Ode to Geordi

Here's to my first great African American role model, to whom I owe my name sake (or at least, what my brother's would call me while incessantly harassing me growing up), Geordi La Forge (alias Lavar Burton). Though his sexual preference was continuously in question, I know that Geordi is a man's man! Geordi was born blind, but managed to overcome his handicap using sheer Chuck Norris type resolve, as well as a little help from his VISOR (Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement). La Forge once impressed Captain Jean Luc Picard by staying up all night to fix a shuttle craft that Picard mentioned had a superficial problem. Perhaps it was their strong French heritage that brought the two together, or perhaps it was their amazing agents casting them both on what would prove to pigeon hole them into a category that would not allow either to ever break out of the sci-fi world again.

Not only was Geordi a great role model in the intergalactic world, but he also helped me to read. Geordi not only encouraged children to fly twice as high, but he also did just that via the Star Ship Enterprize (Accompanied by his true love, the one and only The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg). Between fighting Klingongs and space aliens, Lavar would take a break to come back to Earth (literally and figuratively) to encourage the youth of planet Awesome to take a look, and pick up a book.

If you don't agree that Lavar Burton/Geordi La Forge is a great American hero, don't take my word for it!