tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post5204738884557362864..comments2023-11-02T08:09:02.234-04:00Comments on Her Bad Mother: Ave, Hitchens: We Who Are About To Gossip Salute YouHer Bad Motherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03535958887714152413noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-62205566849501275452007-06-18T23:51:00.000-04:002007-06-18T23:51:00.000-04:00Thanks, L, but I'm actually not all that great. I'...Thanks, L, but I'm actually not all that great. I'm just *good* ;)<BR/><BR/>The funny thing is - I actually usually like Hitchens. And I AM usually the first to say that we should have compassion for mad dogs and celebrities. But this whole thing sent me careening off my usual course.<BR/><BR/>Am still sensitive about having been a bit harsh on poor Paris. But then again, kinda not.Her Bad Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03535958887714152413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-45042369546690447912007-06-18T22:43:00.000-04:002007-06-18T22:43:00.000-04:00catherine my friend of the great blogosphere i bow...catherine my friend of the great blogosphere i bow down to your greatness and wisdom.i couldn't have said this better myself.so true and to the point.LAVENDULAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-40760701798209179382007-06-18T19:13:00.000-04:002007-06-18T19:13:00.000-04:00I agree completely. Paris is brilliant at the sel...I agree completely. Paris is brilliant at the self-promotion game, and she has mostly been a willing participant as she throws herself in the public eye. I don't know if her outbursts are intended to invoke sympathy and outrage on her behalf -- perhaps it worked with Hitchens -- but for me it just smacks of the girl who cried wolf. Sorry, Paris, you made your bed and now you should lie in it.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of media attention, have you heard the story of Allison Stokke (the high school pole vaulter)? That, to me, is a case where the poor girl is getting lots of attention that she really hasn't asked for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-75280842023086506022007-06-17T21:02:00.000-04:002007-06-17T21:02:00.000-04:00Veronica, you're right to state that desert of cir...Veronica, you're right to state that desert of circumstances shouldn't necessarily alienate someone from our compassion, and I probably sounded too harsh with the make-your-bed-lie-in-it assertions. Paris is certainly deserving of compassion, as a human being, BUT... my point here is that Hitchens seems to be demanding an extraordinary degree of compassion. I can feel icky - and badly on her behalf - about the media bloodbath (as I certainly do about Britney Spears, poor tart, and did about Anna Nicole) - but I'll still remain critical of her complicity in her circumstances. So I guess what I'm calling for is some constructively *critical* compassion, if there is such a thing. <BR/><BR/>But I would say too, that not all deserved sufferings are created equal, and deserving of comparable compassion. The humanist ideal - and Christian ideal - is to love all of our fellow creatures, even those that might be hateful. But that's a pretty difficult ideal to hold to. Do I feel compassion for mass murderers? Prolly not as much as I should, as a good humanist. And my compassion for Paris is certainly tempered by my awareness that she'll exploit her circumstances, and seek to manipulate our compassion (witness the Barbara Walters phone call) for her own gain. That provokes the cynic in me, and the cynic in me has been known to bitch-slap my inner humanist from time to time.Her Bad Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03535958887714152413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-15821907482260825972007-06-17T17:45:00.000-04:002007-06-17T17:45:00.000-04:00Certainly his comparisons are ridiculous, and his ...Certainly his comparisons are ridiculous, and his standards for who should receive sympathy and who derision are baffling, at best. But I think you may be posing an unecessary dichotomy here.<BR/><BR/>Hilton is an adult being punished for a crime she committed. She has (apparently) exploited the popular fixation on shallow trivialities for her gain, and now suffers from that same fixation. Her suffering is deserved and of her own making.