Taylor Swift posted the above Instagram on Friday, the day before the March for Our Lives. Taylor has been criticized in the past for refusing to be “political,” even when the politics of a given situation are pretty simple. For example, she was criticized for not saying anything about the Women’s March until hours after most of the marches were done. She was criticized for never saying or suggesting who she supported in the 2016 election. She was criticized for using the banner of “feminism” for personal profit but never having anything to say about actual feminist issues. She was criticized for not saying enough (or anything at all) publicly about the neo-Nazi community’s embrace of her image as an “Aryan princess.”
As you can read on that Instagram, Taylor is now coming out with a full-throated support of an actual POLITICAL movement. If you come out and say that you support the March For Our Lives and that children shouldn’t be murdered by gun violence, then suddenly it’s a hot-topic political issue in 2018. To be fair, I know it’s more complicated than that, and the protesters made it clear that there will be political ramifications for the mostly-Republican leaders who refuse to make gun control a priority. And if you spend any time online on Saturday, you probably saw some of the tweets and social media posts from the Deplorables, gun nuts and Russian bots, all of whom were especially unhinged and critical of the protesters.
Well now that Taylor Swift has DARED to express a political opinion, the arch-conservatives – many of whom felt like Taylor was “one of them” – are turning on her. Red State ran a piece about how “disappointing” it is that Taylor is so stupid and ignorant about the hidden liberalism of the march. Here’s an excerpt of the Deplorable Denouement:
Even if Swift is ignorant to the groups, and true intent behind it, she’s highly likely not ignorant of how heated this debate has become. And therein lies the horrible part about her public support for the March for Our Lives. Swift has finally forced her fans to take a side with or against her on an issue.
…Hopefully Swift, whom I thought knew this already, will keep her politics away from her entertainment. Gun control will never come up at her concerts, and hopefully not her interviews. I doubt the latter will be possible, but perhaps she’ll take a wiser middle ground with it.
If she doesn’t, it may not play out well for her audience. In turn, it may not play out well for her.
If we’re judging Taylor Swift by her enemies, I think it says something good about her development as a person that she’s pissing off these kinds of whiny butthurt Deplorables. Poor gun-loving a–holes, they thought Taylor Swift was their perfect Aryan Republican princess. But now she’s out here donating money to gun control causes and saying – GASP! – that people should be able to live their lives without being gunned down by an armed-to-the-teeth douchebag.
Taylor Swift lyric inspired posters at #MarchForOurLives let’s make changes happen! pic.twitter.com/MPeo8O3edX
— TT4Taylor (@TT4Taylor) March 25, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN, Instagram.
“If she doesn’t, it may not play out well for her audience. In turn, it may not play out well for her.”
Lol, what Republican douche writer? You look at her sales and think her fans are all right wing nut jobs? No, no no no no no…
IKR? Like he’s giving a little girl a lecture. Bizarre!
Right. Teens don’t give a crap about Tay Tay’s political views. They will be at her concerts. And even if mom and dad dislike her their daughters will not be denied a concert ticket.
And to the ass that said gun control will not come up at her concerts. Well it will if someone decided to bring a gun to her concert and use it. He must have forgotten about the Ariana Grande concert shooting.
It was actually a suicide bomber at Ariana Grande’s concert, not a shooter but it had the same outcome: people (including young children) died. In any case, mass shootings/bombings can happen anywhere: concerts, schools, malls, hospitals, places of work, movies, etc. It was about time for Taylor to say something.
“Gun control will never come up at her concerts”
That stood out to me too – so…this “writer” forgot about Las Vegas already, huh?
He obviously forgot about Las Vegas as well.
I think quite a lot of teens give a crap about political views. Look at what teens and even younger kids accomplished by marching this weekend.
I think it is a very good thing that she spoke up and that lots of her fans love her for it, but I also think some teens might be annoyed by it.
@Amelie, the Ariana Grande attacker detonated a home made bomb while the Vegas festival attached gunned down hundreds of people with a single gun. The Florida highschool attacker used a gun, the Texas bomber detonated several bombs, etc etc. So at the end of the day, differences in weapon used doesn’t matter, the important thing is attackers killing innocent people. And if that article author doesn’t believe that gun related violence can happen at TS concerts, then I have an island to sell them, just ask survivors at the AG concert.
And I strongly believe that if guns of this nature weren’t illegal in Europe and were as readily and legally obtainable as they are in the US, ISIS would have wiped out quite a few European countries by now.
I may have missed the mark here, but that sounds like a threat to me. Possibly a violent threat.
Oh lord, I didn’t even think of Manchester. That’s disgusting.
Me too. A thinly veiled threat of violence to “teach her”. That paragraph honestly made me very uncomfortable. I know Taylor isn’t super loved here but I am a fan and would want to go to a concert if they weren’t so expensive. (side note: her show is ridiculously expensive this tour and it reflects poorly on her ego, imo) Anyway, if I had tickets that paragraph would have me concerned.
