Everybody has a medal

These days everybody gets a medal, it's just too easy. It's all watered down. It seems if you live long enough and don't burn a church down or get convicted of vehicular homicide or something, chances are you'll get an award for something. Everybody's giving them out.

Take the Presidential Medal of Freedom for example. To me, that used to be a big deal, now it seems every Tom Dick and Harry is strutting across the stage in DC to be presented with our county's highest civilian honor.
I do know that many of the recipients totally deserve this honor.

Madeleine Albright got one. She was the Secretary of State during the Clinton administration. I totally agree she should have one. And by the way, the committee that decides who is deserving of this honor should just busy themselves right now and start engraving the name of Hiliary Clinton. She'll be getting hers in due time. Have you noticed her work schedule?

John Doar got one. He was a big civil rights activist in the 60's. No argument there.

Will Foege. Yep, got one. All he did was eradicate smallpox in the 70's. That decision's a no brainer.

Juliette Gordonlow, she founded the girl scouts in 1912. If for no other reason she should get one because of those delicious cookies. Love the mint ones.

But here's my problem.
Bob Dylan was given the Presidential Metal of Honor today. Yep, that Bob Dylan.

take a moment................

Now don't get me wrong, I love Bob, love his music, especially loved the fact that the dude can't carry one note but he has made a fortune singing.
I know, I know. It's the lyrics!

About 10 years ago my wife and I saw a 60 something  Bob Dylan in concert at a small venue in Philly. It was great. Loved it, would go again. He sounded exactly as he had in the 60's when he was bumming around the Village in New York playing for peanuts. ( The fact that when he was 20 he sounded like he was 60 may have something to do with that.)
Back to my point. Why exactly is Bob Dylan getting this honor. I can see a rock and roll hall of fame induction, but this?

I don't think Bob was as responsible for the 60's culture change as some people like to think. I think the revolution was going on and Bob was just singing about it. I know , I know, the lyrics!

John Glen got a medal. He should have. He was the 3rd human to have a big enough "set" to allow NASA to strap him to the top of a rocket they weren't sure was going to work and the first human to circle the earth.
I definitely think he deserves one.
Mr. Bojangles?
Not so much.