By Aungelina Dahm
Executive Sports Editor|
Track: Same Love
Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert
Album: The Heist
Genre: Hip Hop/Rap
Release Date: October 9, 2012
*Names have been changed for confidentiality.
About two years ago, I met a guy named Ben* in an adolescent mental health hospital. He was 17, and he is gay. I met him there because of his attempted suicide.
I listened to the amazing story of him and his boyfriend. He explained to me the reason why he was harming himself. His boyfriend had committed suicide just a few days earlier, as a result of the immense amount of bullying that he was put through in high school.
Ben was overwhelmed with what has happened to his loved one. After he had died, Ben continued to be bullied by the same people that led his boyfriend to his death. He had decided to try to end his life, as well.
Every hour of the day for 14 days straight, I saw him learn how to be himself again. I saw him try and get over his loss.
However, once he was released because of good behavior and the doctors thought he was safe enough on his own, he wasn’t. He relapsed and attempted suicide once again, and then he appeared back at the hospital.
In the song “Same Love,” it tells a short story about a boy who grows up gay. He feels out of place at home and with friends. Finally, after his family accepts it, him and his partner get married and live on into their old ages.
There is one verse that says, “And God loves all his children is somehow forgotten. But we paraphrase a book written 3,500 years ago.” This whole verse describes the discrimination of homosexuality in the Bible.
For example, the Roman Catholic Church strongly opposes same-sex marriage. Now although religion is still a huge aspect of modern society, this is not the eleventh century. Churches do not have the more dominant role in ruling over a society, the government does. In that way, the government needs to push more to approve Referendum 74 (R74) in more states in America.
R74 is a bill that can be passed in a state to approve same-sex marriage. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, two of the artists of this song, openly support civil rights and encourage others that have the bill in their state to approve R74. It is also said in the song, “No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it.”
Also, there are a few more lines that show another idea in the song. “Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment. The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins. It’s human rights for everybody, there is no difference!” Yes, it took America a while to accept the difference between skin colors, even though racism is still visible today. The acceptance of homosexuality will take a long time to develop, but I believe it can be done.
Macklemore brings up so many important examples of equality in his song, and they should be recognized. When I first heard this song, it immediately made me think about Ben. It is not fair to discriminate others based on who they are. The world got over so many inequalities in history, and this is just another one that humans will have to live through. And once the world, gets over this one, another one will come along and it will happen all over again.
This songs gives way to a lot of debate and also encouragement for many others. Macklemore writes and produces many other songs that make both adolescents and adults think about decisions that they make in their life.
I love rap, but sometimes it gets repetitive. And when someone like Macklemore comes up and is true and loyal and raps about his belief, it can encourage someone to pursue their dream even when they think they didn’t have a chance.
Today, Ben graduated high school, has a job, and has a new partner in his life. He has gotten over the bullying and the discrimination that others caused him.
Music can give the goosebumps on your arm that make you believe in something that you never dreamed possible. It can give you hope, and it can give you something to relate to. Music can change the world, and it will.