This morning I heard about yet another example of Hollyweird/Mad Ave types ruining our society’s values. There was in the news an allegation of yet another celebrity under investigation. This time, according to the radio, Kate Moss, who is apparently a supermodel, was photographed snorting cocaine. The pictures ran in a British paper of, if I recall correctly, the tabloid variety. Scotland Yard is investigating.
As I was wondering if this was really stunning news to anyone or whether any journalism students/grads would agree with me in questioning whether this belonged as “Top of the Hour” news, when we have a cat 4 hurricane barreling down on Galveston, TX and more of Louisiana, something happened that did stun me. A fashion EDITOR, and I bold, italic, underline the word editor because I was of the impression that editors were the people you read what you wrote and tell you what ridiculous mistakes you have made and would you please sharpen your crayon next time, from an English fashion magazine made an astonishing statement. Recall if you will please that this is the country that the English language started in. That’s why we call it English so often. She said, “I’m shocked, but can’t say I’m surprised…”
What? Shocked but not surprised? I laughed.
I feel bad for the folks down South. I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose everything that way. I don’t know how it would feel. I can’t imagine losing pets or photographs. The closest thing I can remember to experiencing such a thing is when Fountain Creek flooded and they evacuated the trailer park about half a mile away from our house and we had to prepare to move to higher ground. That house was not supposed to be in a flood plain, but the water was within 50 feet of our back door and the rain still coming down. We loaded the critters into the van and put the photos into a plastic bucket and waited. And waited. And waited. Fortunately for us the rain slowed and the water abated, so we did not have to deal with that. I cannot imagine what this would be like.
But the thing we have going for us, even for the nitwit mayor of New Orleans, is that we are Americans. We don’t only send help to other countries that need it, even ones that are surly and brusque and complain that we didn’t bring them bazillions of dollars of free help quick enough. We help each other. Radio stations and newspapers and private organizations of every stripe jump on the bandwagon and offer help. These are our fellow-Americans and while we squabble and disagree amongst ourselves, you better know we will help our own. And we will help you, too.
Yes, I know that some other countries have, in fact, sent money for aid to our victims. I am not on the internet right now so I can’t look it up but I can tell you that it is a mere drop in the proverbial bucket. It is generous and kind. I think, that, however, we will have to bear the weight of it, though. Again. Perhaps countries that have gotten loans from us over the years can finally decide to pay back a portion of the money?
One final note. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Texans. If I had to leave Colorado, I would hope to go to Texas, although Kentucky is nice, too. I like Wisconsin, too, for that matter and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and would probably be happy in Iowa or Wyoming or New Mexico and may be Arizona or Idaho. And Montana has to be in that list, and…but I digress. Let’s get that digression out of here before somebody steps in it. Anyway, I think you will see the majority or Texans behaving a lot differently than others. Although they are like any other group, with good and bad, so we will see.
Remember, the Good Book says, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
