Today, We Remember. 9/11/2001

                

         

            14 years ago today, America faced its biggest loss. Covered in debris, and soaked in blood and tears, thousands of New Yorkers fled for their lives, while thousands more fled to save the lives of others. Despite the calls for help, and the screams of fear, America fell silent. On this day, all Americans were covered in the same debris, the debris of pain, anger and the stain of tears that will never be wiped away. Today we are stronger, wiser and braver than we have ever been, but the memories of that horrific September day will live on forever.

            On September 11^th 2001, I was much too young to understand the severity of what our great country was facing. Sitting in a second grade classroom mid morning, teachers became flustered while trying to hold back the panic that was seeping through their expressions. Little by little, my classmates were being called to the main office to be taken home. About 30 minutes later, every child in school was lined up in the hallway, waiting to be picked up by a parent. When my mother finally came to pick me up, I was confused and filled with fear ; I asked my mother what was going on, and she responded with silence.

            Being an 8 year old boy, I was naive to many of the evils that existed in this world. When I went home, there was a cloud of smoke lingering in the air in the distance, and when I turned the television on, the question I asked my mother earlier was suddenly answered. Today, 14 years after the attacks on the twin towers, I can still picture the news reports in my mind, and remember the tears in my sisters eyes when my father returned safely from the city. Today, I can finally understand my mother’s silence and the fear that everyone held in their eyes.

As I grow older, my sorrow and anger grows with me. But while my remorse grows, so does the memory of the unification this great nation experienced in the time of tragedy. The tales of those heroic men and women who lost their lives will live on forever. America will never forget the names of every fire fighter, policeman, EMT and all others who refused to be conquered by defeat on this day. And for all those who fight for our freedom and safety, may they never be forgotten either. As it was once said, “United we stand, divided we fall”, today we stand more united than ever, and America will continue to remember all those brave souls who lost their lives 14 years ago. 

Elvis Presley & The Explosion of America

                The year was 1954 and music, style and American culture was on the brink of explosion because of one man; Elvis Presley.

                As a 20 year old man growing up in current times, people often ask about my love for Elvis Presley and why his life has interested me as much as it has. Truth is, it isn’t just his music or the fact that he was wanted by every woman in the world and it isn’t because of his money. While all of these things did fortify the King’s image, my fascination with this icon stems from one thing, his influence on American culture.

                In the 1950’s music was dominated by the soft and mellow sounds of artist like Frank Sinatra, Perry Cuomo and groups such as The Platters. While all of these musicians were very successful and talented, America was longing for something new. The people of this great country needed a new style, something that liberated and freed all from the conservative boundaries set on clothing, style, sex and most importantly music. With the American economy thriving, parents were able to give out higher allowances to teens. For teens, this meant more freedom to do what they wanted, to dress how they wished and to buy whatever records they desired. This is where Elvis Presley comes in.

                A crazy haired, bright dressing, hard sounding white boy from Tupelo, Mississippi was the last thing anyone expected Elvis Presley to be after hearing his first record, “That’s Alright Mamma” on the radio. With one song America began its liberation. With his good looks and gyrating hips, he became known as a sex symbol around the world. For the first time in history, a musician ignored all the rules and boundaries society had set. Elvis symbolized freedom for all teenagers. He changed society’s views on style with his long hair and blue suede shoes. By thrusting his hips and shaking his legs he altered our outlook on sexuality, and with his hard yet cool sound he changed music forever. John Lennon once said “Before Elvis there was nothing”. While you don’t have to love him, you have to agree that before Elvis, America knew nothing but restraints, upon his arrival came a new sense of freedom.

