Stick to acting roles in Hollywood

By Christopher Lung

Staff writer

Celebrities are once again becoming involved in politics as the November election looms less than two weeks away. Although a number of actors and singers are properly informed about governmental affairs, many famous personalities decide to participate in politics without understanding its full scope. Instead of spreading opinions on political topics or verbally endorsing presidential candidates, uninformed celebrities should stick to their profession.

Celebrities engage in politics to appease external influences or to boost their reputation and wealth. By supporting particular candidates and making generous donations, stars seek to increase their fan base rather than to educate the public in critical political matters. Regardless of their motives, celebrities can cause negative impacts on society through their attempts to impact the political scene.

The most significant concern with celebrity involvement in politics is their level of education in a particular subject. Despite the fact that they may understand one angle of a political issue, they might not be aware of all aspects of a topic. This could mislead people to draw equally uninformed conclusions about significant political matters.

According to The National, actor Robert De Niro responded to Donald Trump’s leaked controversial video on Oct. 7 by referring to Trump as a “punk” who “doesn’t have a clue what goes on in the rest of the world no matter what he says.”

This opinion sparked opposition from fellow actor Jon Voight, who lashed out and defended Trump in response. The heated dispute between these two celebrities drew much attention from the public.

NBCUniversal hosted A Concert for Hurricane Relief on Sept. 2, 2005 for Hurricane Katrina victims, where notables such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Kanye West attended.

According to the Huffington Post, in an attempt to gather more support from the African-American community, West stated, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”

This statement caused an outcry, as the comment about the President pitted certain groups of African-Americans against Bush. The surrounding controversy that followed the events led to significant division between West’s fans and alienation of some individuals amongst them.

Because these celebrities have numerous supporters, their position in politics influences fans who are trapped in the mob mentality. Crowds might foolishly follow the person’s decisions, without regard for their own beliefs, as they view that individual as a role model.

Rather than try to meddle with political affairs, celebrities should stay in Hollywood and continue their respective professions so that the public’s opinions will not be influenced by the viewpoints of unqualified figures