There is no shortage of atrocities happening in the world. In the past, celebrities have come under fire for both engaging and not engaging in conversations surrounding such events. This has most recently become a hot topic due to the Israel-Palestine conflict. So the question is, should celebrities be speaking on politics?

People on one end of the argument are saying that celebrities, in fact, have a duty to speak on important subjects because of their platform. 

“When Taylor Swift speaks, people listen. If celebrities  like her were to post about issues, their fans would rush to support the cause,” Syeda Samantha said. 

A lot of people may not even be aware of the things happening around them. If, let’s say, their favorite singer posted about it, they would be made aware. This is especially important when it comes to things such as an ongoing genocide. 

Those who are on the opposite end of the spectrum say that it is unreasonable for people to be mad at celebrities for not speaking on political or societal issues. 

“It is the job of politicians to address politics, why should celebrities be held accountable?”

It is also true that actors and singers may lose financial opportunities due to publicizing certain opinions. 

In my opinion, I feel like it depends on the situation and the way an individual goes about addressing something. I understand not wanting to risk your career by needlessly speaking on politics. However, there are certain issues in which it would be negligent to ignore it. 

To a certain degree, everyone has a responsibility to their fellow human beings. If you have an incredible platform that could help a ton of people, should it not be morally correct to use it?

It can be as simple as making a tweet or an instagram post to show your support. It is that easy to use your influence for good. So, I believe that celebrities should speak on politics.