Dear Monica,
I am writing you to apologize for the way you have been treated by the public at large. I am terribly sorry that your humanity was stolen from you before your life could even begin: at 25 years old, you went from being a person to being a target, and no person deserves that.
I was a child entering junior high school when you made headlines overnight. At 25, you seemed grown, cool. I heard the adults say things. Everyone had an opinion. A lot of things made sense to me when they talked about adultery, but something I never could understand was why they cared?
As I entered adulthood, I thought of you every time I saw something regarding the Clintons. Where were you? What was your life like?
Now as the time has come and gone and I can look back at my own life at 22, I realize how naive I was at best, and stupid at worst! 22, And able to purchase legally, I took advantage of cherry vodka as a friend when I was sad or upset.
Now at 30, a wife and mother, I rarely have a drink. Reminders of my past pop up in Facebook memories, the random conversation with an old friend, or picture that is found. Some people may remember me drinking as fun. Some may remember the more stupid things I would say or do. Other than the occasional home dance party video that was passed around among friends and ambiguous social media status updates from a decade ago, there is a little to no evidence of those times but my own memory. No one else cares.
What does this story have to do with you? Nothing. And everything. As I get older, I become more acutely aware of my behavior at 22. I would not change anything about my life, but I have no one to apologize to.
You have no one to apologize to, but for eighteen years have had millions of people looking at you as you owed them something. I've read the articles that you have written or people have written regarding interviews with or about you, and I've wondered what the atmosphere is like during that interview. Clearly, it must be accepting to get you to speak, but how comfortable do you really feel?
Today, you have grown into an amazing, vibrant, educated woman. You have used your trauma for good that impacts the masses. I don't know how much those things in the past affect you today, but I wanted to say that I'm
Sorry if they do.
I'm sorry the American people felt that your story was public property.
I'm sorry that they do not look at your relationship with Bill Clinton as a true relationship.
I'm sorry that people can "forgive and forget" his behavior yet leave a label for you that won't go away.
I'm sorry that someone you considered you a friend betrayed your trust, which would give you every right to have trust issues in the future.
I'm sorry that Bill Clinton made light of your relationship and backpedaled his way out of that mess. (In the regular world, people would have looked at this situation completely differently.)
I'm sorry that you were put in a situation to be a household name, yet at the same time probably feel very alone.
You do now know me, nor I you. You grew up in Beverly Hills and I grew up in the conservative Midwest. My opinions don't matter and you will likely never read this, but I want you to know that I care about you.
Thank you for the shining example you have given to persevere, stay strong, and move forward.
