I wanted to give people a fresh post on this since it felt like everyone fought about it for a full 72 hours on the internet. On Thursday, the Duchess of Sussex visited Uvalde, Texas in a private capacity. She flew from California to Texas, she left flowers at the memorial site – where she was photographed by media outlets and photo agencies already on the ground – and she dropped off two large crates of food at a local blood donation center. At the donation center and the memorial, she spoke to people and introduced herself as Meghan. Most of the people she spoke to didn’t even know who she was. They thought she was someone in their community, a neighbor or friend.
There was a lot of talk about whether Meghan should have done this or that or whether she “pulled attention” or what have you. She’s a private citizen and a mother. She can do whatever she wants, full stop. I didn’t think her appearance pulled attention, I thought it brought attention. More importantly, it brought attention to a community consumed by grief. By dropping off food, she also drew attention to the blood donation center (which I didn’t know about before then). In times of grief and crisis, people bring food to each other. That’s what people do.
Regarding Meghan having her own security with her… I’m glad she did. Apparently, that is how some of the photographers recognized her? What was she supposed to do, arrange for protection from the Uvalde police, the same police who stood around, tasering and handcuffing parents for an hour while children were being slaughtered? Meghan didn’t take up any resources in Texas, and she BROUGHT resources, like food, increased attention and likely donations. This whole thing reminded me so much of Angelina Jolie’s visits to refugee camps. Jolie coordinates with the UNHCR of course, but Jolie’s aim has always been to not take up resources on the ground. She arranges the media herself, she has her own security, she pays for her own transportation and her goal is to draw attention to the refugees and the political situations which cause refugee crises. Remarkably similar with Meghan’s visit.
Over the weekend, the Daily Mail columnist Amanda Platell had a column called “Sorry Harry and Meghan, you are NOT welcome at the Queen’s Jubilee.” In the piece, Platell excoriates Meghan for… arriving in Texas before Joe Biden (what a random criticism) and for going to a public memorial instead of meeting privately with the parents (she would have been criticized if she had done that too). Anyway, Platell is very worried that Meghan will pull a similar “stunt” which will take attention away from the Queen’s fakakta Jubbly. Meanwhile, Meghan was invited personally BY the Queen, but I guess no one wants to talk about that.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
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