My hero is an Irish farmer

I tweeted a few weeks ago about the Irishman that put a halt to the Rihanna video shoot for “We Found Love” because he felt her behavior on his property (specifically removing her clothes for the camera) were inappropriate.

The video was completed despite the delay and released last week. And after sitting down to watch the finished product, I’m guessing a topless Rihanna would be one of many things the farmer would disapprove of. Honestly, I’m not even sure where to start in describing the video, except to say that I think all the major vices are covered … at least once.

Update: I’ve moved the video further down in the post. If “We Found Love” were a movie, I’m guessing it would be rated “R”. So read through the synopses (from two mainstream pubs) below before you decide if you want to watch the entire video.

At least it’s not just me
You can read the lyrics for “We Found Love” here (although I’ll admit there’s nothing shocking in the words themselves.) Check out what a few mainstream online blogs have to say about the video:

This raunchy video is going to have more than just devotedly religious people’s knickers in a twist. The video features Rihanna and the gorgeous boxer Dudley O’Shaughnessy partaking in smoking, drinking, heavy petting, stealing, and bathing together! Drugs and vomiting in the video also abound. (irishcentral.com)

The singer and some hot dude squabble, get high, make out, goof off and look strung out and lovesick in a filthy council flat. Oh, and Rihanna gets a homemade tattoo on her a**. Enjoy the video on the internet now, since there’s no way it will be shown on television without extensive censoring. (rollingstone.com)

“I don’t want to be a role model”
Rihanna told British Vogue that she’s not trying to be anyone’s role model, she just wants to make music. If only it was that easy. In today’s celebrity obsessed culture, the term “role model” is overused and misunderstood. Students (and kids and adults) are fascinated with those who have a public platform. Artists, actors, bloggers, athletes, politicians and pastors – we look up to them with (at best) mild admiration to (at worst) obsessed hero worship.

Looking for real heroes
My daughter is only three, but as she grows I pray that she’ll look to our community of friends and family members to find people whose faith, aspirations and actions are worth striving to emulate. I want her role models to be real people who we know, and who know us.

I hope my daughter gets to know people like Alan Graham. Mr. Graham is the Irish farmer who was willing to stand firm in his beliefs in spite of the whirlwind of camera crews and celebrity that took over his pasture. His wife told CNN in an interview:

“What she [Rihanna] was doing became more inappropriate. When she started to go topless, that’s what Alan was particularly objecting to – things were getting out of hand. There was a man as well, and the behavior was getting more inappropriate … It wasn’t the sort of thing Alan wanted young people (those watching) to see on his land. We are Christians.”

Graham himself later told the BBC:

“From my point of view, it was my land, I have an ethos and I felt it was inappropriate. I wish no ill will against Rihanna and her friends. Perhaps they could acquaint themselves with a greater God.”

Graham handled the situation with grace, while standing true to his convictions. Rihanna may be the star of the video, but in my mind, Alan Graham is the real hero of the story.