Why I Won’t Share That Ellen Video
Where is the line between being kind and being complicit?
This week, a photograph and subsequent video of Ellen DeGeneres has been all over my Facebook feed. Each time I see a friend share it with hearts in their eyes, I feel a bit more discomfort. In the video, Ellen says:
Here’s the thing, I’m friends with George Bush. In fact, 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 that’s ok that we’re all different. Just because I don’t agree with someone on everything, doesn’t mean that I’m not gonna be friends with them. When I say “Be kind to one another,” I don’t mean only the people that think the same way that you do. I mean be kind to everyone.
Of course, on a fundamental level, I agree that we should all strive to be kind to each other. Still, something about the video bothered me, and after thinking about it, I realized that it was the underlying current of judgement.
I have an issue with a celebrity’s opinion being used to spread the idea that standing for your values by choosing not to be friends with certain people is wrong.
