Get Out the *Liberal* Vote
By Olivia Jaber
Social media platforms and Hollywood have decided to exert their influence to support campaigns that intend to “Get Out the Vote.” Every time we open up Instagram or Twitter, we are greeted with a not-so-subtle reminder to vote or a photo of an actor sporting an “I Voted” sticker. Scrolling through the feed, we realize that social media platforms aren’t the only ones obsessed with voting— famous people also love to lecture you and pitch their Presidential pick to you. Just take a look at a recent voting ‘initiative’ that featured naked celebrities instructing Americans to read voting ballots correctly, an excellent example of Hollywood tone-deafness.
Celebrities will do anything to appear relevant to millennials and Gen-Z, even if it’s outright patronizing. They imply that you don’t, in fact, know what’s best for you and your family. They think you require an out-of-touch celebrity to order your priorities for you. Elite celebrities and social media platforms don’t even attempt to conceal their blatant biases. Instagram and Twitter unapologetically censor conservatives for merely questioning the Hunter Biden scandal yet allow misinformation campaigns and misrepresentative slander go unchecked against President Trump and his supporters. They portray themselves as moral leaders fighting to preserve our society by encouraging voter participation, yet they openly control much of the information that gets disseminated.
When elitist celebrities condemn President Trump and his supporters, they exhibit not remarkable bravery but a fear of cancel culture at best and outright ignorance for real American issues (outside Beverly Hills) at worst. Somehow, they believe they were appointed to be the political custodian of the American people, spewing “woke” propaganda and other urgent messages that citizens are evidently too stupid to understand themselves. They should stick to their film and music-making unless they want another Cardi B vs. Candance Owens internet showdown. It speaks volumes that the Democratic party aligns itself with wealthy, morally questionable influencers like Miley Cyrus and Cardi B to connect with voters. They don’t understand what motivates or worries average Americans at the ballot box. They don’t experience their struggles and can’t even begin to empathize with and represent them, but that doesn’t stop them from peddling lies to the public. We should remind ourselves that, “Corporations are political entities, and we should not assume that platform voter registration campaigns are being done with only public good in mind and aren’t also strategic”. Especially when they express such vitriol against those who will vote for President Trump. When elitists discount, dismiss, and show disdain for the concerns of hard-working Americans, they set the tone for how others treat conservatives. It allows the left to disqualify conservative ideology because it isn’t always espoused by top Yale graduates but instead Rust Belt steelworkers. Ultimately, celebrities don’t care about these people; they care about maintaining their prestige in their liberal bubble among their peers. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and elite America don’t seek to educate the public so much as control it. While they claim to support free expression and the right to vote your conscience, their suppression of diversity of thought online and in the public square tells a different story. They should change their campaigns from “get out the vote” to “get out the liberal vote” because their message is clear— if you are a conservative, then this message isn’t for you. Hiding under the guise of promoting civic responsibility, they outwardly condemn conservatives and the President. They don’t want you, a conservative, to get out and vote. They want conservatives to shut up and stay home.
There’s no doubt that my generation, which is known for its low voter turnout, is the perfect audience for social media influencers to indoctrinate. My generation is increasingly progressive— we are surrounded by a left-leaning media, pop culture, fashion industry, academia, and political establishment. Corporations, too, have succumbed to the liberal mob and “wokeism”. People like Taylor Swift, in particular, have capitalized on this via Netflix documentaries infused with misleading political messaging. When people we idolize impose their beliefs on us, it is tempting to stop thinking for ourselves. Instead of censoring free thought, social media platforms should aim to give my generation as much information as possible instead of amplifying a selective political agenda. Influencers and social media platforms shouldn’t play members of Gen-Z like we’re in a political chess game— we are not pawns.
If these campaigns really wanted to increase voter participation without an agenda, they would stop spreading fake news about the GOP, President Trump, and his supporters. If they valued the integrity of our electoral system (which is up in the air), they would promote in-person voting, which is least subject to tampering and fraud. If they cared about cultivating a politically engaged constituency, Instagram and Twitter wouldn’t censor speech and fuel our divisive political climate. Elites-turned-activists wouldn’t push their beliefs onto others. But the world we live in is not idyllic. We have to remember that the actresses in Los Angeles pleading with Americans to #VOTE! in this election wouldn't be if they knew we planned to vote Red.
I don't care who you are voting for in the upcoming election. I support your right to have an opinion and go to the polls and exercise that right. I won’t lecture you on your duty to vote or create a sense of urgency regarding the matter. I respect the American people. I respect average Americans a lot more than I do celebrities. I love that we have the freedom to disagree and that we get to give our take on the future of our country. Unfortunately, thanks to social media censorship, intellectual diversity is no longer cherished. Social media was intended to be a meeting ground for people, ideas, and places. Instead, it has become a homogenous echo chamber. The hypocrisy of this movement is blatant. Social media platforms have covered their bases and have pleased the liberal mob. As advocates appear to glorify and praise the system for convincing people to vote, these celebrities will quickly pivot from this narrative of “every vote matters” into one that condemns the system and argues that it is rigged if President Trump wins. In a world that is constantly bombarding you with “the right choice for a candidate”, think for yourself. Social media was, in many ways, designed as an escape from reality, so we should be cautious in using it to guide our own. Americans don’t need the help of elite influencers or social media companies— they can find the ballot box and the ills of Biden’s tax policy all on their own, thank you very much.
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