The Latest Anti-Celebrity Meme Is Garbage
I get so tired of seeing the same old nonsense memes being passed around.
I love memes. They are junk food for the brain. Then, there are those that are out to make some political point. These are usually sensible on the surface, but actually garbage when you think about it. Here's the text of the one we're going to dissect today.
It's great that the author, and apparently the people who pass it along, don't "need" celebrities, but let's talk about the folks that do.
First, here's how the meme goes:
.....Something to ponder.
The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance.
I’ve needed a doctor.
I’ve needed a teacher
I’ve needed a farmer.
I have needed an auto mechanic, a house painter and a lot of everyday people.
But I have NEVER, not even once, NEEDED a pro athlete, a media personality, or a Hollywood entertainer for anything.
The SECOND we realize we don’t need them, their million dollar lives are gone and so is their opinions*.
*The meme makers grammar, not mine
What about the 8,500 kids a year that are treated for childhood cancer by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, established by old-school entertainer Danny Thomas?
What about J.J. Watt, who helped raise $41.6 million for Hurricane Harvey relief?
What about Oprah Winfrey's donations to Boys and Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude, UNICEF, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and so many more?
Now, let's talk about celebrities and athletes using their forum. If all they did was thank their team, we'd be complaining about their egos. Let's also not forget that we do NEED the outlets that entertainment and sports provide.
It's simple. The problem is, the people who don't want celebrities and athletes to speak out are the people who oppose the views of those particular celebrities and athletes. If one of these people spoke out on a topic that benefited the meme-makers, they'd be falling all over themselves to kiss their ass. I have never seen a (scandal-free) celebrity being told to not help.
So, let's make this simple. St. Jude relies on the star power and actual pocketbooks of celebrities to raise the $1 billion dollars a year to treat childhood cancers. Until you're ready to replace that check, shut the hell up. You need celebrities to bring attention to worthy causes, injustices and other world events. If you don't like what they have to say, then shut yourself into your wood cabin and find a way to entertain yourself.