A library at the school is being built by Blair's family with monies left by her grandfather. It's to be in his name. Natalie does some research for the paper and finds out Blair's grandfather was a Ku Klux Klan benefactor. Blair is devastated by it.
This was a funny episode with a sticky subject to it. I love the character of Blair. She is devastated when she finds out her grandfather, whom she adored, was a benefactor to the Ku Klux Klan.
I couldn't help but think of that real-life story of how actor Ben Affleck found out his ancestor was a slave owner and wanted to cover it up in some show about ancestries in 2015, where the show does the research for famous people.
I thought Blair as a rich southern white woman being outraged and sad was actually kind of touching. What I'm trying to say is that she is not a racist, and sees the wrongness of the treatment of black people in the past.
I had to laugh at how Blair was over-compensating to try and make up for her grandfather's deeds. Especially to Tootie, who told her what her grandfather did wasn't Blair's fault. I feel Blair made the right decision in letting the library project go through but taking her grandfather's name off of it. I also appreciated that she wanted a Black Studies section. Initially, she wanted the entire library to be dedicated to that, but Tootie suggested a section.
I think this is a sticky subject that is relevant today, as people whose ancestors were racist and/or slaves owners, try to come to terms with it. No, it wasn't their fault what their ancestors did. But Blair did her best to try and make things right in the here-and-now.
I'm sure some would argue she could do more, or indeed the library should have been dedicated entirely to Black Studies, as Blair initially wanted. But I felt for this one half-hour comedy/drama back in 1982, they did a pretty decent resolve of the story.
Blair wants to hate her grandfather. She can't wrap her mind around it that her grandfather who treated her so good, and that she adored, was really a hateful man towards other races. Mrs. Garrett tells her to hang on to the part of him that was good to her. Some people might argue that Blair should continue to hate him and be ok with that, but the thing is, it was eating away at Blair. Mrs. Garrett believes people should embrace compassion, empathy, and love. Hate can destroy people and a person's soul.
I can't help but appreciate once again Mrs. Garrett's words of wisdom when Blair was considering canceling the library project altogether. Great delivery by Charlotte Rae as she emphasizes a way to make amends with a hint of irony in such a caring and compassionate way towards Blair:
"You know, from a man who spent a lifetime promoting ignorance, maybe a library is a fitting gift."
8/10.
This was a funny episode with a sticky subject to it. I love the character of Blair. She is devastated when she finds out her grandfather, whom she adored, was a benefactor to the Ku Klux Klan.
I couldn't help but think of that real-life story of how actor Ben Affleck found out his ancestor was a slave owner and wanted to cover it up in some show about ancestries in 2015, where the show does the research for famous people.
I thought Blair as a rich southern white woman being outraged and sad was actually kind of touching. What I'm trying to say is that she is not a racist, and sees the wrongness of the treatment of black people in the past.
I had to laugh at how Blair was over-compensating to try and make up for her grandfather's deeds. Especially to Tootie, who told her what her grandfather did wasn't Blair's fault. I feel Blair made the right decision in letting the library project go through but taking her grandfather's name off of it. I also appreciated that she wanted a Black Studies section. Initially, she wanted the entire library to be dedicated to that, but Tootie suggested a section.
I think this is a sticky subject that is relevant today, as people whose ancestors were racist and/or slaves owners, try to come to terms with it. No, it wasn't their fault what their ancestors did. But Blair did her best to try and make things right in the here-and-now.
I'm sure some would argue she could do more, or indeed the library should have been dedicated entirely to Black Studies, as Blair initially wanted. But I felt for this one half-hour comedy/drama back in 1982, they did a pretty decent resolve of the story.
Blair wants to hate her grandfather. She can't wrap her mind around it that her grandfather who treated her so good, and that she adored, was really a hateful man towards other races. Mrs. Garrett tells her to hang on to the part of him that was good to her. Some people might argue that Blair should continue to hate him and be ok with that, but the thing is, it was eating away at Blair. Mrs. Garrett believes people should embrace compassion, empathy, and love. Hate can destroy people and a person's soul.
I can't help but appreciate once again Mrs. Garrett's words of wisdom when Blair was considering canceling the library project altogether. Great delivery by Charlotte Rae as she emphasizes a way to make amends with a hint of irony in such a caring and compassionate way towards Blair:
"You know, from a man who spent a lifetime promoting ignorance, maybe a library is a fitting gift."
8/10.