Recently, Sinead O’Connor took graphic offense to Kim Kardashian being on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, noting that “music has officially died” and referring to Kim with a capital “C” rather than a K, the most repulsive, rude, shocking and degrading word that can be used for any woman. Perhaps, she’s looking for a position on the Trump campaign where name-calling and outrageous statements are considered acceptable and appropriate. The use of the “C” word, particularly from one woman to another, truly pains me. In in a day and age where young women are under severe pressure and are constantly ridiculed, bullied and compared to unrealistic expectations of beauty, mostly contrived a la You Tube makeup extravaganzas and/or paid for a la Beverly Hills plastic surgeons or Botched if they’ve gone too far, it’s use is entirely unacceptable. If you’ve ever listened to Sinead’s rendition of “Nothing Compares to You”(seriously Google it now if you haven’t), then you know the beauty that lives within her as displayed through the purity and deep expression of her voice. There also lives in her an understandable rage at the lack of insight we have on the impact that society and the choices we make in it have on us, the individual, and us, the world. It’s not unusual for artists to have strong and resonant feelings about societal norms like discrimination, devaluation, and misogyny whether male or female. There’s something in the heart of an artist that’s more tactile and often more in tune (pun intended) that provides them with the unique ability to share and also seek change. Unfortunately, we don’t see much of that today, the use of art as a source for political and social change. We’re too inundated with the latest Bieber/Selena breakup or who Katy Perry and Taylor Swift are dating or that those two are feuding. Between our conversations about their social lives, they’ll put out a corny hit or two. You’d think “Bad Blood” was the latest version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”! (hit You Tube for that one please) It’s nothing like “Blurred Lines”, it’s essence far too difficult to copy. I do think Taylor Swift is talented and cute and at minimum shows that girls can be friends, but back to Sinead and Kim with a “C”. Kim Kardashian is a great example of taking limes and making margaritas. She and her momager famously took a horrifying incident and turned it around and into a family business rivaling any other multifaceted conglomerate. People can say what they like about the Kardashians, or what they don’t like, which can’t be that much given their social media domination, but one thing they do exceptionally well is support each other as family members. From that perspective, I must say I idolize them and only wish that I knew that I could mess up in a plethora of ways and always have the unconditional and public support of my family. I mean, imagine walking on the planet knowing that there’s no mistake big enough that could destroy that bond. For that, alone, the Kardashian clan should be celebrated (isn’t that a much better use of the letter “c”). I understand Sinead’s outrage. Music is a business that has in great part moved on from art to marketing and manipulation, to feeding the masses what they want when they want it like a corn syrup laden breakfast cereal pitched as sustenance, but causing a cancerous addiction. Rolling Stone simply provided the milk (Are you thinking of Kim’s breasts right now? Me too.) Sinead has such a powerful voice, one that she could have used to magnify the real issues, to encourage artists to do more, be more, so that Rolling Stone would have no choice but to display their brilliance, their cause, their purpose. Perhaps the real problem is that Rolling Stone, that the music world, has run out of legends because there are no legends in the making. That’s what we should be concerned about. So, let’s use another “c” word for Kim. Let’s compliment her on her ability to live in a world of her own creation, to compose her real and social media persona, to have the courage to succeed in a world where women are held to unreachable standards, restricted based on gender bias, persecuted for their intelligence, hated for their desire for equal rights and equal pay and loathed for their overt sensuality (otherwise known collectively as “cunts”). Often attributed to Betty White, but actually shared by Sheng Wang, “Why do people say, "grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.” That puts a whole new twist on the letter “c” doesn’t it