Rolemodels...celebrity or hero?

So I just heard David Letterman make this comment to Paris Hilton: “You live the life others only dream of.” I can honestly say Paris Hilton is not a person who I have ever felt jealous of. Sure she is thin, beautiful, and has money, but does anyone actually know why she is famous? More often than not it seems like she is in the public eye to give everyone fuel for jokes. The girl doesn’t seem to have 2 brain cells to rub together and prides herself on looking pretty everywhere she goes. The woman is actually shocked that girls come on her “BFF Show” to be in the spot light and make money…is that not everything that Paris Hilton stands for? Getting famous for nothing?

Lately I have been wondering why our media gives so much publicity to people that make poor life choices. Let a sex tape leak on the internet? That’s great, everyone is watching it, it’s just one more way for you to become even richer. Have 14 children that you can’t afford to raise? That’s okay you can just ask strangers for money, maybe even get your own television show. Get strung out on drugs and relapse continually? Don’t worry, it’s not really your fault, there are always parents and ex-lovers to blame. Have an affair on your wife? Why not? It will be great for your show ratings.

How can we wonder why teenagers are having babies before they even have their first job or diploma, why they become alcoholics before they are even legal to buy alcohol, why they pass STD’s around like they are candy, and using drugs (both elicit and prescription) as a form of entertainment to relieve boredom. Look at the role models they are being given; Lindsey Lohan, Jamie Lynn Spears, Mary Kate & Ashley Olson, and Speidi. What kind of standards are they being given to live up to?

When will we start recognizing the people that truly deserve it? Ever heard of Cpl. Jason Dunham or Spc. Ross McGinnis? Didn’t think so. Both young men received the Medal of Honor for throwing their bodies on grenades in Iraq to save their brothers fighting beside them. Recognize the names Michael Carlo or Tarel Coleman? Probably not, but they, along with 341 FDNY Firefighters gave their lives in the Twin Tower attacks on 9/11. Do the names Christina Northey or Kate Janis ring a bell? Both women dropped everything and went to China to help rebuild the lives of those devastated by the hurricane in Myanmar.

Everyday we come in to contact with heroes; the doctor, the paramedic, the Soldier, Marine, Airmen, & Sailor, the pastor, the counselor, the cancer survivor, the teacher, the nurse, the firefighter, the police officer, the parent, the grandparent, the foster parent, the mentor. So many worthy people for kids to look up to, but these are the worthy people whose accomplishments go completely unnoticed.

Swine Flu, Octomom, and protesters

So I am sitting here watching the news this morning (putting off the chores I should be doing) and I am pushed to think...

My first thought: "I don't think I can hear the word Swine Flu one more time!"
I guess it's my lucky day...it's not Swine Flu anymore! We have finally given the new strand a name N1H1. I also hope everyone paid close attention to the part where the CDC announced the N1H1 flu strand is less deadly than the winter strand we had this year. I think the problem we have run in to is the media is covering every aspect of the N1H1 strand of flu and the majority of American people do not understand influenza. I wonder how many people believe that flu is a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea? Actually influenza is a respiratory infection, that, like most illnesses is ever changing and evolving, making it increasingly harder to vaccinate against. And yes, influenza, regardless of the strain can be deadly to the wrong person; the elderly, young children, the immunocompromised, but these are the people who are more susceptible to all illnesses. The moral of the story, get your flu shot, wash your hands, and wash them often!

My second thought: "Really, Octomom? I thought she was finally fading away"
I was sick of the Octomom two days after her story came out, I thought surely the American media is not dumb enough to put this woman in the lime light. Boy was I wrong! We took an unemployed woman, without a leg to stand on, and more children than any person could support on their own and made her a celebrity. I thought it was bad enough when the porn industry offered her a movie deal, but an Octomom musical is too much! The last thing that needs to be done, is rewarding a woman for poor life choices. This is one musical you can bet I will not be seeing!

My final thought this morning: "These Protesters need to find a more effective approach."
Lving in Michiana you get your fill of hearing about Notre Dame, and when you attend one of the other colleges in St. Joe county you feel like they are the big brother whose shadow you can't seem to get out of. They just seem to have it all, and then they get presidents coming to their commencements. When I heard that, regardless of my political standings, I thought Wow! What an honor for those graduates! I guess that's not how everyone saw it. I can understand the contridiction in inviting a pro choice individual to speak at a Catholic university who believes so strongly in the sanctity of life. I can also understand that many individuals are requesting that the invitiation be rescinded, but I have yet to see someone who has found an effective way to voice that opinion. Those of you that know me, know I am as pro life as they come, but I have been disgusted at the means in which Randall Terry and his followers have attempted to voice their opinion on Notre Dames Campus. Gruesome pictures of aborted fetuses on semi's, strollers with baby dolls covered in blood, Helicoptors with graphic images. Yes, people need to understand the magnitude of their actions, but what about the small children who drive past those semi's who don't even know what abortion is? I have seen those images and have a hard time stomaching them, I can't even imagine the terror a school aged child would feel. How are parents and grandparents supposed to protect their children from these images, and even worse, what are the school bus drivers to do? If you truly feel that God has ordained you to stand up against Barrack Obama's visit to Notre Dame then you need to silently walk that campus is prayer, and ask God to do a work there, to protect the values that the Catholic church stands for. Obviously shock and awe has not been effective, but we are told with God on our side all things are possible, if you seek Him in this matter there is no telling in what way God can prevent that visit from happening.