Growing up isn't easy, some have it easier than others and there are plenty that have it harder, but no matter what, there are a lot of lessons that need to be learned. Personally my childhood was filled with disappointment and bad examples, a fact I wasn't fully realized to until a couple years ago. Having a single Mother who was financially...handicapped... and an extended family that just didn't care, my brother and I were pretty much on our own. Our Dad was around, but that's a different story, his parenting was unorthodox at best (super villain training.) So really we just had to wing it and be able to take what we could from the bad examples, media/pop culture, and each other. This brings me to a movie that set the seeds of pretty much my entire system of ethics, 1992's Newsies. Coming out around the time my parents separated and when I was starting to really get substantial memories (I have bits and pieces from much younger, but around 5 is when things really started to set in) Newsies had music, dancing, a young Christian Bale, and a palatable story that involved labor rights, strikes, and corporate greed and corruption. To those not familiar, it's [very] loosely based on the 1899 newsboy strike when New York's newsies went on strike to increase their compensation for the work they did. In this version of the story they're led by Jack Kelly played by Christian Bale, and David Jacobs, played by David Moscow [who?]. They end up succeeding after plenty of ups and downs [NOOO CRUTCHIE!!!], the good guys win, evil corporations have to give in to their demands, and everyone dances around Teddy Roosevelt. It's probably the perfect movie to show an impressionable five year old to turn him/her into a far lefty. From the movie I learned that there is power in numbers, we must stand up to injustice no matter the cost, and just because someone is in power does not mean they're right nor deserve to be. These messages permeated my bones at a young age and I've always had a very strong ethic when it came to this to the point where it's gotten me in trouble plenty of times and for the longest time I didn't know where it came from. Both my parents are working class but my mother, while she allowed me to question everything, certainly was never a fighter of injustice and my Dad, while I learned plenty of other lessons from him, was just happy as long as he had steady work and a paycheck, that leaves Newsies. Every time I stood up to anyone growing up, "The World Will Know" and "Seize The Day" just buzzed in my head. Whenever I had a small victory "King of New York" was playing. Seriously, look at some of these lyrics:
Excerpt from "The World Will Know"
"And the world will know!
That this ain't no game
That we gotta ton of rotten fruit
And poifect aim
So they gave their word
But it ain't worth beans!
Now they're gonna see
What stop the presses really means
And the day has come
And the time is now
And the fear is gone (And our name is Mudd)
And the strike is on! (And I can't stand blood!)
(And the world will know)
Pullitzer may own the world but he don't own us
(Pullitzer may own the world but he don't own us)
Pullitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us
(Pullitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us)"
Excerpts from "Seize the Day"
"Open the gates and seize the day
Don't be afraid and don't delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Arise and sieze the day"
"Friends of the friendless, seize the day
Raise up the torch and light the way
Proud and defiant
We'll slay the giant
Let us sieze the day"
Now think of bright eyed, 5 year old Jon watching and listening to this and seeing the power of kids who have it worse off than him standing up and fighting the greedy and corrupt adults. It kind of explains a lot now that I think of it. I've been listening to both the Broadway and Disney recordings of the soundtrack this entire time and I just want to go out and break shit. Fuck Jello Biafra, GET ME ALAN MENKIN!
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