I wish to respond to the editorial titled “Oprah and the kids back home” (Jan. 6).
I strongly disagree with the opinions expressed in the editorial for the following reasons: First, it’s Oprah’s money and she is free to do with it as she wishes and donate to those causes she feels worthy, including building a $40 million complex for South African schoolgirls. It is not up to the Tribune or anyone to pass judgment on it. Second, Oprah is nothing if not a smart businesswoman. She is placing her money in those locations that it will have the greatest impact and where the recipients will truly appreciate it. Any smart businesswoman should do no less.
Finally, the Tribune’s comments about Oprah’s wealth being built on consumer products and then her “complaining about materialism among America’s city kids” is disingenuous at best and hypocritical at worst. I don’t see the Tribune scaling back any of its advertising (or the profits that come from it), especially during the past holiday season.
The issue is not commercialism/materialism but the values that are taught in the home and what parents allow their children to be exposed to. Hopefully, Oprah’s comments can become a catalyst for a real discussion about what we value in this country.