<BR/><BR/>But why does that alienate her from our compassion? Don't get me wrong, I find it easy to hate parasites and the willfully stupid. But you seem to be arguing that every deserved suffering is unworthy of compassion, and I don't think I'm comfortable with that standard. Quite frankly, I don't want to be judged by it.Sharon L. Hollandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06387774344892567897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-83859300804641229702007-06-16T10:49:00.000-04:002007-06-16T10:49:00.000-04:00i know i'm late contributing to the choir here, bu...i know i'm late contributing to the choir here, but amen. sure, we're showing our crass schadenfreude side, and it's ugly. but the comparison to child abuse is far, far uglier...Bonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14403701620708365171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-15517662605149067142007-06-15T21:19:00.000-04:002007-06-15T21:19:00.000-04:00Sing it, sistah!! So totally with what you've sai...Sing it, sistah!! So totally with what you've said here.The Estrogen Fileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02995416882864545267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-78505079319948707192007-06-15T09:41:00.000-04:002007-06-15T09:41:00.000-04:00I decided I'd had enough when the headline on CNN ...I decided I'd had enough when the headline on CNN said, "Paris Hilton upstages Buzz Aldrin's Return to Space." Good heavens, people. Let the "kid" grow up and serve her time. Let the rest of us see some real news.Daisyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11647906900944224234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-88743043620363050272007-06-14T20:40:00.000-04:002007-06-14T20:40:00.000-04:00Honestly...anyone who feels sorry for an obscenely...Honestly...anyone who feels sorry for an obscenely rich socialite who has publicly aired just about every private thing possible, is an absolute idiot. <BR/><BR/>I wonder what the same people would be writing had she killed someone while driving drunk with a suspended license. Hmmmmm....Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01865300352015449125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-19938925879779668582007-06-14T16:34:00.000-04:002007-06-14T16:34:00.000-04:00i also read this article, linked from dooce's blog...i also read this article, linked from dooce's blog...and he totally lost me.<BR/><BR/>i wasn't so impressed with anything he had to say, and completely disagree with his statements.<BR/><BR/>i was rather surprised after reading, that dooce would have posted it. perhaps for the sake of conversation???<BR/><BR/>i wasn't feelin it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-38592928149147425442007-06-14T15:58:00.000-04:002007-06-14T15:58:00.000-04:00Oh, and thanks for stopping by. I promise to have ...Oh, and thanks for stopping by. I promise to have something more exciting in a few weeks. I'm in full on packing for vacation oh MY GOD mode...tracey.becker1@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09606831315390042198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-18996051560205643132007-06-14T15:54:00.000-04:002007-06-14T15:54:00.000-04:00Wow. Can you feel the speed with which I added you...Wow. Can you feel the speed with which I added you to my bloglines? I know I've read your blog before, but this post rocked. Rocked so much, that I am hooked.tracey.becker1@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09606831315390042198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-9545007579234526792007-06-14T15:30:00.000-04:002007-06-14T15:30:00.000-04:00Steam began to pour out of my ears immediately upo...Steam began to pour out of my ears immediately upon reading your first few lines. However, since you have so brilliantly ripped apart this twit's theory (thank you and well done) I will focus my energy on commenting on your new look.<BR/><BR/>Love it! Izzy did a great job. (Not surprisingly!)<BR/><BR/>And loved the Budge post. Thanks for sharing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-15117081189199731012007-06-14T14:31:00.000-04:002007-06-14T14:31:00.000-04:00good post. I am so sick of paris hilton, and I thi...good post. I am so sick of paris hilton, and I think in this whole mess she has seen that being famous has it's down side as well (most people would have been out of that prison in a few days with no uproar at all, but she's being made an example of, and I have no problem with that. If you want the glories of fame, then you have to expect the pitfalls of it as well)painted maypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06446625015003854710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-20689201836883772372007-06-14T14:24:00.000-04:002007-06-14T14:24:00.000-04:00You say it so well... totally my thoughts if I kne...You say it so well... totally my thoughts if I knew how to organize them succinctly!J. A. Blackburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06808398471001952690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-53164273945366862282007-06-14T13:50:00.000-04:002007-06-14T13:50:00.000-04:00I am only a few months older than Paris and I grew...I am only a few months older than Paris and I grew out of that type of behavior when I was... wait a minute, come to think of it, I NEVER ACTED like that. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps it was having parents who instilled a sense of pride, accountability and self-respect in me. Yeah, that may be what she needed.