In the last month since the tragedy of gun violence afflicted Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the always-sunny and loving community of Broward County, Florida, the public outcry has been overwhelming. Many students, parents and educators have become activists in taking to organizing and protesting on the streets, demanding changes in policy to prevent such horror from entering another classroom.
The movement has been emotional for many, so it should be no surprise that countless celebrities have weighed in on their stances on gun control, mostly in favor of it. The responses to these celebrities are usually pretty supportive. Often, fans will retweet such expressions in agreeance. However, not everyone is thrilled with the idea that influencers such as Kim Kardashian West or Britney Spears have chosen to use their platforms to express their disdain for the lack of action the government has taken.
One of the main complaints against celebrity opinions has been that those who disagree politically feel out casted and can no longer enjoy popular culture. This year’s Academy Awards ceremony attracted the lowest amount of viewers ever. According to Variety, the 2018 Oscars had 19 percent less viewership than the 2017 Oscars. A slew of people on The Academy’s Facebook page reported the political speeches as the reason why they chose to tune out this year.
While this may seem valid, these individuals are surely missing the point. Gun control shouldn’t be treated as a partisan issue when the lives of vulnerable children are at stake. Rather than choosing ignorance and ignoring the other side, conservatives should consider sitting through the speeches as they have in years past and ask themselves what steps they can take to help bridge the gap. After all, such award shows are intended to be celebrations of art and unity and diversity, and while nobody should feel excluded from the festivities, it’s more necessary to stand up against the ideologies that threaten the right to learn and create safely.
At the ceremony, several celebrities like Lin Manuel Miranda wore orange and white American flag pins created by Everytown, an organization that works for gun reform. Additionally, Common, who was nominated for Best Original Song for “Stand Up for Something,” dissed the National Rifle Association (NRA) in his performance with Andra Day when he rapped, “Tell the NRA they ain’t God’s way and tell the people of Parkland we say àse (produce change).”
The other major complaint from those who are against gun control is that celebrities are not qualified to speak on politics and do not understand the everyday lives of average Americans well enough to speak on issues. In response to the Oscars’ dropped viewership, Donald Trump tweeted, “Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore – except your President (just kidding, of course)!” In contrast to Trump, these celebrities are not asserting themselves as politicians or presuming to have any qualifications. Regardless of celebrity status, these people are still Americans who have just as much of a right to express their concerns as people from any other line of work because gun violence hurts everyone. With politicians seemingly asleep at the wheel as far as handling gun violence, it only makes sense that those with the most resources and the most popular platforms step in as the role models in society. It doesn’t hurt to use star power for a good cause, and anyway, no one’s asking for Hollywood elite to take over Washington: they’re just asking for the so-called qualified politicians to do their jobs.
