music, books, love and kindness

In reading news stories online about Amy Winehouse, I've already seen dozens and dozens of  rather unkind comments posted about her specifically and drug addicts in general.

The most striking note (one that is kind and sincere) I saw posted simply said, "He who is without sin cast the first stone." I'm not a particularly religious person, but I've always liked this line.

I don't know a lot about drug addiction, but I do know that unless someone is deeply suicidal, chances are she is not planning her own death when she takes that first drug. And that once her life begins spiraling out of control, she  is truly helpless to take it all back and start over unless someone else is deeply committed to helping her.

All I really can say for certain about Amy Winehouse is that she had a spectacular voice and was instrumental in bringing about the recent wave of 60s girl group (say The Shangri-Las) sound fused with jazz. Duffy, quite good but not nearly as much a belter, came after Amy...as did the amazing Adele.

"I know Amy Winehouse very well," Lily Allen once said. "And she is very different to what people portray her as being. Yes, she does get out of her mind on drugs sometimes, but she is also a very clever, intelligent, witty, funny person who can hold it together. You just don't see that side."

Sometimes it's easy and tempting to say drug addicts dig their own grave, but I think it's a lot, lot more complicated an issue and that expressing sympathy and other heart-felt emotions doesn't mean you condone drugs. It just means that your heart is big enough to feel bad for anyone who is suffering no matter what the cause...