                To this day, Elvis holds the record for the most songs to make it to The Top 100 List. His number, a staggering 108 hit records. Not only did he dominate the music industry, but with over 30 movies, Elvis also brought in millions at the box office. As his fame grew, Elvis’ bad boy image continued to grow as well. Rumors continued to spread about Elvis and television shows featuring the star sometimes only filmed him from the chest up, as they thought Presley’s dance moves were a bad influence on American teens. With his rebel image continuing to grow, Elvis’ remorse grew as well. The pop icon didn’t see how his music could have a bad influence on anyone, or how his performances were in any way evil or vulgar. Luckily, as Elvis gained seniority in the business, his reputation improved as well as people’s outlook on his influences. But one thing would never change, and that is that there will never be a star to cause as much commotion as Elvis Presley did.

Perhaps my real fascination, as well as many others with the King, is that this generation has seen nothing like him and most likely never will. The music industry of today is filled with hundreds of replicas of similar dressing, acting and sounding musicians. Today’s bad boy icons blow Elvis Presley out of the water with their tasteless behavior. Despite what many people thought, Presley was very religious and morally oriented. He donated millions of dollars to multiple charities, served his county in the Army and had a tremendous respect and love for authority. Can we say the same about today’s icons like Justin Bieber or Lil Wayne? The answer is a definite no, and if Elvis was around today, I believe he would be extremely disappointed in who modern teenagers have to look up to. Looking back now, many people may agree that Elvis shaking his hips on stage was a great influence compared to the behavior of many of today’s stars.

Love him or hate him, it is obvious that Elvis Presley had a tremendous effect on American and worldwide culture. With his new style, and rebellious attitude Elvis Presley became the King of Rock & Roll and one of the most important icons in history. His music influenced many of the greats that came after him including The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Madonna. Like Lennon said, before Elvis there was nothing and his music, style and legacy will live on forever.  

               

Lane Bryant's #ImNoAngel Campaign; Empowering Women Everywhere

            

 For the last few weeks, thousands of women have been taking to the internet, posting pictures with the caption “#ImNoAngel” in support of Lane Bryant's new campaign. 

            For those of you who are not familiar, Lane Bryant is a women’s retail company primarily involved in plus size clothing. Current advertisements for Lane Bryant include plus size models in lingerie, proudly saying the slogan, “I’m no angel; I’m all kinds of sexy” which may or may not poke fun at Victoria Secret and its “angels”. These ads encourage all women to take their pictures to the internet, posting photos of themselves with the caption #ImNoAngel.

         The commercials feature plus sized models, including Ashley Graham, the first ever plus sized model featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. These ads are different than other lingerie ads as these models can be seen sporting lingerie in their natural bodies, without any digital alterations. Throughout the commercial the models say things such as “how boring it would be if we were all the same” and “it’s all about how you feel”. Campaigns like this aim at more than just selling their product, but also pushing a moral imperative which many believe is healthier than what other companies have been pushing along for so long.

            Luckily, this bold move by Lane Bryant is not the only ad we have seen that is going against the norm. Companies like Dove and Special K have been setting their ads on empowering real women, not what is portrayed by the press. Even companies including Aerie and Seventeen Magazine have stated they will no longer alter pictures of models in response to a  growing number of people expressing their disappointment over the matter. Celebrities are also jumping in on the movement. Earlier this year Kiera Knightly and Lorde publicly protested the use of Photoshop in their own photos.

            So, is this ad a make or break for Lane Bryant? The campaign has created mixed emotions, as some are putting it down for “bullying” skinny women. Some go as far to say this ad portrays overweight and unhealthy women as a good thing.  On the contrary, I believe that what Lane Bryant is doing is empowering to women. Their ads do not put down skinny girls, but instead gives confidence to all females. It encourages every woman to be her own person and to feel comfortable inside her own skin. Not to mention creating an outstanding amount of talk amongst the public.

            Whether or not Lane Bryant’s sales will benefit from their new campaign is yet to be determined. What is for sure is that the company’s advertising and public relations teams deserve their fair share of praise for creating a unique ad that spread like wildfire. This ad goes against all the norms and trends that society has been exposed to for the last two decades. But its message is genuine and stands for something much bigger than selling a product. This campaign sells a healthier idea to women and if more companies get on board, it could change the industry forever.