I Don't Want to Talk About Kanye... But Here We go Anyway

ETOnline.com

Before I start any of this out, I just want to say... I still don't care about Kanye. Yes, I know a lot of people are treating him like the new hero on the right, but I don't. My stance on celebrities talking politics has always been "shut up and entertain me." They are, obviously, entitled to their opinions. I don't want to take that away from them. But I am tired of their opinions somehow carrying more weight than everyone else's in other people's eyes. They're people, too. No more and no less important than the rest of us. And while they are entitled to their opinions, I don't necessarily have to care. They don't have to care about me, either. And trust me... they don't. And I am not going to sit here and roll my eyes at the ones I disagree with and cheer for the ones I do agree with. Entertain me. Also, I'm not a fan of Kanye. I don't dislike Kanye, either. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever heard his music. I may have and didn't realize it, but I don't have any opinion on Kanye has an entertainer, and I can't form one on him as a person because I've never met him. 

But I do want to discuss it anyway because there are some serious implications here. And they really do go both ways.

First of all, why is everyone freaking out about Kanye now? Did everyone forget this:

---

He hasn't exactly hidden it. He didn't vote, either, but that's neither here nor there. But he did this shortly after the election, and this was in San Jose. The crowd boos. He keeps on. 

​So why now? Because he still hasn't turned on Trump over a year later? Because he hasn't gotten in line? 

Since this happened, a lot of his elitist celeb friends have "unfollowed him twitter," which is the 2018 way of ending a friendship. Hm. 

Chance the Rapper made a comment about how "black people don't have to be democrats." That was an amazing statement. People turning on him and he walked it back. 

Chance, I wish you hadn't. See, here's the thing. Black people don't have to be democrats. They don't have to be republicans, either. Like everyone else in this country, I encourage everyone to do their homework. Know what is going on in the world. You don't have to obsess over it like some of us. But be informed. When election time comes - local, federal, whatever - take a few moments to read up on the candidates. Know who you are voting for beyond their political party and the promises they make in their TV ads. Go by records, not by lip service. It really doesn't take that long. I promise. 

Anyone in this country can be whatever political party they want to be, and there are more than just those two. Heck... be an independent. Don't pick a party because you are "supposed to." It's OK to have opinions on both sides of the isle. You can be pro-gun and pro-gay marriage. You can support legalizing marijuana and be pro-life. You can actually be a caring humanitarian and believe the government shouldn't be involved in your healthcare. 

I liken political parties to religions. A lot of people believe what the party tells them to believe. Instead, believe what you want to believe and choose the party that best suits those needs. None of them do? Then do your own thing. I call myself a conservatarian, and people ask me why. My explanation is usually that I am too liberal to be a true conservative, but too conservative to be a libertarian or liberal. On the same thought process, I am a non-denominational christian. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. None of the organized religions do it for me. So I have my own personal relationship with God instead. 

Either way, never choose a side because you are supposed to. Who says? Be your own person. Kanye is allowed to think however he wants. Right now, he's being chastised by the elites for going off script. Basically, he's being chastised for not thinking the way they told him to. He went off and did his own thing and that isn't allowed, so now he has to be punished. When Chance the Rapper looked like he was going off script, too, they went after him, too. Now he's back on script. Kanye isn't. 

The leftist celebrities don't apologize when the right chastises them for their opinion. Why should the right leaning celebrities? Your opinion is your opinion. It's been a long time since I gave a celeb opinion much attention. Articles come across my screen all the time about who said what about which politician, and I don't even click on them anymore. They have an opinion? Good for them. I don't care. It isn't going to change my mind, and it shouldn't change yours. Just like Kanye. His opinion shouldn't change yours if you really believe what you believe. And yes, you can enjoy his music even if you don't agree with his political opinions. A successful black man with a differing opinion is still a successful black man, and you should be excited about that. 

If you know what you believe and why, and if you know what is going on in the world or at least your own country, your opinion will be hard to sway. That means that celebrity won't change your mind, which is how it should be. You are now free to enjoy their music or movies regardless of their opinions, because those opinions are irrelevant to you. Everyone has an opinion. You won't agree with all of them. But we are all free to have those opinions, regardless of what they are. Allow others the same respect. Even Kanye.