I am in no way a fan of hers, but I don’t want to see her hurt either.
I thought it was a threat, but more so about her sales.
Yikes. Initially I read that as him implying that her fans’ parents won’t let their kids go to her concerts anymore if she keeps saying things that republicans don’t want to hear, but now it does seem like a thinly veiled threat. Or if not a threat, an implication that any unhinged or violent thing any deplorable does at her concert is her fault for not keeping her mouth shut- which is just as disgusting and irresponsible as an outright threat.
I was thinking the same! Creepy character.
I didn’t think it at first and it puzzled me but you saw it. I think it is a threat.
I assumed it was about sales at first too, but the comment about it not playing out well for her audience doesn’t make sense in a sales context. I think it was a threat.
I really don’t like Taylor that much, but she did a good thing, not just donating, but publicly supporting gun reform. She obviously doesn’t like making political statements, but I think that makes her stance here more powerful.
Mansplaining her own thought processes/opinions to her. Gag. The deplorables are also delusional.
She put something on Instagram as well. I don’t think she cares much for some douche ‘worrying’ about her fans dropping her.
IDK this kinda sounds like a threat to me “step off or your concerts are next and your fans will know it’s your fault they were targeted”
A lot of celebrities have not spoken out on Parkland or Sandy Hook.
Remember the Dixie Chicks..
Yeah but the DC were not as popular as Tay. DC was mainly popular in country. Tay is popular in pop as well as country
I will never forget the Dixie Chicks – their documentary Shut Up and Sing covers the whole debacle – nor Toby Keith’s part in fanning the nutso flames. Dubya encouraged the outrage as well.
It’s insane to me that saying “mentally unstable and violent people shouldn’t have access to guns, so let’s make some changes” is controversial. Insane.
Right wing propaganda is good at turning “this war was ill-conceived and unjustified” into “they hate the troops!” and “we need common sense gun laws” into “they want to ban all guns!”
its insane to me that this whole thing is a political issue with more than one side. how are there two+ sides to kids saying “i don’t want to get shot at school anymore”?!?!
I think it’s a sign of how off the deep end the other side is. It doesn’t matter what the message is anymore. These kids could march for oxygen, and the deplorables will start holding their breath.
Now that’s an idea! Let’s make deplorables hold their breath forever.
It’s completely crazy that not wanting to be shot at school (or the movies, church, etc.) is now a political issue. It should not be.
I could not agree with you more @silverpoodle. This should not be political.
I read an article that showed a little light on the ideology of those that love their guns. It is called “Why so many American men want to be the ‘good guy with a gun'” on Vox.
But there are few surprises–the reasons include racism and a narcissistic obsession with becoming John Wayne, among some others.
Exactly. There should be no debate here.
Because for them EVERYTHING is political. Their donors and lobbyists control them, so they assume everyone else is too. They fail to see sometimes it is about morals and values. Or integrity and compassion.
Publicity before her tour.
She is quite savvy.
I doubt she would have spoken up if she did not have a tour to promote.
She stayed quiet too long. Guess she finally realized the age group who buy her music are the ones fighting for their lives now.
She could have spoken up over many things in the last 16 months or so for publicity – but she didn’t. I don’t think it’s crazy to think she might actually care about this.
Exactly. This is the same girl who never denounced NAZIS. Miss me with this shameless PR move
meh better than nothing. Now millions of her teen fans are exposed to this if they were not before.
Sorry but no. The bare minimum is not enough and denouncing Nazi affiliation is the BARE MINIMUM
Thank you. I don’t forgive that and I never will. Nazis murdered a lot of people who are on my family tree but didn’t make it out. The stories are in my blood. Watching a relative on the brink of mental illness and collapse from being in a camp as a child leaves a mark.
So I won’t forgive it ever. I don’t hate her, but I dislike her.
I’m with you on this, Nicole. She failed to denounce the Aryan nation and then she tried to shut down the free speech bloggers who called her on it.
I don’t want to “eh” something of such enormity, but it’s well possible that she didn’t want to give them any more oxygen by acknowledging them. If I hadn’t read it here, I wouldn’t have known anything about it.
Maybe this is all publicity. Her fan base is mostly young, and the young are more likely to be anti-trump and anti-gun violence, so she’s just playing to that. BUT I think this is important because not all of those kids who are anti-trump, anti-gun violence live with families who think the same way. This might – hopefully – bolster some of those kids to continue to hold their views despite what that see and hear at home.
I understand people saying that it is the bare minimum and she doesn’t deserve the pat on the back. But why punish the behaviour we want to see more?
I agree, Nan.
Let’s encourage, not discourage.
Oh please! Lukewarm PR move. This is the safest “political issue” right now. Even Conservative outlets are returning polling that over 60% support gun reform. The reason it’s so popular is because the term “gun reform” as a term is such an amorphous concept it could mean anything from an outright assault weapon bans to leaving all gun legislation to the individual States.
