* considered one of the most beautiful women ever - period
* great relationship with her mother
* showered with love and concern when she announced her plans to marry Federline (I refuse to call that fucker by his ridiculous nickname, K-Fed - it's just stupid).

Phase two:
* Discovers Federline's a user/loser who married her for money and connections (plus bragging rights as the guy who's sexing Britney up)
* involved in several incidents while trying to escape paparazzi that cast doubt on her ability to be a good mother to her children (any mother would drive away with her baby in her lap if a strange man suddenly flung open the door of her vehicle and leaned in - how's she supposed to know he doesn't mean any harm if he behaves aggressively??)
* relationship with mother declines
* starts ill-advised friendship with Paris Hilton (HUGE mistake - all who do end up seriously screwed up/on booze, drugs or both and for some reason become unable to remember to put on their underpants)
* suffers very public mental breakdown due to everything going to hell all at once.

Britney herself is to blame for a great deal of the disasters that seem to plague her on an almost daily basis. However, her problems are not all completely of her own doing.

For one, who can help who we fall in love with? Falling for the wrong person is a universal experience, and often it causes us to engage a powerful emotional and psychological (not to mention logical) filter in regard to the one we love. Until something happens to crack the filter, the one we love is viewed as near-perfection; of unassailable character and endless devotion. This is not unique to Britney, she just had a lot more to lose than some of the rest of us in terms of reputation and funds. It's a hideous situation but it happens every day. Going into 'I told you so, bitch' mode doesn't help her, nor does it change anything.

As I've said before, I can really relate to what Britney's been dealing with. Not the money issue (this girl should be so lucky), but I've had my struggles with husband #1 and my family. The situation of the family suddenly siding with the ex is an all-too painful and familiar one to me. My chances of losing John were pretty good, considering that my dad threatened that if I left the ex he was going to go to court with him and help him take John from me. My brother agreed that this was the right course of action. Fortunately, they had absolutely no ammo. And they knew it. I try to be a good mom and the ex was and still is very neglectful and often completely uninvolved. This is the guy who talked John out of taking the karate lessons he was so jazzed to take because he was too lazy to drive him to his lessons (and he didn't even have to put out any money since Patrick and I were going to split the cost). So I see how Britney's relationship with her mother has suffered, how her friends seem to have for the most part turned their backs on her and how horribly she's hounded by the press and I have boundless sympathy for her. She's getting attacked on all sides and it hardly seems fair. Is it any wonder she's buckled under the pressure of her troubles and the constant judgement and scrutiny of the media and just lost it for awhile? People are going rabid in reference to this girl. Yes, she's made some bad choices, but she isn't beyond redemption. She is young and very likely to bounce back, especially with a little support. Make that a lot of support. I judged her myself for the lack-o-underpants thing and I shouldn't have. I was wrong too.

The 'w' word (whore) is tossed around a little too easily these days and I've seen it used in reference to both Britney and her sister, Jamie Lynn. Let's examine this, shall we?

Britney was married to one man, and when that marriage dissolved she got lonely and ended up exploited by another, who filmed himself having sex with her then distributed the tape for bragging rights before selling it to the highest bidder - all without Britney knowing she was being filmed. Who is the real whore here? The girl who seems to be avoiding getting into a serious relationship because she's been traumatized by a horrible experience or the bastard who used her for sex and money? Hmmm...tough call.

On to Jamie Lynn. She did a careless thing at a young age and ended up pregnant. Happens every day to girls along every part of the socio-economic spectrum. If a 16 year old inner city girl were in the same situation the outcome would very likely be financially disastrous for her and her baby. Like Jamie Lynn she faces the same type of judgement; abort and be called a murderer and a whore or keep the baby and only be called a whore. Jamie Lynn:
* Knows who her baby's father is
* is financially capable of raising her baby
* has lots of family and friend supporting her
* is actually handling this situation responsibly and with a great deal of maturity.

In what way is she behaving like a whore or following a negative example? By having sex too young? It was a bad call, but not a catastrophic one in this case. This girl has had one sexual partner and is still basically a child but is being thought and spoken of as if she had been prostituting on the street for half of her life.

Grow up, people. Check your jealousy at the fucking door while you're at it.

Does anyone really believe Jamie Lynn is pregnant because of something Britney did? If so, I'm not too shy to tell anyone suffering from that delusion that he or she is a complete fucking moron. True, Britney and Jamie Lynn are close, but only the truly deluded would hold onto the belief that Jamie Lynn would want to emulate her sister's troubles.

Also let's consider that Lynn Spears, though shocked that her teenage daughter was pregnant, has stayed solidly at her side for support. Jamie Lynn's baby is not going to suffer for lack of love or support, either financial or emotional. In fact, this baby is probably going to be extremely happy and well cared for. Is Jamie Lynn unable to provide for her baby? Not likely. Did she take the high road and avoid responsibility? Not at all - she's obviously very committed to her baby, even insisting that he or she be raised outside of the entertainment industry to increase the baby's chances of having a more normal and settled life.

Does this seem like the behavior of a whore? If so, please redefine the word for me because all of these years I must have been throroughly misinformed as to it's actual meaning.

It's easy to pass judgement and feel superior when viewing the mistakes and misfortunes of people who live such public lives. More often than not the wounded person is not only not gently picked up out of the dust and comforted by others, his or her misery becomes fodder for speculation, name calling and jokes. Sometimes it's justified. In the case of Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears, it is most certainly not. Both sisters are going to need a lot of caring and support, Britney in particular, who has some serious issues and I suspect suffers from untreated depression.

At the risk of sounding Like Chris Crocker, just leave them alone. They're dealing with enough right now and the incessant hounding of the media and judgements of jealous harpies is not only mean spirited and non-productive, it could eventually be extremely harmful.

Have a little compassion.