Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Digging Up The Past

It's been a while but, as my husband just said, "life's a bitch and she's back in heat."

Another day, another person in the public eye being shamed for something they did a long time ago. Legend John Wayne did a controversial interview with Playboy in 1971. Internet trolls are hungry for controversy, it's insatiable. Gas was 40 cents a gallon, it was seven years since the Civil Rights Act and John Wayne was not woke-as-fuck by today's standards. Could it be because it was a different time? Was the interview controversial at the time? Let's not condone his comments but understand his comments and, with that, see how far society has come.
It reminds me of people who are obsessed with a certain period of time, saying, "Oh I wish I was alive during the Revolutionary War or during the time of 1700's Scotland because of 'Outlander.' Things were so better back then - it was simpler times." Do you like shitting outside? Wooden teeth? No status as a woman? You can't even go five minutes when you can't find your Smartphone.
People who harp on rehabilitating inmates are the same people who are disgusted with John Wayne and Ralph Northam but champion for the fact people can change. What's the frequency Kenneth? I had a bowl-cut when I was in elementary school. Do I have a bowl-cut now? No. Thankfully I don't need my '80s mother to decide on my haircut - I should note she wouldn't be into bowl-cuts now because she has changed and so have the times! Should I be shamed for the bowl-cut I had decades ago? What does that little girl with a shitty cut have to do with me now other than scaring my soul?
On another note, how can you shame people for things they did a long time ago when we are not that far removed from some atrocious actions? World War II ended 73 years ago. That's not that long ago. The landmark Civil Rights Act was enforced 55 years ago. Think of gay marriage, interracial marriage, abortion ... we aren't that far removed from some shit.
So, leave John Wayne alone. Don't click on those articles. Pay them no mind. Shit happened a long time ago, luckily for us older folk we aren't famous so it wasn't documented - it being the dumbass shit we said and did. Let's move along and worry about more important things.