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.