All my life I read books and watch films, view artwork often about experiences of people different than me. If I form an opinion it means I am effected by what I was exposed to. In my songwriting class a student recently presenting on Gil Scott-Heron’s The Revolution will not be Televised said she couldn’t speak about his lyrics because she isn’t black. The idea that you cannot understand someone different or disagree with them because of your skin colour or your religion etc., doesn’t make sense to me. Might as well be because you have big ears you can’t stand with the people who have small ears. It isn’t as though all black people have the same view or all Jews or all quadriplegics or that everyone from Beijing agrees on which Steely Dan album has the best drum parts. Is that really building a better humanity? She doesn’t have to claim authority yet seemed afraid to admit she has an opinion. As if saying so makes her guilty of a crime, besides everyone knows it was Steve Gadd/ Aja.