Download: RSS | Email Alerts | SMS Alerts | Mobile
Find It
Facebook
13WHAM News on Your iPhone
Facebook 13WHAM on Twitter

Ageism, Racism and Hilton-ism?

Posted by: Norma Holland
Email: nholland@13wham.com
Last Update: 8/08/2008 3:27 pm
Set Text Size SmallSet Text Size MediumSet Text Size LargeSet Text Size X-Large
You know the gloves are coming off in a presidential campaign when Hollywood gets involved.  Both candidates this year have harnessed the power of celebrity endorsement in some way or another.  Now it’s getting really ugly.  Recently John McCain released an ad in which he claims Barack Obama has more celebrity than political muscle.  It evens features Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, although they’re not mentioned by name. The ad questions whether Obama is ready for office.

Days later, Ms. Hilton released her own ad  (Warning: one swear word used).  It was a response in which she refers to McCain as an “old, white haired guy.”  She questions, in a mocking way, whether McCain is ready to lead.  This isn’t the first time McCain’s age has made fun of and, to be honest, I kind of feel bad for the guy.  I feel badly for both of them. One gets grief because he’s smooth, smart and Black.  The other gets it because he’s seasoned, Senior, and White.  In neither case should those issues matter. 

This all brings me to my point.  The race has sunken low….it has become ordinary.  There are some serious issues facing our country.  I, for one, am worried about health care.  How will my generation pay for it in 30 years when we need it the most?  I’m worried about energy production and consumption.  My family’s next car will likely be a hybrid (if we can A. find it and B. afford it!). 

Can we clean it up for Election Day?  Give voters something to think about, something other than Hilton in a bikini.








About the Show
"Many Voices, Many Visions" is a multicultural public affairs program airing on 13WHAM-TV Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. The show explores our community's diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, creed, age, gender, gender orientation and ability. Teachers are invited to tape the programs for educational use. Each week the original "Many Voices, Many Visions" theme song is performed by different Rochester community members. Student performances are welcome.

For information about the show, call (585) 321-2204 or e-mail Norma Holland at NHolland@13wham.com.

  This site is hosted and managed by Inergize Digital.