I'M MAD. NOT CRAZY.
When I first started reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett, I was soothed by the flow of the words and the accents I could hear clearly in my head. I could feel the heat of the summers, remembering that time JaNell and I had to stay with Aunt Martha on her rabbit farm. Mom had forgotten to send the suitcase key with us and we couldn't get to our clothes. For four days, we ran around barefoot in our slips like little country hillbilly children. But, as I continued to read, a slow burning started at the pit of my stomach, slowly working it's way into a full blown rage. On the way home, I told Chris that I needed to hurry up and finish this book. I told him that the more I read, the angrier I got. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing book. Beautiful, really. But it's easy to see it as nonfiction. I know those rich white ladies. We all know them. And I'll tell you what made me the angriest of angries about reading this book. The hatefulness of some of rich white white ladies. Not just the way they treated their maids, but the way they treated each other.
Woman are the worst of all. Ladies, we've all experienced that cattiness, that snub over some ridiculous thing. It's the very same reason why I abhor those reality TV shows about the Desperate Housewives of Stupid. It teaches women that it's OK to behave that way, to treat people that way. Ladies this shit is passed from woman to girl over generations and generations. I remember my own mother with hurt feelings over being slighted over some Woman's Club thingy and I can also remember her turning around and doing the same to another woman. I have a friend who is being a stay-at-home mom right now. She's having the hardest time making any other mommy friends because when she tells them she's originally from Canada, they say "that's nice" and then never speak to her again. Really? Really people?!?!? Who in their right minds could ever believe that it's OK to treat people so rudely or be so mean.
And Ladies? You of all people should know better. Things are hard enough as it is without us all attacking each other. So, right here, and right now. That shit ends. You hear me? It ends now. Those of you who read this blog? You pass it on. You pass it on to the girls next door. You pass it on to your daughters. You tell them. "You is kind. You is beautiful. You is smart". You tell them they are no better or no worse than that little girl over there with different colored hair or skin or what ever. Turn off the Desperate Housewives of Stupid. Stop reading the tabloids. Tell that woman who elbowed her way ahead of you in the check out line to have the most wonderful day. Do it.
Wow. I'm really glad I'm finished with that book.