Dear Katie Hopkins,
Last week I was mildly irritated when you made some (in my mind) ridiculous comments about how you judged children by their names. I watched the clip on YouTube and like the vast majority of people who did, cheered when Holly Willoughby put you in your place by cutting you off while you were speaking. But life’s too short to worry about things I can’t control so I moved on and forgot all about you.
But then today someone has kindly filled me in on your opinions about ginger babies and this time, at the risk of sounding like a corny Hollywood movie, this time it’s personal.
Ginger babies. Like a baby. Just so much harder to love.
Katie Hopkins. Twitter 04/07/13
Do you really think that or is it just another outspoken statement designed to create controversy to make you an in demand guest on the TV and radio? You see, I’m pretty sure that you are saying these things to create a reaction in people (and yes, I know that’s what I’m doing right now so you win) rather than voicing your own opinions. I think you ‘sell’ better when you’re controversial so you make ridiculous statements like you have been doing lately.
Are you really so shallow that the first question you asked when your child was born was ‘Is he ginger?’ rather than asking if he was OK? Or is that just a made up story to get more reaction from people? I have a pretty low opinion of you but I’m convinced that any mother would be more concerned about the well being of their child than worrying about their hair colour so I have to assume that this wouldn’t genuinely have been the first question you asked.
And if it was, then I pity your children more than I did before. Children learn from their parents and if you’re not careful, your children will grow up to be unpopular, prejudiced and judgmental but hey, at least they won’t be ginger!
You may have guessed by now that my children both have ginger hair and I could not love them any more. They are kind and loving, caring and intelligent – all of the things that matter. I tell my children they are beautiful and handsome (not politically correct I know) every day and I want them to grow up happy and confident and then someone like you comes along with remarks like you made on Twitter last week.
Have you considered the fact that your one tweet was retweeted 1124 times and even with limited knowledge about the reach of Twitter, I know that this means your silly, silly opinion will have been seen by more people than I could ever hope to reach with this post.
We need to teach our children to be accepting of others and not to judge someone by their name or hair colour. In fact to judge someone by their name and hair colour is the same as treating people differently because of their skin colour, or their age or even if they have a disability. The example you’re setting, for not only your children but for a whole generation of children is wrong.
So please, next time you speak. Think about what you’re about to say and the impact it will have on others.
Think about the little boy who lives near to us who is now being bullied because his name is the same as one of those that you mentioned on This Morning last week and think about my daughter who has just asked me what’s so wrong with ginger people that you don’t like them. Because whether I like it or not, children are aware of your opinions – be it through their parents or from watching you on TV and to me, that means you, Katie Hopkins, should be setting a better example.
Thank you.
