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Mary,

My suspicions have been confirmed. The sociological commentary isn’t a pretty picture.

I did e-mail both my boys and here are their responses or lack thereof, which in itself is a statement. The translation of “no response” to questions that I thought should have been easy just screams DISTURBING and feedback deserved of a million dollar endowment for sociological study. So here goes:

Blake: Paris Hilton finally crashed and burned and people are happy.

Garrett: Paris Hilton is a talent-less tramp who carries around some type of mongrel in her purse.

As for role models, Blake said, “I had role models years ago but gave up on them when they became hypocrites”.

Garrett’s response was….no response.

Yikes. So much cynicism. This is disheartening considering when we were growing up we looked to our heroes and role models for positive direction and wanted to emulate them at some level.

I am surprised that none of our kids singled out Bill Gates. He changed the course of all of our lives with personal computers and is as philanthropic as Oprah.

I’m afraid this is where WORDS really have meaning, and the GEEK FACTOR plays a part. Remember how our kids avoided the “geeks” at any cost and only traveled with their accountabilabuddies. Together, they constantly pushed the envelope with local police and had to spend time at Habitat For Humanity doing court-ordered community service.

I am hoping for a BREAKING NEWS story regarding generation X’ers and their lack of adulation for anything or anyone that doesn’t make constant headlines for really bad behavior, have some sick or bizarre video on youtube, and be able to support all of these antics with a wallet the size of Canada to help us figure out the question…Where have all the role models gone?

We all had hoped that 30 days in the hoosegow would provide countless lessons to the young Ms. Hilton, the least being she would learn to survive without hair extensions and the biggest being she would never again be the designated driver and the words “I got shot-gun” are continuously being shouted from her yap.

My hopes were dashed after watching Pitiful Pouffy Paris on Larry King (Still) Alive having difficulty citing her favorite scripture verse based upon her newly found “reborn” status found behind bars, and not being decisive regarding which women’s charity she would soon be contributing to.

If my sons ever become fans, they’re out of the will.

Lorraine

Lorraine,

Okay, I’m not sure whether or not I need to get on an antidepressant immediately or pat myself on the back for a well deserved nod of approval from my children.

They all answered me back within the day. I’m still in shock by the expediency in how quickly they got back to me. First, the good news:

All four of them said that I was one of their biggest role models! Yeah (that little side $$$ bribe didn’t hurt either)!

The bad news: While the boys listed some positive role models, not one of them included a woman. And the girls, as much time as they racked their brains, couldn’t come up with one.

Here’s what they said to the Paris Hilton question:

Brent (25): “I hate Paris Hilton and love that she is going to jail! I despise her.”

Nate (24): What do I think of Paris Hilton? I try not to. She’s pathetic, seems
stupid, and is boring. However, I would be lying if I said I didn’t find her
somewhat interesting. I think it says a lot more about the superficial culture of America and even the world for that matter that this woman is famous because she really hasn’t accomplished anything.

Kellie (22): Paris Hilton is a spoiled rotten talent-less sl..t.

Cassie (19): I think Paris Hilton is either the dumbest person in the world for
thinking that for some reason she is God’s gift to the world because her
Dad is loaded; or she is a genius for being so famous and having
absolutely no talent.
Now for the role models:

Brent: Clinton, P. Diddy and Jay-Z.
Nate: Clinton, Howard Stern, Dave Chappelle and Malcom X
Kellie: No role models.
Cassie: The desperate housewives. They marry rich and die young (just kidding Mom!).

So there you have it, Lorraine. No worries about any of my kids trying to emulate Paris Hilton. As for role models, they consist of an impeached President, rap singers, a comic and according to Nate, a true altruist.

Your turn, Mary

Mary,

How unfortunate that this whole P.H. subject is HOT and TOPICAL and that she made the cover of People magazine. I must admit I’m feeling a bit hesitant about jumping into the verbal Paris Hilton visits the Big House fray because I’d like to think that I am above all that.

This exempts me, however, from American Idol. I love American Idol and found myself emotionally involved and ridiculously obsessed with the show in general. In fact, I’ve been in withdrawal mode since the season ended and am anxiously awaiting the fall season.

I digress. You are so right about the lack of positive well-balanced role models for our sons and daughters today. They are gone and seemingly replaced with rock stars who refuse to wear underwear, celebrities in and out of rehab centers and divorce courts, and athletes who lie about performance enhancement drugs and deny fathering children out of wedlock.

Your e-mail made some great points and I’ve now become curious as to how my own boys would respond to these two questions. I’m going to e-mail them now and will get back to you as soon as I hear from them (let’s hope it’s sometime this month).

Lorraine, I’ve been ruminating lately about the celeb rat packs (women who carry small dogs in purse patches) such as Paris Hilton. Since she’s been released from jail, her friends Nicole and Lindsey have seen some iron bars themselves. Britney seems to be destined for some time in the slammer. So, I’ve been struck with the ominous question: WHO ARE MY CHILDREN’S ROLE MODELS, ESPECIALLY MY DAUGHERS?

I began thinking back to right before Paris Hilton went to jail (the leader of the pack). I remember watching The View and those women who never listen to each other were discussing this very critical national security issue of Paris Hilton and her impending jail sentence. Paris was fighting this so hard, she seemed willing to give up her first-born pooch purse.

Why was the legal system being so hard on Poor Pouty Paris? I mean, reaaaalllly, it was just a couple of minor offenses like DUI’s, fender benders, driving at night without headlights on, and oh yes, operating a vehicle with that pesky suspended license. The authorities are surely being tough on her to set an example for the rest of us. I’m appalled.

As the mother of four children who are around her age, I am appalled!
NOT…

As I sat there chewing antacids, calcium included, at a record rate watching clips of Paris and her enabling mother leaving the courtroom, I was stricken with the horrible thought that my children, especially my daughters, really don’t have any great role models (other than me, of course) for their generation.

Rosie, Joy, Baba and even Baby Lizzie must have been reading my mind because they started pointing out the same thing. The first three couldn’t think of any good younger role models for young women and Lizzie astutely pointed out the often thought of role model Mandy Moore (Mandy who?).

It brought me back to the day when our role models were Gloria Steinem, Betty Freidan and the many women who protested and demanded equality in the work force, protested the Vietnam War and worked in both their careers and motherhood.

I think we can all agree that the feminist movement is sadly a thing of the past. This generation of young people seems more concerned with what’s going on in the daily lives of celebrities than the ongoing ravages of the war in Iraq or global warming.

God help me, I hope I’m wrong. Young people ages 16-30, please tell me I’ve got early onset of dementia and name all the great role models that serve as your muses (and please tell me you know what that word means).

With that in mind, I’ve decided before I make unfair judgments against my offspring and their peers, I’d go to them directly and ask them 2 questions:

1. What do you think of Paris Hilton?
2. Who are your role models (besides me of course)?

Anybody out there with kids, ask them and tell us who their role models are.