Janie Boschma

The name Paris Hilton has been absent from the news media for a while now after what was a summer filled with headlines and news stories dealing with the trials and tribulations of the hotel heiress, actress, model, or whatever you want to call her. And finally, when the 26-year-old is about to do some good with her life – albeit forced goodness – her name is still absent from the headlines. Why so?

A story broke Tuesday by E! Online which quotes Hilton as saying that she will be going to Rwanda sometime in November in an attempt to use her fame to bring to light social causes, which has been court ordered after serving a 23-day jail sentence earlier this year for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. She also was quoted as saying that she intends on adding eco-friendly touches to her new home in Beverly Hills, Calif.

If any coverage was given to this news, it seemingly was filled with negative connotations, and on Wednesday a large amount of people couldn’t help but bash the heiress for her efforts and begged her to help out Rwanda by simply not going. I find it interesting that Hilton couldn’t stay out of the news limelight when she was doing reckless and damaging things, but now when she will actually be doing something productive, either no one cares or no one can take it in a positive light.

Yes, it is court ordered, and I would highly doubt Hilton would be going if the court had not told her to do so. But despite her maybe not wanting to do this good deed, she is still doing it. Her heart may not be in the right place, but the fact that she could potentially help out a lot of people is something that, even done with resentment, still creates an end result that could help those in need.

Some are arguing that Hilton is doing something that others have done before, and that if they didn’t succeed in bringing attention to Rwanda that there is no possible way she could either. Celebrities such as Bono, Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Chris Tucker have all undergone expeditions to bring media attention to the ever growing travesties which are occurring in Rwanda. What could Hilton possibly do that these others haven’t already?

My response is she appeals more toward adolescent teenagers more than any of the above actors who are all over 40 years of age could. It’s one thing to see someone old enough to be your dad helping out in a country. At that age, you feel like you’re years away from making a difference and grasping the concept that you can make a difference isn’t always easy for these kids. But seeing Hilton, someone we must admit they look up to and idolize, making a difference at an age kids aren’t too far from being, might just get the kids, especially females who may think only hunky males can do humanitarian work or boys just interested in her looks, to strive to change things, just like their favorite person in the world, Paris Hilton.

Am I advocating anything that Hilton has done with her life up until this point? Not at all. Do I think she is doing this for the right reasons? Not a chance. But I think that by looking at the two opposite ends of the spectrum where you have a party happy, law-breaking Hilton being covered non-stop for an entire summer, and then the Hilton helping people out being covered barely at all, it really shows our society’s need to showcase one’s downfalls and mistakes. Whether Hilton deserve a second chance is really up to whoever is passing judgment, but does she deserve as much coverage for the good things she does as compared to the bad things she does? I believe this is absolutely the case.