Sunday, September 13, 2009

Cinderella, "Happily Ever Afters" and Prejuidice

"Blood runs deeper than water", or so the saying goes.

My grand-daughter is watching "Cinderella". It is a "moral story" that has a significant message about prejuidice, justice, and "hope".

The story, as most Americans know, is about a girl's hopes of "becoming" and the wicked step-mother's determination that Cinderella's future will be undermined by limitations of her determination.

I walked into our family room, just at the moment in the movie when the invitation is opened to attend the "Ball". When the step-mother reads it out loud to her two daughters in Cinderella's presence, Cinderella exclaims that she also should be included. (The invitation is addressed to "All")

The step-mother says that Cinderella can go IF she gets all her chores done. (Cinderella is a "slave") She hurries to get everything done and get dressed, only to get attacked by her step-sisters and her step-mother. She is left destitute and runs away crying because she has "no hope". Prejuidice never allows another any "hope" of accomplishing their own ends. Prejuidice determines beforehand where one "fits" and doesn't make for any allowances.

There is something that resonates within the human heart about "hope", possibilities and potential. Cinderella has potential but she is disadvantaged.

The story ends in a happily ever after of a "fairy god-mother" who uses "magic" that makes everything "all right". Cinderella gets to attend the Ball and gets the Prince's attention. Cinderella and the Prince end up living happily ever after. Such are the dreams of every little girl. But, it is also the hope of the human heart.

Our American society allows such "creations" of human happiness, potentialities and justice. We believe in the ability of obstacles to be overcome and the underdog's ability to not be "kept under". And our society values the rule of law and civil liberties.

Our sense of justice is valued by our understanding of "blind justice". We do not believe that prejuidice or priviledge is in any way allowed within our courts of law! We believe that irregardless of "blood ties", or other ways of defining ourselves within our contexts, the/a human being is more important. And the/a human being must be allowed the freedom to attend the Ball, if she chooses and not be designated to "housefhold chores" (cleaning up another's mess).

The Founders believed, "all people are created equal, with certain inalienable rights. These are the rights of life, liberty and the 'pursuit of happiness".

6 comments:

J said...

I am enjoying some of your writing at American Creation, Miss Angie. Unfortunately, I don't care so much for the AC regs such as Van Dyke and Rowe: they are not moderates, but right-wing--really they seem extreme right wing. The American Revolutionaries may not have been "liberals" per se, but were not nazis either.

Note how upset Van Dyke gets at any sign of dissent. He's a nut--and not such a very proficient writer.

Angie Van De Merwe said...

I think that conservative politics doesn't jive with liberal theological persuasions.

Are you liberal politically?

Angie Van De Merwe said...

I think that conservative politics doesn't jive with liberal theological persuasions.

Are you liberal politically?

J said...

On some issues--such as economics--yes, I am somewhat liberal. Never been in the GOP--and haven't attended sunday school for over a decade or so.

At the same time, I'm not enamored of the Democrats. I was slightly in favor of Hillary, and just stayed home on Election day 2008, not willing to cast a vote for Obama or for McCain.

That said, I believe the GOP has brought on a lot of problems and backlash: in effect they create the liberals and leftists with their incompetence and corruption.

Angie Van De Merwe said...

Corruption is across the board, if you ask me. It just seems that the media gives a pass to the Democratic side.

So, I am glad these days that ACORN is being investigated, as it had been tabled there for awhile. Let's just see how pure any politician is.

I sometimes wonder if anyone can be "clean" and be in the "big" lake. It just seems that the political spectrum is colored such that one must play the game to ba a player. And I don't think that this was how the FF did things, did they?

Angie Van De Merwe said...

J,
I am sorry to hear that you are so disillusioned and that you had no hope that either candidate would do anything that you deemed important...and that you stayed home from the voting booth.

I am sorry I sounded so d misgruntled with our governement, as you did touch on some issues that are senstive for me. But, I do think we must take the time to be informed and to be involved if we are to see our nation continue to be free. We must continue to inform one another.

Thank you for your comment. and your answer to my question.