A woman named Maura Kelly works for Marie Claire Magazine. Several days ago, her editor asked her what she thought of watching fat people in situation comedies on t.v. Maura wrote this article: "Should Fattie's Get a Room, Even On T.V.?"
Then, on Twitter, she tweeted this quote from her article: "To be brutally honest, even in real life, I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room — just like I'd find it distressing if I saw a very drunk person stumbling across a bar or a heroine addict slumping in a chair."
Many people were very hurt by this, so she posted an apology underneath her article. Julie Anderson, the creator of Chubby Mommy Running Club, wrote this post in response to Maura: Dear Maura Kelly: Stop Being Mean. It is very well written, so I wanted to share the link with you on here. This whole situation makes me sad. Why are people still being mean about weight? Especially interesting is to me is that Maura Kelly has struggled with anorexia for a long time.
It just makes me wonder why people are so mean, and why they keep getting meaner. I have always liked this old song by Kris Kristofferson. I first heard it on my Nanny's cassette tape when I was babysitting and beating up my little cousin for untying my bikini top when the workers were right there. You were a brat, Danny! But, you are still hilarious. Anyway, I was in high school then, and the song has stuck with me. Why does everybody have to have somebody to look down on? Here is a link to a video that is circulating through Facebook. It is by Creep Radiohead and it is neat how they made it. The message fits in with this post: Fitting In?
I am going to do my very best to be kind to everybody that I meet today. I'll probably run into a lot of ornery people now that I have said it out loud, in print. But just for today, I will try.
Click here to watch Kris Kristofferson perform Jesus Was a Capricorn
(Owed to John Prine)
"Jesus was a Capricorn, he ate organic foods.
He believed in love and peace and never wore no shoes.
Long hair, beard and sandals and a funky bunch of friends.
Reckon they'd just nail him up if He come down again.
'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me.
Get back, John!
Egg Head's cousin Red Neck's cussin' hippies for their hair.
Others laugh at straights who laugh at freaks who laugh at squares.
Some folks hate the whites who hate the blacks who hate the clan.
Most of us hate anything that we don't understand.
'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me.
Help yourself, brother.
Help yourself, Gentlemen.
Help yourself Reverend."
(Thank you to Cowboy Lyrics for these lyrics!)
(Owed to John Prine)
"Jesus was a Capricorn, he ate organic foods.
He believed in love and peace and never wore no shoes.
Long hair, beard and sandals and a funky bunch of friends.
Reckon they'd just nail him up if He come down again.
'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me.
Get back, John!
Egg Head's cousin Red Neck's cussin' hippies for their hair.
Others laugh at straights who laugh at freaks who laugh at squares.
Some folks hate the whites who hate the blacks who hate the clan.
Most of us hate anything that we don't understand.
'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me.
Help yourself, brother.
Help yourself, Gentlemen.
Help yourself Reverend."
(Thank you to Cowboy Lyrics for these lyrics!)
I hope that each one of you has a very wonderful day, filled with love and kindness.
~ Kathy
P.S. - Kris Kristofferson is HOT. He reminds me of my husband. Maybe Kris will be my new secret boyfriend. Who should I pick? Billy the Exterminator or Kris? Who would you pick? I'm still keeping Johnny Damon though. I just happen to heart that young man.
P.S.S. - I just added this to Natasha's (5 Minutes Just for Me) Sunday Songs Linky Party. This is kind of a heavy post, but it does definitely include a song and video. Please check out Natasha's site for more Sunday Songs! Thanks. I also visited two of the other participating blogs: "How Sweet the Sound" and "Joys of Christmas"
P.S. - Kris Kristofferson is HOT. He reminds me of my husband. Maybe Kris will be my new secret boyfriend. Who should I pick? Billy the Exterminator or Kris? Who would you pick? I'm still keeping Johnny Damon though. I just happen to heart that young man.
P.S.S. - I just added this to Natasha's (5 Minutes Just for Me) Sunday Songs Linky Party. This is kind of a heavy post, but it does definitely include a song and video. Please check out Natasha's site for more Sunday Songs! Thanks. I also visited two of the other participating blogs: "How Sweet the Sound" and "Joys of Christmas"
9 comments:
Kris, hand's down! :P
I think you are nice to everyone every day, Kathy. I can't imagine you being otherwise. Ms. Kelly has some personal issues for which she needs to see a therapist. I'm appalled that her publisher would allow her to post something so hateful.
Hey Lisa,
Maura definitely did not choose wisely on this one.
Thanks, I agree, Kris rocks!
:>)
Kathy
Hi there, and thank you for your really sweet comment on my "blogazine"! I just read your post about mean people, and I totally agree: It seems to me that people are just losing their minds! They feel like it's OK to just openly and loudly express their disdain about others' personal habits/shortcomings, etc. I am not a really holy person or anything, but I do recall from the Bible that "...God created man in his own image..." I'm pretty sure that means that ALL of us - heavy, thin, black, white, tall, short, fully-abled, physically challenged - ALL of us are created in his image. That Maura Kelly woman needs to examine WHY she feels the need to express such distasteful opinions in an open forum and further...why it is that she finds it "aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room..." As a person who herself has struggled with weight, she should know that this kind of judging is wrong. Even if she hadn't ever struggled with weight issues, she should still call upon her home training and know that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all!!! And that's all I have to say about that! Have a good weekend, and thanks again from dropping in!
Thanks for this, Kathy! I'm sure that you are always kind to people, no matter what!! And I think ol' Kris is very easy on the eyes....oh yeah!
Hi Alycia,
I know what you mean about people being mean ... and with the internet making it easier to get a message out without much input from others, people do get their feelings hurt. I am sure that Ms. Kelly has learned a lot from this experience especially with all the feedback that she got afterwards.
I agree with what you have said about all of us being made in His image. You put it wonderfully. It is the character of a person, their heart and the love they bring that matters; not what they look like physically.
I will be back to visit your website again soon. I think that we share many of the same views.
Thank you,
Kathy
Hi Becky,
I am glad that I come off as so nice on here. I try to be, and usually am, but like everybody else, if you push me hard enough I am not nice at all. Though it doesn't usually last very long. Then I feel bad, and try to be nice to the jerk who was being mean to me. Oh, what a cycle, lol. Happily most of that is all in the past now anyway.
Kathy
Becky, I KNEW you would pick Kris too. Great minds think a like, right Lisa? :>)
I must have been hiding under a rock this week as I hadn't heard about this. How awful that someone would speak so nastily about other people so openly. No wonder our young people have so little respect these days when they see that this kind of think appears to be the normal thing to do. Thanks so much for all of the links today I will go and check them all out.
Thanks also for joining in with Sunday Song this week. I hope you will join in again soon!
Best wishes always,
Natasha.
Hi Natasha,
Yeah, it caused quite a stir. I probably wouldn't have known about it but my little sis is Julie and she posted her article on FB.
It is very interesting how things have changed ... but by loving on others and being nice perhaps we can set another example. As well as correcting kids when they will still listen.
Thanks for letting me post on your Sunday Songs, I really enjoy it.
Take care,
Kathy
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