Popular culture in this day and age usually means movies, music, celebrities, cell phones and other technological devices. But every four years, politics takes center stage in pop culture. All you have to do is go to a magazine stand and look at all the different tabloid magazines like US Weekly and People magazine, showcasing each political candidate and their families with photo-albums inside. Hollywood is also getting back into the political conversation with America’s favorite celebrities and musicians either coming out publically supporting a candidate or lead political causes like P. Diddy who just 4 years ago led the “Vote or Die” phenomenon. But Hollywood over the past few decades has been increasingly leaning towards the left and in the Democrats’ camp. Being conservative in tinsel town is considered a sin. It’s like wearing a Duke shirt around UNC’s campus.
Dozens of actors are known for their outspoken beliefs off screen as much as for their on-screen performances. Take for example Charlie Sheen, who believes that the Bush Administration masterminded the whole September 11th terrorist attacks. Or Sean Penn, who goes to cuddle with foreign rogue dictators like Hugo Chavez and says “Chavez is much more positive for Venezuela then negative” while Chavez is on his way to creating a Cuba-style dictatorship where there is no private property, free speech or civil rights. But in recent years, it is no secret about the liberal Hollywood agenda. They have been hosting Democratic Party fundraisers, sponsoring anti-war rallies, organizing abortion rights events, backing environmental legislation or producing message movies that promote peace, love and understanding since the sixties. Most regular Americans though see right through the propaganda and that is why movies like Stop-loss fail in the box offices. We see these celebrities exposed as the hypocrites they are. Like Madonna who travels the world in her million dollar private jet spewing massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the air while at the same time making people aware about Global Warming telling us what cars we should drive and that we need to ride our bikes to work. Hollywood seems like they want to dictate, to average Americans, how their government should conduct their business. They undermine the war efforts of this country by propping up and cuddling with rogue dictators and publicly slandering the United States by denigrating our President while visiting other countries. While many of the top actors, and actresses, don’t even have a high school diploma, they know they are smarter than you and I because they can act like they are. It is time to shut up and act.
2 comments:
Hollywood politics has had an affect on American politics ever since it's creation. We even had an actor turn president, but that's besides the point. I definitely agree with your point that Hollywood actors and actresses like to voice their opionons and spread their influence. Where I disagree with you is that I believe that they have positive influences on people, while you see their "ramblings" as negative. Although some of their actions are hypocritical or lack substance, but what politician doesn't do the same? I think it's important for these American idols to step up and use their power to influence, especially with the younger generation. When younger people see their heroes supporting a cause, it can get the follower to gain some interest in that topic. The young person's interest can then lead to them voting or supporting a cause that they truely come to love. This is crucial in today's world of growing apathy; the new generation needs to be getting involved in politics and what is going on in the world. Given that there are some extremists in the Hollywood world, I believe that overall the influence that Hollywood has should be used to prevent indifference and get us regulars involved.
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