Celebrity opinions should not be silenced
Sarah Cheung
Staff Writer
February 2019
Staff Writer
February 2019
What do a celebrity and a senator have in common?
They're both involved in politics, of course!
In recent years, one may have noticed the frequency of famous influencers speaking out in the political world, taking to television, music, books, social media, and broadcasted events to publicize their views in today's agitated climate. One may also notice discussions surrounding celebrities in the media, being called out for oversharing their political opinions, remaining suspiciously silent about them, and anything in between.
Since Donald Trump began campaigning for the 2016 presidential elections, there's been a detectable surge of political activism from those who, some may say, lack enough government expertise to interfere. Some might wish they could just enjoy a song or movie without involving the creators' politics.
Likewise, I initially held the same thought as I noticed the political takeover of award shows like The Oscars, which felt pervaded with statements often challenging the current U.S. leadership. It wasn't necessarily that I agreed or disagreed with the statements — I just questioned if politics should intrude on a show that people of all ideologies simply watched for entertainment.
Some other television viewers around the country seemingly felt the same. Samba TV, which tracks audience measurements, recorded the decline in right-leaning viewership of award shows. Out of the avid Fox News viewers who watched The Oscars in 2016, 48 percent abstained from watching in 2017.
It's understandable why this may have become a trend in conservative viewership in recent years — why would you intentionally watch something that mocked or disagreed with your beliefs?
Despite my sympathies, I also think their frustrations exist more because they feel underrepresented and less because celebrities are using their position to influence. There are people from all political parties who can probably agree that their own politics are correct. And if one deems themselves correct, than it's in their best interest to spread their beliefs as widely as possible.
Hence, personal beliefs aside, it seems hypocritical to condemn celebrities for taking advantage of their fame. If you find it irritating, consider this: if they proclaimed their support of a policy that you favored, then you'd likely praise them for their bravery and character.
This is something that the alt-right movement did when, in the past, singer Taylor Swift had actually avoided taking a stance in politics. She was regarded as a beloved pop icon, writing universally relatable songs about love and heartbreak. However, her image free of political involvement still prompted discussion.
Like the alt-right did with Swift, political silence is sometimes interpreted as a statement in itself; in this case, as support for Trump. This comes from the idea that those with unpopular opinions might not announce them in fear of polarization.
Swift's political silence led to the assumption that she condoned Trump's policies, even being labeled as an "Aryan goddess" by white supremacists. However, this label mostly disintegrated when in October 2018, Swift declared her support for Democrat Phil Bredesen in the midterm elections.
In her post she said, "Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100 percent on every issue, but we have to vote anyway."
She closed out her statement by urging the youth to register as voters and use their "right and privilege to make their voice count."
As seen, Swift not only advocated for political involvement, which most Americans value, but retained a tone of respect for active citizenship regardless of their ideologies.
It's hard to be averse to this sort of statement. As the conversation about democracy intensifies, voting should be encouraged more than ever. As social media reaches the youth who are future leaders, learning to take an active role as a citizen helps ensure the government represents the most people as possible.
Still, Swift received backlash from the same people who'd previously praised her. They'd made their own misconception, yet condemned her for sharing her true thoughts. First, they glorified her for "speaking" her mind; then, they were angry for the same reason.
Like average people, celebrities are entitled to their own beliefs of what is good for the country. Regardless of if you agree with them, they shouldn't be censored just because they have the chance to make their voices heard over millions of others. My guess is that any person who feels strongly enough about an idea would use any opportunity to do the same.
Whether they choose to be vocal or silent, those who rose to fame through their passion for music, writing, or whatever else are capable of making responsible decisions of how they participate in politics. While their choices can be interpreted by those who notice, we should realize that they're exercising the rights to freedom and democracy which America was built for.
They're both involved in politics, of course!
In recent years, one may have noticed the frequency of famous influencers speaking out in the political world, taking to television, music, books, social media, and broadcasted events to publicize their views in today's agitated climate. One may also notice discussions surrounding celebrities in the media, being called out for oversharing their political opinions, remaining suspiciously silent about them, and anything in between.
Since Donald Trump began campaigning for the 2016 presidential elections, there's been a detectable surge of political activism from those who, some may say, lack enough government expertise to interfere. Some might wish they could just enjoy a song or movie without involving the creators' politics.
Likewise, I initially held the same thought as I noticed the political takeover of award shows like The Oscars, which felt pervaded with statements often challenging the current U.S. leadership. It wasn't necessarily that I agreed or disagreed with the statements — I just questioned if politics should intrude on a show that people of all ideologies simply watched for entertainment.
Some other television viewers around the country seemingly felt the same. Samba TV, which tracks audience measurements, recorded the decline in right-leaning viewership of award shows. Out of the avid Fox News viewers who watched The Oscars in 2016, 48 percent abstained from watching in 2017.
It's understandable why this may have become a trend in conservative viewership in recent years — why would you intentionally watch something that mocked or disagreed with your beliefs?
Despite my sympathies, I also think their frustrations exist more because they feel underrepresented and less because celebrities are using their position to influence. There are people from all political parties who can probably agree that their own politics are correct. And if one deems themselves correct, than it's in their best interest to spread their beliefs as widely as possible.
Hence, personal beliefs aside, it seems hypocritical to condemn celebrities for taking advantage of their fame. If you find it irritating, consider this: if they proclaimed their support of a policy that you favored, then you'd likely praise them for their bravery and character.
This is something that the alt-right movement did when, in the past, singer Taylor Swift had actually avoided taking a stance in politics. She was regarded as a beloved pop icon, writing universally relatable songs about love and heartbreak. However, her image free of political involvement still prompted discussion.
Like the alt-right did with Swift, political silence is sometimes interpreted as a statement in itself; in this case, as support for Trump. This comes from the idea that those with unpopular opinions might not announce them in fear of polarization.
Swift's political silence led to the assumption that she condoned Trump's policies, even being labeled as an "Aryan goddess" by white supremacists. However, this label mostly disintegrated when in October 2018, Swift declared her support for Democrat Phil Bredesen in the midterm elections.
In her post she said, "Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100 percent on every issue, but we have to vote anyway."
She closed out her statement by urging the youth to register as voters and use their "right and privilege to make their voice count."
As seen, Swift not only advocated for political involvement, which most Americans value, but retained a tone of respect for active citizenship regardless of their ideologies.
It's hard to be averse to this sort of statement. As the conversation about democracy intensifies, voting should be encouraged more than ever. As social media reaches the youth who are future leaders, learning to take an active role as a citizen helps ensure the government represents the most people as possible.
Still, Swift received backlash from the same people who'd previously praised her. They'd made their own misconception, yet condemned her for sharing her true thoughts. First, they glorified her for "speaking" her mind; then, they were angry for the same reason.
Like average people, celebrities are entitled to their own beliefs of what is good for the country. Regardless of if you agree with them, they shouldn't be censored just because they have the chance to make their voices heard over millions of others. My guess is that any person who feels strongly enough about an idea would use any opportunity to do the same.
Whether they choose to be vocal or silent, those who rose to fame through their passion for music, writing, or whatever else are capable of making responsible decisions of how they participate in politics. While their choices can be interpreted by those who notice, we should realize that they're exercising the rights to freedom and democracy which America was built for.