Hip-hop artists encourage voting (even when they can’t)
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- September
- 28
I love hip-hop and rap. But do I really need T.I. (who can’t vote because of a felony conviction) or Russell Simm
ons to inspire me to vote?
Newsweek describes this how hip-hop and rap, once the mavericks to the machine of the mainstream, is now using clever campaigns to get young people into voting booths. (Diddy did the same in 2004 with his “Vote or Die” campaign, which had the unfortunate contribution of Paris Hilton, who later admitted she wasn’t even registered to vote.)
Spewing the general message of “Voting is important” is indisputably a plus, but aren’t the excesses of celebrities and the even louder message that “more is better” precisely what has brought down our country these days?
Aren’t the same celebrities who are advocating to the close the rift between the rich and poor also the ones who worship unbridled affluence?
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Perhaps the biggest problem with our generation is that we want to apply glamour and glitz to the political process (and environmental problems and poverty and global health issues) rather than taking the time to painstakingly learn the details and complexities of them.
If we peel back the glossy veneer of these celebrity voting campaigns, we are left with the very unsexy reality that changing the world is going to require a lot of more than just a catchy mantra.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, September 28th, 2008 at 9:04 am by Theresa Juva.
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I really dont think celebrities should be knocked for responsibly using their fame to encourage people to vote. What would you rather have them do, encourage people to snort coke and eat babies?
I just think that if they’re are going to encourage people, then they need to lead by example.
Encouraging people to vote in a high profile presidential election is not enough.
When every celebrity gives up their Bev Hills estates and high octane cars, then I will listen to them.
But standing on the sidelines as cheerleaders for the rest of us is just not gonna cut it.
Actually felons on parole DO have the right to vote. I dug this up for support: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E6D9103BF932A25754C0A9629C8B63
CORRECTION: Some felons on probation CAN vote.
I guess it depends on the charge?!
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