to make up for mediocre at best singing skills, Lambert would do well to focus not on sensationalizing his sexuality, but to truly make his career, all about the music. In other words, let the talk be about his merits as a musician.

Isn't that what being treated equally really means?