I get annoyed by this every time it happens, so I'm just going to get it out now. It's not going in my other book because this isn't about any particular issue, it's just an annoyance I have. I don't have any sources; I just want to share my opinions on this.

Every single time a celebrity says something political, there's an inevitable group of people who start ranting against it and saying, "Stay out of politics!" "Keep in your own lane!" And it drives me crazy.

We live in a democracy. That means that politics is for everyone. A lot of people seem to view politics like it's only for a select group of people who make mysterious decisions and everyone else better stay out. That's called oligarchy.

In a healthy, functioning democracy, everyone participates and everyone has an opinion. And politics is personal because it affects you. I don't understand the concept of being apolitical because politics affects everyone. Water protection affects the quality of my water. Taking climate action ensures I don't die in a polluted wasteland. Protecting healthcare means I'm not going to die if I get sick. You can't distance yourself from politics, even if you refuse to participate. By not participating, all you do is hand the decisions that impact your life to someone else, someone who probably doesn't care about your well being. I know celebrities often talk about issues that don't directly affect them. But that's okay. We all get to weigh in on political issues. Immigration doesn't affect me, but I'm still going to fight for immigrant rights.

I feel like the people who complain about celebrities in politics aren't doing it because the celebrity is talking about politics, it's because the celebrity doesn't agree with them. And I understand that. We want our icons and heroes to agree with us. I'm not happy when a celebrity starts saying immigrants are invaders. But I'm not going to complain that they should stay out of politics. I'm going to criticize their ideas, not the fact that they're saying something.

A celebrity, just like anyone else, is obviously going to have political opinions, and many celebrities are passionate about them. And that's what citizens have the right and are supposed to do - be passionate and active in politics. 

There's this crazy view that people are only their careers or only what they're supposed to do. You make music, so make music. Don't talk about politics. But that's not how the world works. Art is the freedom to express yourself as you want, so if that is political, that person has every right to do it. You can't stop people from talking about their passion just because you don't agree with them. Criticize their ideas, have debates, but don't try to say people can't talk. 

Politics isn't just for politicians and government officials. If it is, we're no longer in a democracy; we're in an oligarchy. Everyone can talk about politics, and everyone should talk about politics because it literally means life or death for a lot of people. 

If you're in a situation where politics doesn't affect you, then you've got to be super rich and/or completely removed from society. Do you like safe food? Water without lead in it? Free speech? An internet that's free and open? Not dying? Then politics affects you and you have the right to state your opinion. As said before, being apolitical is terrible for you because it removes your voice and allows others with their own interests and agendas to squash your interests. If you don't say something, you won't be heard, and you'll be hurt. Politics is vital to be educated in and speak about, and everyone has a right to do so.

Being a celebrity doesn't change that. It may hurt that your favorite singer doesn't agree with your politics, but celebrities shouldn't have to conform to what everyone expects of them. So let them speak.