A Step Above the Rest

Yesterday I had the pleasure of wasting an hour’s time talking to my boss. There is nothing better than being at work not wanting to do anything and your boss is on the same page as you. So as we jump from topic to topic, being in a law office, we made our way to politics. Conversation was going rather well {my boss is a southern white man so I was just waiting for him to hail our President and the war} when it took an unexpected turn. “Oh, I haven’t voted for anybody in over twenty years.” I asked how can a lawyer not vote, aren’t you supposed to love the law and government, etc, etc. He stated that he has voted, he just was always voting against someone and not really for anyone. It seems as though he views politicians in a most unfavorable light. So I had to ask, “You didn’t like Clinton?” Wrong question.

“Clinton, oh let me tell you bout Clinton. It’s his fault my kids learned what oral sex was so early!! It was all over the TV and the newspapers and here’s my son coming up to me, ‘Daddy, what is oral sex?’”

We got into a little tiff about it. And then he said something that I thought was very interesting. “He’s the President, he should know better. He is a role model and has all the children and people of America looking at him to set an example and tone for the country. People in his position shouldn’t do things like that.” My response, “Do things like what, cheat on his wife. I know he’s the president, but at the end of the day, he’s still a man.” So on the ride home, while stuck in traffic, I had time to ponder upon this subject. Should we hold certain persons to higher standards because of the position(s) they are in??

President Clinton, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant {we still beefing on this one honey}, President Kennedy, Jude Law have all been caught dipping in the cookie jar. Does that mean, we shall all move to another country, become Warriors fans {f-ck the Warriors}, or subject ourselves to Lifetime movies all because persons involved in these situations have been outted as sinners and adulterers.

Case in point. In recent news, my girl Britney, yeah I said it {I own cd’s, movies and concert DVD’s}, has been catching flack for a few minor mishaps that have occurred around her baby. There was the carseat thing, the almost dropped the baby thing, my baby daddy’s on crack thing, and the I’m having another baby with this crackhead thing. Now, my girl caught hell and at first glance all you can really do is shake your head. But let’s be serious, how did you really get that scar on the back of your head? Were you ever lost in a grocery store or were the last one picked up after soccer practice?? Recently, there was a young child in my car who was not in a car seat and decided while driving on the Dan Ryan that she would go on ahead and open auntie’s car door!!! {why does she even know how to open it?} at least we were on our way to church. And have you seen some of the baby’s daddy’s out there?? Nevermind, she did hit the bottom of the totem pole with that one. My point is, look around you. There are people you know, maybe even yourself, that have made similar mistakes. However, I guess since she’s a pop singer, she lives by another set of rules and the stupid things she does are to be viewed as mortal sins.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that they should be able to do whatever they want to do and show no concern that someone actually might be influenced by what they do. I’m sure someone out there is like they have a responsibility. Sure. People look up to the famous and well-known in many ways from their sense of fashion to their views of the world and how it should be. But just like some future governor is looking up to Kennedy, the little girl across the street is looking up to you. Don’t you make mistakes? If you make a mistake, should we post it in the tabloids {or hold a caucus about it over Christmas dinner? Next months PTA meeting, the daily news at work} Everyone has the responsibility to conduct themselves in the proper way. People that are on television, in movies, and on the courts are no different from us. We should not hold them to higher standards than we would our local mechanic or for that matter ourselves. Everyone should “know better.”

So what do you all think? Are we throwing stones and living in glass houses???

Disclaimer: This is a very one-sided argument. Being the President of a country does not directly relate to an extramarital affair, neither does being an actor or professional athlete. Being an actress, pop star, whatever, has nothing to do with being a mother. I am in no way condoning the actions of judges who take bribes, religious clergyman who exploit the youths in their church, or politicians who go to war for….., you get my drift.

Confessions of a Modern Day Heathen

This Sunday I decided to be the good little Christian and attend church. However, being the little deviant I am, I put on some jeans, tank top {not low cut at all} and some heals. I gave up on dressing up to church when I left my mamma’s house. Before walking out the door, I made sure to grab the notebook the church sells to take notes and put bulletins inside etc. I’d better have this handy because I ruined my Bible by leaving it in the car one day when it rained and the window was down. I hate going to church totally unprepared so this is my way for making up for it. Bibles are expensive. Well, it’s a really short drive. Just two lights, so I make it there in no time. As I turn in the Kroger, yes Kroger, parking lot, I turn down my Vivian Green cd. Has anyone ever made the mistake of pulling into the church parking lot bumping, "Put Yo' Hood Up?" Just me, moving on. No, Kroger is not hosting Sunday morning service. It’s located across the street and so I park there illegally because I don’t feel like taking the shuttle bus after church. What a way to start off your Sunday morning.

Shuttle bus. Yep that’s right shuttle bus. I go to a rather larger church. Actually the location I attend is the smaller of the two churches. The sanctuary still holds a few thousand people though. So I find my usual spot while scoping out the male ushers and get ready for the service. Church was great, but that’s not what this is about. And yes I scope out the ushers. This Sunday was really bad, whoever he was, he was a real cutie. What happened to old ladies with knee length skirts and button downs??

I remember when I was a little girl. For a while, my mother would drag us to every church outing, which I hated. There is nothing worse than getting dressed up{damn who ever invented skirts} to sit down and be bored for two hours. But I had no other options. The only part I semi-enjoyed, was to see what new and interesting thing this church would be into. Some you can’t wear pants to, women aren’t allowed to do things, some printed RULES in the bulletin, the list goes on. But the one thing I hate most about going to churches was the offering. Now, at my old church, we just passed the plate like we used to do. But you ever been to the church where you have to get up out your pew, walk to the front of the church and put your money in the basket? Which means that if you don’t plan on putting money in, you stay in your seat and so now everybody knows you don’t pay your tithes. It also meant my mother was able to see whether or not I put my money in. You know as a child you tried your best not to put your dollar in if you could, hoping your mother would at least give you change so you could hold on to a few pennies. That's two snickers or a whole handful from the candy lady.Well, I used to hate that. I looked at it as a form of punishment, a sly way for you to be embarrassed because you haven’t made your way up front in the past few weeks. Or even worse, the ones where they make everybody walk past the front and if you don’t have any money, everybody sees you just walk on by. Yeah that’s right, everybody that proudly dropped their white envelope is now looking at you in shame, praying for your lost soul.

Well, my church down here in the Ville is no better. As I stated before it is rather large, we call it Club Zion. Mainly because after church people post up like they do at the club. Well, there have been times meant to write about this earlier, that they would put the amount of money collected the week before and then flash the amount of money needed this week to meet our “building fund.” Now, I will say, unlike most churches we really did pay off our building and in a rather timely matter. However, I could barely contain myself when I saw numbers flashing and then the pastor getting up telling everyone to give an extra twenty dollars and somehow tying it to how Jesus will “see us through” if we do. Is he serious??? Oh my bad, I'm the only one asking this question.

Well, I guess an idea hit him because no more flashing numbers on the Jumbotrons. Nope ladies and gents, now EVERY week we read some tithing confession, where people hold up their tiny white envelopes and read in procession. To my amusement, I realized that only the people giving money were reading, therefore, us heathens remained silent. For a room full of people, it sure was quiet. Or was I the only one that noticed.

I’m going to hell with gasoline drawers on!!! Anybody got a dollar I can borrow, I always spend mine on the way to church at McDonald's :)