Let's Bash Ellen! Let's Bash Ellen?


You know who I'm talking about right?  Ellen DeGeneres; who had the NERVE to sit in the Dallas Cowboys owner's private box and sit next to former president George Bush, who she considers a friend.  And then when people freaked out about it. (A Lesbian calling a CONSERVATIVE a friend?  One who doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to equal rights for ALL.)  In response, Ellen spoke on HER talk show about kindness and having friends who didn't necessarily share her beliefs.  (Hey, didn't I say that before?  She is STEALING from ME?!?!?)  And then people bashed her some more for the whole kindness thing.  (Is she saying that we should have given hugs to Hitler?)

I'd like to say (okay, write) a few things.  And you don't HAVE to read them.  As a matter of fact you don't have to read this blog if you don't want to.  Most people on this planet don't.  I'm including Ellen DeGeneres AND George Bush in that group.  (I can probably include all their family members and friends as well.)  And that's okay.  (If I'm being honest, it would be okay-er if they both DID read not just this post, but some of the other things I've written, but...)
  1. I don't know much about Ellen.  I don't usually watch her talk show.  I didn't watch her sitcom.  (The one where people freaked out because her character came out...even back then I didn't get what the big deal was.)  I DID watch one of the first sitcoms she was on.  (That was Open House on Fox with Alison LaPlaca and Mary Page Keller...and I shouldn't remember all that, but I do.)  I mostly know Ellen for her work at Epcot in The Universe of Energy...which is closed and becoming The Guardians of the Galaxy and now I'm WAY off topic.
  2. I don't know that much about George Bush.  I know about his Presidency and his track record on certain things.  I don't agree with many of his policies.  Like just about every president this country has had, as far as I can tell, he did some really crappy things.  He also did some good things.  He never had a sitcom.  (Although there WAS the Matt Stone/Trey Parker sitcom, That's My Bush, starring Timothy Bottoms...and I'm getting off topic here again.)
  3. Ellen and George can be friends.  It's really none of my business who she is friends with or who he is friends with.  We have the right to be friends with whomever we want; even though people will judge us for it.  (Not cool, in my book.) 
  4. While I'm on the subject of friends...you know I have friends who I don't agree with. I probably wouldn't agree with certain subjects IF I were friends with Ellen or George.  But I'm not friends with either one of them...But I am open to it!  Ellen, George, give me a call, or better yet drop me an email.  (I'm easy to find...you can even post a comment on this blog!)
  5. As far as I can tell (and again, I DON'T know Ellen), Ellen DeGeneres has a thing for kindness.  She seems to be a kind person...or she presents herself as such and based on that I'm assuming (and you know where that can do to you), that she's generally a nice person with good intentions.  (If I'm wrong and she is actually the anti-Christ in disguise; please let me know.  With that said, please tell me NICELY because while we can bash Ellen, we shouldn't bash Bfth.)
  6. As a celebrity, Ellen took her show as a platform to encourage kindness.  She explained (which she didn't have to do) that she was friends with people who had different beliefs.  (Including fur wearers:  Ellen I DO wear fur.  I've never BOUGHT a fur, but I have worn fur that has been handed down to me because there was a time when wearing fur was THE THING and darn it, fur is WARM when you are cold, even if the fur item is older than you are!  And I'm glad that this issue would not prevent us from being friends should we ever actually meet!)  I don't understand why this is a bad thing.  We (the universal we), don't know what Ellen and George actually talk about.  Maybe she HAS tried to change some of his beliefs.  Maybe he's tried to change some of hers.  We don't know.  In all honesty, it's really not our business.
  7. Being kind does not hurt anything or anyone.  Maybe it doesn't CHANGE a situation, but it doesn't hurt and we really DON'T KNOW what anyone's kindness can result in.
  8. Kindness may NOT be the answer to everything.  And as human beings we probably CAN'T be kind to everyone.  (Do you really want to be kind to the kid who bullied you in 4th grade?)  But we can TRY to make it an option.  In general, it is better to be kind than not.  It is something we SHOULD strive for.  To quote from that book that's been around for a few centuries:  "This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other."  (So maybe this whole bashing Ellen thing isn't such a good idea?)
  9. If any of us disagree with what Ellen said, do we really need to slam her for the whole kindness thing?  If we feel that she could use her platform as a celebrity to do better, wouldn't it be better to make our voices heard in a more respectful way?  From my (limited) experience, people are more open and receptive to others and to change, when they are NOT being slammed, but when they are communicated with in a respectful way.  
  10. You may disagree with me on any of the above.  You may think what I have written is stupid.  That's okay...it's the way of the world.  But I would appreciate it if you wouldn't bash me.  I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't bash anyone in general.  The world has enough harshness and hatred.  Being kind won't solve all our world problems, but it could make it a better place.
One final note:  As I said, I don't know George Bush (or any of the Bush family) or Ellen DeGeneres (or any of her family), but if either one of them just happen to stumble upon this post (and it's more likely that monkeys will fly out of my you know where than that), keep on being kind to each other, Keep being kind as often as you can be.  And if you need another friend...I'm willing to fit you in!

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