It has been a somber observation to witness people, whether they are members of the press or the media, bloggers, or casual conversationalists, rip apart Ellen Degeneres because of what should be viewed as a moment of genuine humanity and conscientiousness.
The aforementioned don't see Ellen's nationally televised conveyance of emotion as a touching moment of genuine humanity and conscientiousness, however; they simply see a dramatic overreaction and a pathetic loss of composure.
http://www.hecklerspray.com/ellen-degeneres-sobs-weedily-about-a-dog-video/200610500.php
It saddens me that our culture is so cynical and so hungry to judge that it would denigrate a woman who, after building a loyal audience of viewers that have supported her very personal struggle to be an authentic person, shared with that audience the very thing they have found appealing about her: her compassion, her soul, her humanity, and the conviction of her sincerity.
The cynics would have us believe Ellen was merely overwrought regarding something rather trivial, but behind Ellen's "outburst" is something pure, more meaningful, and very revealing, in terms of Ellen's own morality: Ellen caused two young girls and their family pain, and that caused Ellen a tremendous amount of anguish.
This was not about a dog.
This wasn't about using celebrity power to influence the outcome of an
unfortunate situation over which Ellen felt she had lost control. This was
about Ellen confiding in her audience that she had acted in an irresponsible
way and that her carelessness resulted in two children losing what had
become a new member of their family. And, ultimately, this was a deepening of the bond Ellen has built with an audience that, for the first time in American television history, embraced a talented, compassionate, sensitive, and loving out lesbian entertainer. For us to see mere overreaction undermines this and the appreciation and the respect Ellen feels for her audience's own compassion and humanity.
In a culture where we worship and obsess over shameless, superficial celebrity manipulators of the public, it is disturbing that Hollywood shows us four minutes of genuine, heartfelt humanity, and we revel in mocking it.
This time around, the focus of ridicule fell on a member of our community, but when it comes to debasing humanity, this culture does not discriminate.
As a member of the GLBT community, I find it profoundly troubling that part of our fight involves trying to convey our own humanity to a society that is often cavalierly devoid of insight into what it means to be human, not to mention the spiritual price one would presumably pay when one hurts another human being.
In light of the above observation, it should not surprise us that our opponents do not hesitate to hurt us.
It is our knowledge that our enemies do not hesitate to hurt us that often challenges us to control our anger as we attempt to engage our opponents in rational, civil, healthy debate, and, admittedly, we are not always successful.
Currently, that anger has turned inward, and the gay community is at odds with itself as it debates the fate of ENDA, something with which some of our opponents are undoubtedly pleased.
Rather than focus our frustration on those members of the community who argue that, realistically, a non-inclusive version of ENDA is the only way ENDA has a chance of being passed, and that transgender protections will have to wait, we should focus our frustration on a society often lacking in humanity.
Those of us who believe that it is not within the realm of compromise to leave a part of our community behind should not be dismissed as politically naïve, overly emotional, or immature; we should be respected for our commitment to our community and for the conviction we display in voicing our outrage over the necessity of political gameplaying where civil rights are concerned.
Now is the time to unite as a community and to redirect our frustrations to the larger problem at hand: an intolerant, uninformed, and often inhumane society that would put us in a position where we are forced to compromise the dignity of some of our own.
Lula Blanca, Know Thy Neighbor
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Action Alert: To do all that you can to support an All-Inclusive ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) Go To: UnitedENDA.org
