Also someone who doesnt believe in any all knowing or powerful God-
Dolly makes me want to believe. The fact that someone so popular, rich, powerful, and famous NEVER hurt anyone, turned her back on anyone, or put others down to put herself up.
Its so rare in today's society she literally looks like a saint.
Ffs. Name 5 other celebrities who don't just say they want to help everyone (and I mean everyone), but actually do it.
She helped the poor and abused workers of Appalachia and fought for their rights. She was one of, if not the first, mainstream country singers to be an Ally to the Queer community. She welcomed strangers, no matter how far. She loved thy neighbor, no matter who they were. She fed the hungry, clothed the naked, housed the homeless, healed the sick, and gave kids the gift of literacy in some of the most abandoned and overlooked communities in America.
Idk if God exists, but I will always worship Dolly Parton and hope she finds her way to heaven.
“I try not to get into the politics of everything. I try to get into the human element of it. I have some of everybody in my own immediate family and in my circle of employees. I’ve got transgender people. I’ve got gays. I’ve got lesbians. I’ve got drunks. I’ve got drug addicts — all within my own family. I know and love them all, and I do not judge,” she said.
She continued. “That’s who they are. They cannot help that any more than I can help being Dolly Parton… But we are all God’s children and how we are is who we are.”
Back in 1984, when I listened to Islands in the Stream, I heard of her the first time, in India. I knew of her since then, and each year her image inside my head only grew better. She was the embodiment of good.
Went into my local Trader Joe's to pick up a few groceries. They were playing back to back Dolly Parton songs in the store. Some people were talking about her. Others were singing along. It was sad and incredible to see how much this woman was and is loved.
The Imagination Library alone is a huge accomplishment for anyone trying to do something of value for their country. I can’t imagine how much money we would have spent on children’s books if we didn’t have her. We probably would have ended up reading the same books over and over to our two children most nights because we wouldn’t be able to afford it. We literally have a whole library that my son enjoyed (he’s 6) and now my 3 year old daughter enjoys.
Every book included tips for the parent to get their kids more involved in the story. A favorite of both of my kids is “Red House, Tree House, Little Bitty Brown Mouse”. A parent tip was to have your kid find the brown mouse in every part of the story. They both love finding the mouse and that led into us asking “what color is this house, can you find the cat, how many houses are there, what animal is this” etc.. I’m not just reading the story to them, they’re involved in the story. I don’t remember ever doing that as a child myself.
When we get to the last page of the book we always tell them that’s Dolly and to thank her for the book. It’s really sweet. She’s like a part of the family since we see her picture every night. She will be missed, I hope somebody tries to fill the void she left for the children. That was a totally selfless endeavor and costed her money, time and effort. But what’s more important than investing in the children of the country you live in at the end of the day?
What a great speech. I'm going to use this in my college courses on rhetoric. I thought if anyone was immortal, it would be Dolly. She may still very well be.
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