The Oprah Effect

    I didn't want to write about the Oprah interview. I've made it very clear I'm not a fan of Harry & Meghan. I used to be then they announced they were "stepping away" to be independent and moving to Canada. Oh, and the Canadian taxpayer was going to be on the hook to pay for their massive security bills! WTF! You want to be an adult and independent? Pay your own way like the rest of us. It's not like they were broke. After all, he inherited 40 million from his mom. It really made me instantly dislike them. 

  Whatever your opinion on this couple I think we can all say that the racism directed towards Meghan was wrong. End of. But as bad as the tabloids were...and boy they were bad...the idea of having to deal with racism & bigotry from your family is a whole other level of wrong. There is no explanation. No excuses. And those who say they doubt it was as bad as she very clearly made it out to be, you need to stop talking. It doesn't matter what you think. If Meghan says it was racism then it was. Whoopie Goldberg once said that while she might not be able to tell you exactly what made something racist, she certainly knew it when she saw it. Meghan Markle saw it, she knew it, believe her.

  I did take exception to one part of the interview. Meghan saying that Kate made her cry and that she wasn't supportive enough. Let me just say...the inlaws do not have to like you or be supportive. Just because you are in the same family doesn't mean you are instantly best friends. Or even friends. I had a sister-in-law who disliked not only me but every single person in the family! And was quite vocal about that very fact. Like most adults we could get through a holiday meal together if we had to, or a funeral or wedding. But we were not all lovey-dovey. Not even close.  So Meghan complaining about Kate seemed almost whiney to me. 

  Now I wanted to address two things from this interview that I think were overshadowed by the racism conversation. Both involving the entire conversation about Meghan's battle with mental illness and suicidal thoughts. When a public figure speaks about their own struggles with this whispered disease I always want it to be the sole focus. It's so important to take this out of the shadows. And it was striking that she spoke about it as calmly as if it was diabetes or heart disease. Like it was a disease that anyone could suffer from. Who knows how many people could have benefited from that being the focus. Sadly we will never know.

  The other thing was something Harry said that made me sad. He has talked about and supported mental health initiatives for years. But during the interview, he told Oprah he was embarrassed to ask for help for his wife. How can that not make you sad? Someone who has spent many hours promoting mental health and taking away the stigma was a victim of the stigma. That makes me cry. But...it did show us just how real and prevalent this crisis is and no person is immune.

  My dislike for this couple is still there. It's hard for me to get past the entitlement they seem to feel they deserve. But boy oh boy haven't we all missed Oprah!!

  Ang

  

  

Dr. Seuss Controversy

 Dr. Seuss was not canceled. Let me repeat that...Dr. Seuss was not canceled. The people who control the legacy of this beloved childrens author have decided that six of the 60+ books published will no longer be printed. Not ripped off the shelves. Not burnt. Not shredded. Just no more new ones coming off the press. That's not cancel culture that's knowing better and then doing better.

 I have two kids who I read to every single day from birth to age ten or eleven and I have only heard of one of these titles. I don't recall ever reading it but the title is familiar. But someone within the Dr. Seuss Enterprise thought it was time to move on from these stories.  I'd bet money that had they not made the announcement not one single person would have realized they were going away! Certainly not the people who are talking about it nonstop that I'm seeing.

 As a society, we evolve. We change. We learn. What was considered ok in 1937 is not anymore. So we make improvements and make it inclusive. If we can't, we stop doing it. It's called being a respectful human being. 

  Too many people have used the phrase "snowflake" to describe others taking offense to these books. Apparently, they cannot understand how an entire culture could be offended by a picture in a book or words on a page. And they have no intention of trying. It doesn't insult or stereotype them so they don't get what the big deal is. It should also be noted that most of the uproar is from white people. A group that is rarely, if ever, negatively portrayed because of skin color. This past year we saw Black Lives Matter hashtags and signs being countered with All Lives Matter. Again white people. Obviously, we need to take a good hard look at ourselves if we cannot see any issue from another point of view.

  Are all white people racist? Of course not. But we sure have a problem accepting that things we say or do can be viewed as racially insensitive to others. I may not know that a word or picture is racist but if someone who it portrays tells me it is I believe them. Just because I didn't see it doesn't mean it isn't. We need to have the uncomfortable conversations or we will never learn. 

  FYI...my kid's favorite book, and mine to read to them, was What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss. Read that instead. It's fantastic.

  Ang

  

  

Just An Observation

 Here's an interesting observation...those who three months ago complained that the vaccines would not be safe because they were developed too quickly and not properly tested are the same people now complaining that those same vaccines are taking too long to get into people's arms! What the hell? You cannot have it both ways folks. 

 Go back a few months in your Twitter feed or Facebook posts and find those followers who spent many days bitching about how Health Canada was "pushing" through vaccine approvals without proper research and scrutiny. You'll find lots of comments about how they are not going to take the vaccine until others have so they can know they will be safe from it. Or that big pharma was paying off government officials to get things approved. It was something out of an X-Files episode.

 Now look at the past few weeks and see how these same people are now bitching about how long it's taking for the vaccines to be distributed and why haven't they gotten it yet! Talk about a flip-flop. And every single one of them is now in the highest risk category. But don't comment on it or you will be crucified for daring to note the hypocrisy of their words. 

 We are all suffering from "COVID fatigue" and we all want to be vaccinated yesterday. But the sad truth is Canada is not manufacturing our own doses so we must buy them and wait for them to arrive. Once they do get here they need to go to those who really need them most. Healthcare workers, military, police, essential workers are at the front of the line for a reason. They have kept us going for an entire year while we stayed home in relative safety. Surely people understand that.

 My biggest issue with the complaining is that negativity is contagious. You could spread a little light but choose dark instead. That darkness takes hold in someone else and the thread grows. A favorite saying for me lately is that positivity costs me nothing. It's a choice. One I truly wish many more people would embrace.

  In a few short months, all Canadians will be vaccinated. Not long after that so will the entire world. We will be having large family dinners again, weddings and funerals. Upon seeing a friend we will hug them and stand close together to get a photo. Restaurants, bars, and theater seats will be full and we will be getting on planes travelling to exciting destinations. It will happen I promise. 

 Stay positive. Stay optimistic. Stay safe. We are almost there. And in the words of grandmothers everywhere...if you can't say anything good don't say anything at all!

  Ang