Anne Frank: a Belieber

[HYHYBT]

Is there something unusual about this guestbook that a person writing in it would expect the contents to be in the news? As opposed to, say, most likely nobody even seeing it once the page filled up and was turned?

(That they *have* published the contents doesn't, by itself, qualify as a reason to know that they do.)

[Andara Bledin]

Quite honestly, I can't really see why anyone cares. Was it a slow news day or something?

[Hyena Dandy]

I don't see the big deal here. It's not co-opting her name, and that headline is horribly misleading.

"Hopefully she would have been a belieber" not "Anne Frank would have loved me." or even just "She would have been a belieber."

It doesn't seem that much worse than if someone not famous wrote "I would have liked to be friends with her."

[Gravekeeper]

Quite honestly, I can't really see why anyone cares. Was it a slow news day or something?

I care because I wish he'd stop embarrassing our country =p

Its like having a mouthy little brother you have to go around apologizing for.

[Andara Bledin]

What's to apologize for?

That he expressed that he'd hope someone he considered "a great girl" would have been a fan?

I see this as maybe faintly tacky. Certainly not newsworthy. Definitely lower on the outrage-meter than the situation with the monkey.

[smileyeagle1021]

Is there something unusual about this guestbook that a person writing in it would expect the contents to be in the news? As opposed to, say, most likely nobody even seeing it once the page filled up and was turned?

When you are an internationally known celebrity anything you say or write can be expected to be reviewed, scrutinized, and very possibly turned into news.

That said, it was an immature thing to write, the wording was very juvenile considering the context. Anne Frank's house, as has been noted, is considered by many to be hallowed ground, and deserves a higher level of respect than "I hope she would be a belieber"... "I hope she would be one of my fans" or "I would have loved the opportunity to perform for her" or something similar would be much more the appropriate tone. It really seems that people are a lot more upset over how he said it and not the idea that he was trying to convey. Not that different than someone writing "yo dawg, Anne Frank is my home girl" would draw criticism, it's a good sentiment, but poorly expressed.

[Gravekeeper]

What's to apologize for?

I'm Canadian. I can't help it.

[Andara Bledin]

It really seems that people are a lot more upset over how he said it and not the idea that he was trying to convey.

The quotes they included in the article paint a different picture:
"VERY self serving"
"That little idiot is way too full of himself"
"Way to turn an inspiring moment into something about yourself"

Those are parts of the first three comments quoted. I sincerely doubt any of them would have been happy even had he expressed it in a less 'pop' manner.

[Ree]

It was a thoughtless remark.
She was a teenaged girl.
Teen girls make up his fan base.
I see it as a poorly worded way to connect with her.
He was acknowledging that she was a normal young girl who would have enjoyed all the usual things that other girls get to experience if that horrible event of her life hadn't happened.

It's just another typical media mountain from a molehill where they have negated any good thing he did say by focusing on one part.

He achieved fame at a very young age, and has been in the spotlight ever since.
His teen years have consisted of performing and being interviewed and dealing with phenomenal success and admiration. I would think that kind of environment where he hasn't been able to mature normally and interact with peers has completely skewed his perception.
If a young child spends years surrounded by people focused totally on him, and being told he is the best thing since the invention of pockets, then he is going to start believing his own press.

Sadly, he hasn't had the kind of support and guidance to learn that he isn't the center of the universe, and now that he has reached almost adulthood, he is doing and saying stupid things.

This was just one more to add to his list.

Again, he also said, "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl."
The media has chosen to ignore that part.

As someone pointed out in the comments directed at him, "'Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart' - Anne Frank"

[smileyeagle1021]

Those are parts of the first three comments quoted. I sincerely doubt any of them would have been happy even had he expressed it in a less 'pop' manner.

Perhaps I would have phrased it better to say that "most reasonable people"
We all know that the internet isn't known for attracting reasonable people in great numbers.

[Salted Grump]

As one of my friends said; 'I doubt she would have been a Belieber, because that would mean being one of millions of people that slavishly follow a charismatic lunatic around. Like the ones that she was in hiding from for a significant fraction of her life.'

[Andara Bledin]

While it's supposed to be a joke, that's pretty tacky and despite the topic, it still manages to Godwin it.

[Hyena Dandy]

As one of my friends said; 'I doubt she would have been a Belieber, because that would mean being one of millions of people that slavishly follow a charismatic lunatic around. Like the ones that she was in hiding from for a significant fraction of her life.'

That is... Actually way worse than what Bieber did. >_<

Bieber's accused of being self-promoting and trying to take advantage of her tragedy for something far less important.

Except, pretty clearly, THAT ISN'T WHAT HE DID. He badly expressed empathy.

That is EXACTLY what your friend does. Taking advantage of her tragedy to say "Ha, Justin Bieber fans are stupid!"

Seriously, I hope you yelled at him/her for that. >_<

[SongsOfDragons]

Guestbooks are just asking for trouble. >.< I wrote in the one at Palace House in Beaulieu last Sunday, and on the open page alone were comments by little kids... "Boring" "Stupid" "My house is better". My mother would have given me a good hiding if I'd dared to write that kind of thing, if she'd even allowed me to - and it seems a stately home is not a place for such a low-attention-span child! Go hang around the Motor Museum instead...

The Bieb-phizog was trying; he may have failed at the last phrase but he tried. He's got worse problems than that I think, if he keeps acting with no boundaries - and at least he visited and appreciated the place, unlike the kids at Palace House, who at least were not adults nor celebrities. I went to the house in 2006 and I enjoyed it - the stairs there are really steep and creaky!

Oh and Godwin's Law - this is Anne Frank, who lived in WWII close to Nazi territory. Of course the probability of mentioning them is going to approach 1 very swiftly. XD

[Hyena Dandy]

Oh and Godwin's Law - this is Anne Frank, who lived in WWII close to Nazi territory. Of course the probability of mentioning them is going to approach 1 very swiftly. XD

Yes, but I believe part of the law requires that the mentioning of Nazis can't be when the discussion is actually about historical Nazis.

So somehow Godwinning an ANNE FRANK thread is impressive.