Whenever an actor moves the audience with a stunning monologue everyone applauds because they are doing their job. Whenever an athlete makes the game-winning touchdown or shots a 3 pointer with 10 seconds on the clock, everyone jumps to their feet with cheer... because it's their job. Whenever a singer or musician sing/play a note that touches the listener's core, that listener will be overcome with positive emotion because that singer/musician was doing "their job".

However, when a celebrity in any category speaks out about the racism, sexism, police brutality, unfair treatment of the LGBTQIA community, or *cough, cough* unfit presidents... They are told to stick to what they know or stay in their place.

Newsflash... being a celebrity does not take away a person's humanity, citizenship or voice. Just because they are in the limelight doesn't mean they are now somehow only allowed to speak when you tell them to and to say what's written for them. They are just like every other American citizen who sees the state that this country is in and wants to speak up. America is their place, just as much as it is yours.

Celebrities have every right to voice their opinions or silently protest. Why is it that a hate group can protest and the "president" reminds us that some of them are good; but when athletes kneel in solidarity and silently protest they are considered un-American. I think the real problem is everyone has their own opinion of what it means to be an American and it usually has to fit in with their own actions and if it does not, well the person opposing them must be bad and unpatriotic.

But what can be unpatriotic about protesting? About challenging the system because you feel something is wrong with it? About calling out people who are unfair and one-sided and vain, and saying you will not stand for the injustice... so instead you'll kneel. What is unpatriotic about that? This country was formed out of protest. Out of wanting to be free from a tyrannous dictator who treated his subjects unfairly. The first amendment of the Constitution gives every citizen, even the celebrities, the right to free speech, free press and yes to protest. People love to whine about free speech when they are yelling "Send them back to Mexico" or "GOD hates gays"; whenever it's a bad, evil, or negative thing that people want to scream and they are shut down, they complain about how they have the right to free speech. But let a Meryl Streep speak out about corrupt politics at an award ceremony, she wakes up to tweets about how she isn't even a great actress. Or let a Colin Kaepernick kneel for the national anthem not because he hates America, but because he is tired of the ill-treatment of individuals of color in America. People who can be shot and killed while their murderer walks and then are called criminals after their death. And yet he ostracized made to feel like he is in the wrong.

This treatment of celebrities has to stop (I mean along with all the injustices in America today). They are not monkeys that are gonna dance when you tell them to, to the song you choose, for as long as you care to watch. They are individuals with a talent and a platform. In fact, any celebrity that uses their platform to speak up and out is actually doing their "job". If you have an influence on people and you don't use it, what good is it for? Some celebrities use their influence in negative ways, they promote violence, drugs, and abuse towards women and sometimes these are not even the lifestyles they live. But a athlete who isn't afraid to make a statement. An actor who isn't afraid to take a stand. A celebrity who uses their elevated voice to help evoke change and movement towards a better America... Well I can't think of anything more patriotic than that.

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Today's food for thought:

Think about someone other than yourself today...