Do you think celebrities using their art as a platform for politics is appropriate?

Question

I am concerned that certain celebrities (not all) use their popularity to sway voters opinions on critical potentially devistating topics.

Do you feel this could imapct your vote, just because you like the celebrity?

Personally my favorite actor could be sitting in my living room and I would listen but I do research on all the agendas and people who are on the ballet.

I go to that governments website and read the full explanation of what I am voting for. And if its people I am voting for I look up everything I can on them, what positive things they have done in the past, experience they have, etc.
No one, and I mean NO ONE, no celebrity, no bias news agency, not even my parents, are going to make my mind up for me. Be informed and make sure your voting for what you think is best for the country and world.

Agree or disagree?

In response to some comments. Somehow the train took a wrong track.

I agree that all people have the right to free speach, and I think Mr. Arnold Kennedy is in fact a great governer.

All joking aside, he also campaigned his hump off, and actually ran for office on his own time.

He didn't stop in the middle of the filming of the Terminator and make some political statement trashing U.S. values and men and women who have the selflessness to put their lives on the line for the very rights we are addressing here, he did not use his art as a platform.

Let me give an example of what I'm asking. You buy a concert ticket and after a song or two the artist starts making statements about his or her political beliefs. I'm not saying they can't I'm asking do you think it's the appropriate platform?

This is more a moral question then a legal question.

Answer 1

Generally, the celebrities that are political seem to carry the liberal flag as far up the hill as they can. They promote socialism when it was capitalism that got them to where they are. That, in my mind, makes them all complete hypocrites.

They should stick with being actors/actresses and stay out of politics. Keep their socialist ideas to themselves and let the beautiful system we have here work as it's designed.

America will fall when it turns to pure socialism. It will lose it's greatness at that time. Afterall, socialism is simply a slight variant of communism.

We have already lost many of our original rights. We can't own property anymore, freedom of speech is conditional now, and so on. It's sad and I'm sure the founding fathers are rolling over in their graves.

A celebrity does impact my vote - negatively! Generally, when I see one advocating a position, I automatically assume they are pushing the liberal agenda and tend to examine their countering argument. I recommend others do the same, unless they endorse socialism and the liberal mindset many have. I, for one, do not have this mindset.

Answer 2

The fact that Madonna, (a has been who needs to retire because she never had any talent to begin with) endorsed the president, makes little difference, except to make Obama look even worse than he already did. The mainstream media has sure helped influence my decision tho. The more I see Obama's lackey's in the media, the less likely I am to vote for him. People need to ask themselves this question. If we were better off now than we were four years ago, then why the "Occupy Movement"? Why all the lies about libya? Most importantly, why the Apology Tour as soon as he took office? Sorry Mr. President but I think it's time to let a competent person take your place and help restore this country to its former greatness. I'm still proud to be an American, but I'm ashamed of our President, and even more ashamed that he was voted into office because so many whites felt guilty about the way the blacks were treated so long ago. If they (the majority of the blacks) even had a shred of decency, then maybe there wouldn't be so much black on black crime. From my perspective they don't even care about each other.

Answer 3

Are you worried that one day in the future that the Terminator will run for President and actually get elected because of the sole fact that he is the Terminator?
It scares me too.
That's not to say that if he does his job well maybe after a decade or so then he decides to run and has great ideas for our country I should take him serious because then and only then I will.
Getting back to being scared, the way the country is going it certainly feasible that our country would and could vote this way in the future but that's not what I believe will happen. I put my faith in the people to make their choices, exercising their voting rights to do whats best for the country by voting for whom is best for the job, not whom has split more skulls and has the biggest muscles.
You are not alone.

Answer 4

A person needs to search their own heart and intellect and come up with the political views that he or she supports. This does not come by listening to anyone else unless you are either very shallow or of limited intellect. I do think that artists have the right to voice their political views, as do all American under free speech. This is nothing new and has been going on since people became famous. If someone has something to say, let them give voice to it because it is our right.

Answer 5

Personally a platform is in the eyes of the beholder, a boss at work as significant persuasion poweres in his position, should he not talk about politics? I believe they are just as we are, and even if their views are ridiculous they should voice them. Americans should have enough intellect/character to know most celebrities don't live in the real world anyways, and to credit their opinion as any more convincing than their own would be foolish

Answer 6

They have the right to do so. I think it is completely innapropriate. They have a platform to speak from which the rest of us do not. They have a following who will listen to their every word, and believe every word that comes out of their mounths. Unfortunately, unlike you, too many would NOT research anything on their own, they would just blindly form their opinion based on what some overpaid celebrity who doesn't live in the real world anyway is spewing.

Answer 7

Let them do what they want. I think the vast majority of America puts little value on Hollywood's "values" so it will have a reverse effect, just like in the '04 election. I say, watch and be entertained as they lose another election for the Democrats.

Answer 8

I agree. No matter the reason for their celebrity status-- their opinion is no more than an opinion. Another thing that baffles me is why, when people see all of the problems these celebrities have in their own lives, What makes them think they should listen to them? It's one thing to like someone for the job they do --quite another to think it makes them smarter on other matters.

Answer 9

I disagree, for the simple reason that free speech is free speech, should they be silenced and not allowed to express their opinion, then it would be wrong. Just because they are celebrities does not mean that they are not American with full rights as Americans. While you might not agree with their politic's, you should agree that they have the right to express them.

Answer 10

If anyone and I mean anyone is swayed by the opinions and views of any celebrity, they should be taken off the voters list.