There are things about society that bewilder me. It seems people are so quick to have an opinion about others that they have never met and that seems odd to me. Take for instance the slap heard round the United States…starring Will Smith. I didn’t even watch the Oscars, not because I didn’t want to, I was doing something else and forgot about them but at some point, I kept hearing about something Mr. Smith did so I thought I would check it out.

My experience at the clip I saw of Chris Rock’s comment towards Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith’s reaction left me dumbfounded.

About Mr. Smith…

I don’t know this man but I have followed him a bit because I think he is a great actor. I see he is trying to be a good man. He has great energy and he is trying to grow and be a positive force in the world. The fact that he has remained married so long as a Hollywood A-lister is admirable. Marriage is a special and complicated relationship at best, and Hollywood warps that experience to a place far beyond the norm…Then he walks up to Chris Rock, a comedian, known for his teasing style of comedy and slaps him for a comment that was not terrible…

I am still confused.

Enter everyone’s opinions. Some want him retired. Some sing his praises. Why do we think we get to judge people so much? Why does everyone think we all get a say?

If an actor is known for being violent on set and people don’t want to work with them, then they naturally will lose rolls. Personally I can’t consider that ending his career would be anyone’s right but his and the people who will or wont hire him. If a person has a bad moment at a public event and the committee that runs the event decides to restrict access or fine a person for behavior that is unbecoming, that is none of my business. I am sure the fact that Mr. Smith has been restricted from the Oscars for the next 10 years has made several people very happy; to me it is just a natural consequence.

Innocent people are losing their homes and lives in another part of the world. Children are going to bed hungry. People are living on the streets and every late night talk show host is talking about Will Smith…and I keep hearing how as a nation, we need to heal from this situation. The confusion keeps growing…

About Mr. Rock…

I am going to be honest here. I have rarely enjoyed Chris Rock. I don’t like how he picks at people but I understand that many people enjoy this style of comedy. However, as he has gotten older, I see he is softening. Honestly I thought his comment to Jada Pinkett-Smith about her short hair was not a put down. I think she is incredibly stunning with short hair. I did not know she had alopecia. Maybe he didn’t know either. And his reference to her starring in a GI Jane 2, could have been a compliment, in my opinion. GI Jane is a great movie.

I am incredibly astounded, still, by how he responded to Mr. Smith’s behavior. He took the slap and responded with grace; not only by keeping the show going but by not pressing charges and making the matter bigger. I must say I really respect Mr. Rock for his choices in this matter.

About Mrs. Pinkett-Smith

Why can’t I find what she thinks about all this? Hello? She is a strong woman. She doesn’t usually require saving. I don’t know her, but, like her husband, I have admired her work and the authenticity she tries to embody.

I really thought about this situation more than I wanted to. Days later, it occurred to me that I never prayed for them so I did and God whispered things to me that helped me have even more compassion for all of them. I am so thankful I am not part of the Hollywood Roster

In a Nut Shell…

One guy hit another guy for making a comment about his wife. The guy who got hit forgave the guy that hit him and the guy that hit him admitted he was wrong and asked to be forgiven. Yes, many people saw it, but really it was a personal issue that got aired in public because of a moment of bad judgment. Nobody else was hit. These things happen every day. The only difference is that we are talking about celebrities and not Steve and Mark, down the block. As a society, I maintain that putting people on platforms because they are talented enough to make a ton of money, dishonors the regular Joes and Janes in the world and my brain cannot see value in that. Will Smith is a valuable person but he is no more valuable than me and I don’t want to be judged by one bad moment.

All this judging of each other is a waste of time and this imaginary need to heal as a nation we put on ourselves only distracts us from real things we need to heal from. We definitely need to keep praying for ourselves and each other.

My one thought…the scene that would have been epic..

After Chris Rock made his comment about Jada Pinkett-Smith being in GI Jane 2

Pinkett-Smith: Borrowing Demi Moore’s line after a severe beating by the Master Chief, “Suck my dick!”

Will and anyone at the Oscars: acting as Moore’s fellow soldiers, “Hoorah!”

…now that would have been a great moment…

Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.

Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:

Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.

I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.

I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.