Famous actress Meryl Streep’s Golden Globe awards speech has become a nation-wide phenomena since last Sunday. Whenever the media gathers in a specific location for award ceremonies, banquets and galas, typical political banter ensues about Donald Trump’s presidency. Although many people often complain about the new president in the Oval Office, celebrities tend to have a greater weight of persuasion since many Americans look up to such fame and fortune.
Streep commented on the 2016 Presidential election results, saying “there was one performance this year that stunned me. It sank its hooks in my heart. Not because it was good, there was nothing good about it, but it was effective and it did its job. That was the moment when the person asking to sit in the most respected seat in our country imitated a disabled reporter. Someone he outranked in privilege, power and the capacity to fight back.”
Celebrities have every right to voice their opinions on political topics. There is an ongoing debate on the unfairness of the persuasive power Hollywood brings to the polls, although obviously it did not work in this election. Just because a person is famous does not mean he/she should be quiet about what he/she believes in. In fact, people with such social status and power have an even greater responsibility to comment on the viewpoints represented by a large percentage of people.
If President Trump had responded to the speech in an appropriate or mature way, this debate probably would not have flourished to the level it is at now. Trump responded on Twitter: “Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn’t know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes.” How are average Americans supposed to voice their opinions when a reputable and respected woman such as Streep cannot speak of her concerns about the future of our country?
Trump should be repairing his image among a large percentage of women in this country, but instead, he attacks a woman not on her opinions, but on her merits as an actress. If he were to respond in respectful disagreement with regards to her speech, it would be an act of opinion on his reflection of his own self image. Meanwhile, his tweet attacks Streep’s acting capabilities rather than on the content of her speech.
I am not a proponent of an American citizen voting for a particular candidate because “Beyoncé is voting for him/her.” Actor Mike Rowe posted on Facebook that he is “afraid [he] can’t encourage millions of people whom [he’s] never met to just run out and cast a ballot, simply because they have the right to vote. That would be like encouraging everyone to buy an AR-15, simply because they have the right to bear arms.”
It is important to develop your own opinion on politics rather than accepting what people on the radio, TV or social media say simply because they are your favorite artist or actor. But it is also important that if a celebrity does make his or her opinion known, the candidate should respond in a respectful manner with regards to the celebrity’s comments.
Although it may be difficult to formulate your own opinion because of opponents shouting at one another through speeches and social media, stick to understanding each candidate’s policy and overall character for whatever political position they seek.
