The Help

A few years ago my husband and I hosted foreign exchange students. Both of our students were from Germany. One thing that we learned from both of them is the shame that many people from Germany share of the views of Nazi Germany. One of our students even made the statement that they are not proud of their country. I can remember trying to comfort them with the thoughts that the persecution that the Jews felt back then was not their fault and they should be proud that they are no longer under the communist regime.

In visiting many landmarks with these students we visiteded Atlanta, GA and went to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. After visiting all the memorabilia from Martin Luther King, Jr. I was overwhelmed with the same shame that both the girls felt. This is defiantly a time in the history of the United States that we should not be proud of.

Last night my hubby and I saw the movie The Help. Those same feelings of shame and disgrace overwhelmed me once again. This movie is incredible. I had really wanted to read the book but I have been so busy that I knew that I would never get around to it. If you are living under a rock somewhere and you haven't heard about it...here is a brief description via the website....

Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, a southern society girl returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives -- and a small Mississippi town -- upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent more »southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter's best friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up -- to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter's life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories -- and as it turns out, they have a lot to say.

I recommend it to everyone except small children (due to some language). I am however going to allow my 12 year old son to watch it. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will pray for forgiveness for the past.