Ellen: It’s Only “Different Beliefs" Because The Effect Is Minimal For You
Your white, classist privilege shields you.
If someone punches you and you cry, “you punched me in the face!” and they return with “I believe it’s not a punch, I just grazed you”, does that take away the actual effect of the hit? Are you going to agree to disagree? Sounds ridiculous right? That’s basically what racist, anti-LGBTQ, war criminal Bush and the Ellen debacle is — ridiculous.
Ellen DeGeneres went to a sporting event and was called out because she was beside, and laughing with, former president George W. Bush. People could not understand why someone part of the LGBTQ community would befriend someone who did believe in her equal right to marriage.
“I’m friends with a lot of people who don’t share the same beliefs that I have. We’re all different and I think that we’ve forgotten that it’s okay that we’re all different.”
Ellen handled it in a typically privileged, wealthy white woman manner when she addressed it on her show. She joked about the anger online, then responded we can be friends with people who have different beliefs. Her “live and let live", “be kind to all" is beautiful to hear… out of the mouth of an 7-year old who has yet to realize that not everyone deserves kindness. On the contrary, some will use your kindness to destroy you.
Naturally, the people who loved this quote the most are white and wealthy.
Honestly surprised Chris Evans didn’t jump onto this as the new “most beautiful moment” he’s ever seen. Or did he?
Different beliefs is the response people latch onto when they are unable to justify their actions. When someone’s “different beliefs" infringes on another’s right to exist as an equal in all facets of society, it is an assault.
It should not be trivialized as a mere difference of opinion. That difference effects the another person’s ability to find work, marry, maintain a job, enjoy a date, etc. That person wants to take your rights from you and should be regarded as a threat. Bush, based on his beliefs, acted with intent. If people like him had their way, “same sex marriage” would still be banned throughout the United States. Who knows? Thanks to all the hateful Bush-like individuals in government, we could be back there again.
The perils of being gay are minimized for Ellen. Reason being, she is a wealthy white women. The Ellens of the world will not have to worry the same way an anonymous LGBTQ couple walking down the street does, an danger compounded if they are Black or people of color. She does not exist at the intersections of oppression as her privileges of wealth and white skin shield her.
For her to make light on her show about the rage and betrayal felt by her actions shows a callous disregard for the people who support her and a disconnect to the realities of what Bush did while in office and what people like him (trump) are attempting to do in office currently.
A study at Brown University shows that the war Bush pushed for has death total around 500,000.
Civilian deaths in Afganistan, Pakistan and Iraq were around 400,000. And the study states these number are “an undercount". The actual numbers are likely much higher.
That does not take into account the psychological trauma experienced by both soldiers and civilians. And Bush, despite all evidence of murder and torture has never been brought to justice for his crimes.
“Different beliefs", Ellen?
Let’s also remember the failure during Hurrican Katrina in 2005. Many will remember this thanks to Kanye West’s “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people" speech.
Over 1000 people died and hundreds of thousands more were displaced. Assistance from government was inadequate to the degree of intentional negligence that was viewed as racist since around 70% of those affected by Hurrican Katrina were Black people — hence West’s reaction.
The Superdome that was opened for those fleeing the storm had little food, water or medical assistance. Bush was on vacation and later flew over the destruction that his, intentional or not, ineptitude helped create.
Meanwhile you had Bush’s mom, Barbara Bush, stating that the people seeking shelter were “underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.” This further cemented the lack of resources and proper assistance stemmed from a place of disregard for Black people.
But it’s all just “different beliefs" right Ellen?
We do not give a pass just because we perceive them as less of a threat or harmless. I guess if you’re white and wealthy you can.
What Bush did during his reign destroyed countless lives, both in and outside the US and that should not be forgotten or forgiven. Except if you’re white and wealthy.
Yet, people like Ellen do not care because it wasn’t targeted at them. Her “different beliefs" should be replaced with an honest “I don’t care". Ellen does not give a damn because she can still live her best life thanks to her privileges, she is not a victim of Bush’s. Cue Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me”.