<BR/><BR/>Feel sorry for her? Not I!<BR/><BR/>Jane, Pinks & Blues GirlsPinksandBluesGirlshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14227588614069311168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-79331666553057457752007-06-14T11:07:00.000-04:002007-06-14T11:07:00.000-04:00I saw the photo of the crying Paris and spared one...I saw the photo of the crying Paris and spared one thought for her:<BR/><BR/>Welcome to the world of accountability.Namitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06476552972162497517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-85653246388550039312007-06-14T11:03:00.000-04:002007-06-14T11:03:00.000-04:00Fantastic.The media helped to build Paris (with he...Fantastic.<BR/><BR/>The media helped to build Paris (with her help) and the media will tear her down. It only seems fitting. But to compare it to the rape of innocent (important word there) children (also important) is disgusting.Chicky Chicky Babyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18056206889322232109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-17388990777855619042007-06-14T10:29:00.000-04:002007-06-14T10:29:00.000-04:00Hear, hear! The girl made her own bed, and while ...Hear, hear! The girl made her own bed, and while I do feel sorry for her and find the media attention totally over the top and sickening, Paris has set this up from Day 1. It has been her goal to be in the media's spotlight, and while she may not have counted on the ugly side getting so much attention, she's gotten all that she set out to do. Commenter Sarah here says Paris is famous for being famous. Very true. All on her own, of her very own making. That comes with some consequences.Michelle Constantinescuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09927443258162528366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-10497762139348430792007-06-14T10:25:00.000-04:002007-06-14T10:25:00.000-04:00Well done post!Well done post!the fruitfemmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04159936337802165376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-37520539953504523422007-06-14T10:09:00.000-04:002007-06-14T10:09:00.000-04:00Paris Hilton is famous simply for being famous, an...Paris Hilton is famous simply for being famous, and she seems to thrive in that. This jail thing will not hurt her celebrity one bit, so I could care less.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-79254947879738111902007-06-14T09:40:00.000-04:002007-06-14T09:40:00.000-04:00I agree the comparison Hitchens made was in poor t...I agree the comparison Hitchens made was in poor taste.<BR/><BR/>I think everyone is a participant in this spectacle called Life. <BR/><BR/>I don't feel sorry for Paris, though not in a you-asked-for-it-you-got-it way. She is her own creation and I think it's great for her to feel ALL sides of the the life she created.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04455637064686856773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-13242039056672016232007-06-14T09:34:00.000-04:002007-06-14T09:34:00.000-04:00What bugs me the most about this is that so many p...What bugs me the most about this is that so many people miss the point here (not you, Hitchins). She went to jail for driving drunk - well specifically for breaking probation she got for driving drunk.<BR/>I have NO sympathy. Not only does it stink to drive after drinking, but the girl has the money to afford taxis or her own personal driver - while on probation and while drunk.<BR/>But, I agree with the commenter above - I think we are headed back to public floggings. People eat that stuff up now. It's scary.<BR/>Anyway ... off my pedestal. I'm not so perfect myself.<BR/>I just don't expect sympathy when I do dumb and/or illegal things (well, I don't generally do illegal things)Laural Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08459584652802529868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-44965575339198231972007-06-14T09:07:00.000-04:002007-06-14T09:07:00.000-04:00I am standing and clapping.Can you hear me?I am standing and clapping.<BR/><BR/>Can you hear me?JChevaishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02683339168047479228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21558474.post-38949659013356629312007-06-14T08:52:00.000-04:002007-06-14T08:52:00.000-04:00"If crying out for mommy was evidence of age of mi..."<I>If crying out for mommy was evidence of age of minority, more than a few men would have trouble making purchases at the liquor store.</I>" - *snicker*<BR/><BR/>I think we are headed straight back to the times of public floggings/feeding the Christians to the lions (we are already there I think) but the arena is in our living rooms via the TV.motherbumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16053978199395919666noreply@blogger.com