Should the Celebrities Just "Shut Up and Dribble?"

“If you believe in democracy, in liberty, if you believe truth still matters, and it’s worth speaking out, and it’s worth fighting for; if you believe in the power of the law and that no one stands above it; if you stand against heavily armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using Gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens; if you believe you don’t deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president. As the mayor of that city has said: ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis.”

These words were uttered by arguably the greatest American – or anyone’s – rock author of all time, Bruce Springsteen, on Jan 17, in reference to the federal government’s recent immigration enforcement crackdown. A few days later the Boss had a whole new song out dedicated to the “streets of Minneapolis”, even more one-sided than that quote.

Springsteen is hardly alone among the celebrities in expressing a wildly anti-government stance on this particular issue. Just a few days earlier, Golden State Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr called the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good a murderer, likely a somewhat premature qualification in most Americans’ minds: “It’s shameful, really, that in our country we can have law enforcement officers who commit murder and seemingly get away with it.”

On the other side of the political spectrum, Nicki Minaj called President Trump a “role model for young men”, while referring to the Governor of California as Newscum, a nickname invented by Trump.

Celebrities speaking out on social justice issues, or political issues in general, has a long tradition in the US. Some of the notable example include: LeBron James declaring, in 2020, “there ain’t been no damn movement” for black Americans and “we got a long way to go” to, presumably, get to a racially just society. Colin Kaepernick refusing, starting in 2016, to stand for the national anthem because US “oppresses black people and people of color.” Leo de Caprio yelling the sky is falling due to global warming that same year. Or the infamous quip by George Clooney about Charlton Heston announcing he had Alzheimer’s… again: “I don’t care (that people didn’t like it). Charlton Heston is the head of the National Rifle Association. He deserves what anyone says about him.”

On the other side of the "Great Divide", Jon Voight’s video about the stolen election and the upcoming fight “against Satan” comes to mind. Or many venomous tweets by another actor, James Woods, against the Democratic Party and liberals in general. Such as the one unnecessarily linking the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles with a purported desire to end single family dwellings.

Should the celebrities just "shut up and dribble”, as Laura Ingraham famously “advised” LeBron James? On one hand, celebrities have large platforms that give them the ability to highlight issues and advocate for change, which can have a positive impact. Many people look up to celebrities, and their voices can inspire or influence public opinion, especially on important social justice issues. They also, like anyone else, have the right to express their opinions and use their position to push for causes they believe in.

On the other hand, some argue that celebrities are entertainers, not experts in politics or social issues, and their opinions can sometimes oversimplify complex matters. There’s also the idea that audiences want to separate the art from the artist or the athlete from the activism, especially when their opinions might not align with certain values.
So what do you think? Come and share your opinion in a passionate, but respectful discussion. Or just bring your popcorn, sit back and listen to the others talk it over.

When we’re done bashing celebrities (or not), we’ll talk about other current events. Perhaps the possible government shutdown over ICE (DHS) funding. Or the proposed bill to end sanctuary cities and states. “Trump” savings accounts. A new escalation with Iran. End of the first phase of Gaza peace plan. You have your own pet topic? Bring it.

Zoom credentials will be provided the day of the event.t