She once devoted one of her shows to the dilapidated condition of American schools. She stated she felt the impoverished physical environment subconsciously affected the students’ ability to perform and even their self-esteem. The students shown on her show didn’t seem to be materialistic, so her statement to Newsweek seems to conflict with what she showed on her program.

What is also strange is though she complained of American kids’ materialistic attitude, she lavished the South African girls with plush surroundings: flat-screen t.v., spa and beauty salon. She has spared no expense to make sure they live in requisite luxury.

Another issue I have is that on one of the after shows (the Oxygen network use to run this) for the Oprah show, an audience member asked Oprah why she built a school for girls in Africa, but not for boys. Her response was honest, but surprisingly shortsighted. First off, I want to say that adults who aren’t concerned with their well-being are exploiting both boys and girls in Africa who have lost their parents to AIDS. Oprah stated, and I’m paraphrasing, that she could do what she wanted with her money and that she built the school for girls because, as a woman, she identifies with girls. She therefore shut out boys, who are suffering equally as much and who face an uncertain future, due to a technicality.

I want to be very careful about making too much out of her philanthropic gestures because who truly knows what her motivation is. I think people really need to start paying more attention to what she says on her show and stop being blinded by the “good” things she’s done. It’s all a very well-conceived PR plan if you ask me. Her well-intentioned gesturest doesn’t make her above reproach. I think she’s in a dangerous place where wealth and status, at least by society’s standards, give her release from accountability. It’s as if to say because she’s worked hard to build what she has in her career this, in turn, is a free pass for irresponsible, questionable comments.

As far as her exclusion of African boys from her school, she didn’t seem to show any awareness of how limited her explanation was for not reaching out to them. She turned her back on these subjugated boys strictly because she couldn’t “identify” with them, but I guess it’s all good ’cause she’s Oprah and she can do what she wants.

It seems you dont have a life. You should’nt really get sick. They are not your kids (or your relatives for that matter). Its not your country. Its not your money they are getting, They dont live in your neibourhood and you dont really have to look at them anyway.

peace