Oprah Winfrey continues to get a bad rap for that $40 million gift to build a school for girls in South Africa – and not use the money for acute educational needs in America’s inner cities.
Five points:
1) It’s her money.
2) There’s no need for any other reason.
3) For the sake of argument, there’s Winfrey’s own on-point, politically incorrect rationale, as quoted in Newsweek magazine: “I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools (in America), that I just stopped going. The sense that you need to learn just isn’t there.”
4) To call her hypocritical because she promotes materialism as a high-profile, high-end consumer diva is an irrelevant cheap shot. She’s an American success story. She’s earned it. And she’s sharing a lot of it with those who appreciate it.
5) It’s her money.