Since I used Oprah in the title of this blog, I feel I should give a shout out to her 25th season in my first blog. I have to say that some of the best interviews I have ever seen on television have been in the last year of the Oprah Winfrey show. From the opinion changing interview with GW to the hysterical Debbie Reynolds to the insanity of Nadya Suleman, I have found myself captivated by Oprah's final season.
My grandma, the wife of a tobacco farmer, mother of 5, school teacher and avid church goer used to say to me that even when we disagreed with our parents it was important that we disagree with respect, afterall they were our parents. She believed the same of our president. President George W. Bush was certainly a man that I disagreed with. But he was just that. A man. A huMAN. And that was never more clear than in the interview with Oprah. I won't get into his politcs here, well not now anyway, but I will say after watching this interview, seeing him sitting with his mom and dad, and hearing him talk openly and what I believe honestly about his time as president and his life as it is now, I believe I would like the man.
Debbie Reynolds had me laughing from the moment she came on the show to the moment it ended. When this classy, elegant movie star raised her thumb and finger and held them close together to indicate her late ex-husband's penis size I nearly fell out out of my chair in hysterics. It was trully an hour of fun.
But of all the interviews this season, to me, this is the "talk" to talk about. Oprah's interview with Nadya Suleman was so raw and profound that I believe everyone needs to watch it and watch it again and again until what was said on that show sinks in. Suze Orman, brought in by Oprah to analyze Nadya's financial situation, exposes the life of the octomom and bullies the truth from her about the babies she never should have had. However, as fascinating a story as Nadya's life seemed, it became a platform for a much larger statement to be made. A statement that touches on the core of what I feel to be the greatest problem in the world today. Orman, after she and Oprah had forced the hand of Suleman and exposed the insanity of her choice, turned the finger on an audience that sat around the world watching in judgement of this extreme situation.
Knowing she had 6 children already that she could not afford, Nadya, fulfilling selfish needs, chose to bring not one but 8 more babies into her life. The majority of people I have heard talk about this story have said she should be at minimum, locked up, charged with child abuse and neglect. While pointing out the extremity of this situation, Suze Orman turned to the audience and said what noone wants to hear. While Nadya seems like a monster for her choices if you have chosen to bring 14 children or one child that you could not afford into this world you are just as guilty and just as wrong. I would say there are too many babies born in this world period. But for sure, there are too many babies born into this world in poverty. With unemployment rates sky rocketing around the world and natural resources diminishing at rapid rates, every person that brings a child into this world without the financial, material, and emotional abilities to provide for that child should be held accountable. Things happen to change a situation and that is not what I am talking about here. What Suze Orman was talking about and what I am talking about here is the concious decision, knowing that you cannot afford your life as it is or knowing you are barely getting by and choosing to bring a child into this world without the ability to provide BEYOND the basic needs for that child is WRONG. IT IS CRIMINALLY WRONG. IT IS MORALLY WRONG. IT IS INHUMANE.
First and foremost I believe in personal responsibility. Nothing is black and white and there are always exceptions. That said...PEOPLE MUST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN CHOICES. PARENTS NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN before they are conceived to the day they can stand on their own and provide for themselves (which is not necessarily 18 because the law says that is when you become an adult.)
I believe in forced abortions for pregnant teenagers and I believe in forced sterilization. I do not believe in rewarding unfit parents with tax breaks and special benefits. There...I said it. My mind is open. Change it if you can. I am hear to listen. My mind is not closed...that is just where I stand today. I am not saying I am smarter than Oprah or that I am smarter than you.
Well, IDK. Can Oprah build a hubber craft? Could she do it in the 7th grade? This is a really great season and I am glad I am watching it. SHe has covered some reat stories and brought a wealth of information to light! I will miss her and I hope there is another personality developing to take her place when she is gone. Although, I feel no one could fill her shoes. :0)
ReplyDeleteI don't watch Oprah, but as I understand it, this blog isn't typically going to be about her show... But if it is, I guess I'll vicariously watch it through you!
ReplyDeleteForced abortions, huh? Sounds like communism...
Against government handouts? Sounds like the Tea Party...
I didn't know people were allowed to have broad stances in the political spectrum? Everyone seems to be so far left or extreme right that I'd forgotten there were normal, independently-minded people out there!
Hey thanks "Slick." I will say I don't drink the "TEA" though at times I might agree on an opinion or two of the party. To me if we don't listen to each other we will never get anywhere. There are right things about the right and right things about the left. We should start pointing out all of those things and I imagine by doing so we will eliminate the wrong things from the right and the left. lol. Communism, Socialism, Democracy and even a degree of Dictatorship should all have their place in our society. I am not a socialist, a communist a liberal nor a conservative. I am a situationalist and believe we must be open and adapt to whatever works in the situation to best provide a world in which we can all prosper and live the healthiest and happiest lives possible. Thanks again for the comments!
ReplyDeleteok so here I am, and to jump on your comment:
ReplyDelete"Just like that, happy poor children grow up to be adults that are meant to take care of themselves. Without the proper tools to do that, they are no longer happy children, they are frustrated, angry and desperate adults."
If you read yourself, you are really relating happiness with the lack of basic human needs....I am just saying ;-)
As far as Oprah goes, I think it is (was) probably the best shows out there.
No, no, no. Happiness and basic needs are two very different things. Every parent should and I believe the vast majority do...want their children to be happy. Every parent, rich or poor can most definitely provide love and happiness to a child. But I am sorry my friend...it takes money to buy food. It takes money to provide adequate shelter. It takes money to provide an education sufficient to sustain an independent lifestyle. That money should be provided by the parent and should be founded before a child is even conceived. Should be. Conciously conceiving a child without a solid foundation to provide the basic needs for your child is criminal and at least immoral to me. Things happen that can break that foundation and that is when we as a brothers on this planet have the moral responsibility to lend a hand. And remember I am talking needs...and money in this world is a need unless you have land a cow and some canning jars to protect your vegetables you are growing on that land of yours through the winter. Most people don't have that.
ReplyDeleteI love that you are blogging, and I love this first post! Agreed on so many points (except that I confess to not having watched Oprah regularly in about 3 years. Don't shoot me).
ReplyDelete