January 8, 2008This Week in the World: Doing what it takes
A 6-year old girl won tickets to a Hannah Montana concert by falsely claiming her father died in Iraq. The mother explained, “We did the essay and that’s what we did to win. We did whatever we could do to win.”
It’s amazing how easily some will “do what it takes” to get what they want. I suggest many of us do it in less blatant ways than this woman.
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Shame, shame on this mother. What a very bad example she has set for her daughter and everyone else. Kids learn from their parents and now the daughter has “permission” so to speak, to behave in the same bad way. It’s called being true to yourself and living a life in the most upstanding way you can. This mother failed to do this - but what goes around always comes back around so sooner or later she will reap what she has sown; deceitfulness and selfishness. Unfortunately, the world is FULL of people just like this mother — People, where are your values???
Comment by Susan — January 8, 2008 @ 3:15 pm
I disagree. There were no broken rules-the requirement to enter was not for a factual story. No one was hurt or dishonoured by the actions of the mom,particularly no soldiers.Soldiers are hurt by American government policy, not by a mom trying to win a prize to give her daughter. It was a story, not a biography. The mother cleverly figured out what would get the judges attention, allowing her to give her daughter something only a few wealthy parents could afford, tickets to see a made-up character. The contest sponsors decided to exploit the story as genuine, and ended up with egg on their faces as they didn’t bother to ask if it was a true story. As a parent, I think the mom was trying whatever she could to give her precious daughter a gift. Hannah Montana is a fictional character. Tickets to see her are ridiculously priced. The only victim here is the little girl who has been humiliated and won’t get to see the ’star’ she idolizes. No one else has been hurt in any way.
Comment by Luna Relle — January 8, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
Luna, you make a good point. You identify a gray area in the issue.
I contend that even if we are technically not lying, we do compromise our integrity when we lead others to believe things that are untrue. Of course we can’t know if she intended the judges to assume it was true to win on sympathy. If she did, I see it as dishonest and manipulative. If she never intended it to be believed, it’s a different story.
I don’t want to pile on the mother, and am saddened to see people condemn her mercilessly. I’m grateful my learning experiences haven’t made national news!
I present the incident for opportunity for us to look at the win at all costs mindset that is common in our culture and examine our own choices. We are continually faced with moral dilemmas that have no simplistic answers.
To me, the price of the tickets is irrelevant to the discussion, just as I wouldn’t justify stealing from a huge corporation by saying their prices are too high.
I very much appreciate your pointing out another perspective, raising questions, and making it clear that it’s not as simple, cut and dried and black and white as it has been portrayed…including by me. Thanks for pointing out the limitations in my perspective and raising thought for an important discussion.
These are integrity questions we all must answer for ourselves.
And keep our hearts open when we watch others struggle with them.
Comment by merylrunion — January 8, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
I too am grateful that my “life lessons” have not made national news. I think it is important that we notice the last part of the email and think about it also. “It’s amazing how easily some will “do what it takes” to get what they want. I suggest many of us do it in less blatant ways than this woman.” I think this is true and I, for one, intend to take a good look at places this may be the case in my life and make appropriate changes.
Comment by June — February 7, 2008 @ 12:09 pm