Just hope a smart reporter actually asks her what exactly gun reform would entail for her. I bet you her answer will be the most gibberish evasive reply known to man.
You never know. She held her own admirably in court against her abuser. She was bright, articulate and fast with the answers and the zingers.
I cannot freaking believe I have defended TS twice in one day. I’m going somewhere else.
Oh I am not suggesting that she is too dumb to take a specific position and defend it intelligently. I’m saying she is too conniving to actually take a specific position. Because while the general gun reform is overwhelmingly popular, the details are where the political split actually is. She will stay on that fancy fence until someone actually forces her to take a side.
why do you hold her to that standard though? Can’t she just have an opinion without being a potential law-maker? The adults who were at the rallies didn’t speak to specific solutions (Clooney, Amal, Julianne Moore). I hope we can want change and demand the conversation begin without being held to a requirement to have answers.
I’m no TS fan but I respect her decision. Hopefully she doesn’t let these raving ammosexuals shut her up on this issue
Her fans are young. They won’t “cancel” her over a stance.
I don’t know why people keep thinking her fans are young girls. A lot of her fans are grown women. Women in their 20s and early 30s that have “grown” up with her.
Stop calling me out like that, MellyMel. I like to enjoy my bad musical tastes in peace. :p
Nothing reveals the knee-jerk, propaganda-laden nature of the hard right’s insanity like the gun control debate. I consider myself pretty moderate on gun control – I don’t mind hunting rifles or even handguns, though I do think anything in the semi-auto or automatic class should not be available to the general public. I think guns should be registered and licensed to the same extent vehicles are – so if your gun is involved in a crime, you get to answer for how it got there. Apparently this makes me a frothing liberal. Who knew.
I’ll give her that she’s starting to realize an apolitical position won’t continue being viable in this climate, but I’ll wait before passing judgement on any change she wants to make.
See, that’s weird, because I basically completely agree with you regards to gun control, yet I fully consider myself a liberal and don’t think my opinions on guns are on the moderate portion of the spectrum. I think of the people who are advocates for the availability of semi-auto to automatic weapons, but want criminal/mental/ability checks before purchase as “moderates” on gun control. It’s interesting how people’s perspectives are different.
“General public” is a broad term to me. I think automatic weapons in general should be banned except in very rare cases for collectors with extreme vetting and licensing requirements. Semi-automatic handguns should also have very limited distribution and require extensive training, registration, and licensing. Otherwise, the general public should only have access to non-automatic guns and rifles.
Asking all weapons handlers to be licensed and that all weapons be registered and insured is not extreme to me. We require that of drivers, and vehicles aren’t an object class designed purely to do harm. There’s no reason for us not to be able to track where an item that could be used for criminal assault and have the owner answer for its presence at a crime scene. That would stop allowing us to downplaying the reality of what guns are – weapons.
Good for her
Yeah, she maybe donated $50.00? She doesn’t state how much, yet every other time she’s made a donation, we hear about the amount….so I’m not sure I’m ‘with her’ quite yet. She needs to prove more to me….but I still appreciate how she made fun of herself and her dancing in that last video…..:)
Mention gun reform or gun control and everytime, I’ll see a conservative foaming at the mouth spouting nonsense. It’s insane how effective the NRA propaganda machine is.
As for Swift, I think people are too focused on this being image control. Celebrity games aside, imo, she’s taking a risk. That message from Red State came off as a threat to me. To me it came off inciting violence against her to silence her. That’s how triggered they are by a group of outspoken teens and a pop star. It’s both pathetic and scary.
…I’ve got nothing, Swift. Respect where it’s due.
Someone posted on Twitter that when risk adverse corporations speak on a formerly controversial issue, it’s a sign that there’s been a cultural shift relating to that stance. Though the person was posting about the New England Patriots’ owner lending the team plane to Parkland protesters, it applies to Swift as well.
ETA: Found the tweet: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/977663308600827904
Thanks for linking! I think this is the most interesting way of framing this TS story – and a heartening one at that. This kind of cultural shift usually goes hand in hand with more tangible, legislative change. I honestly don’t care what TS actually thinks and whether she is doing this for PR or not, I just want gun control.
OMG. The visual of the Parkland children arriving in DC in a red, white and blue private plane labeled as PATRIOTS…simply stunning. These children are bringing it!
One gun manufacturer filed for bankruptcy today. So yeah this is large, and it is not going away. It was safe for her, and she will lose no fans. They are just mad the tide is turning.
Damned if she does damned if she doesn’t. Ugh. I’m still a fan.
Glad she found the guts to say something about something important. Still hasn’t denounced the nazi thing.
But, she found a cause to stand behind that’s not as controversial. Your average citizen doesn’t want to see mostly white children murdered.
Used to be a fan. Dislike her snake garbage. Admire her taking a stand here. No shade.
What is “snake garbage”?
Glad she decided to speak up. This is not the time for silence, America.
On the same day America marched for Gun control, Argentina marched in honour of the victims lost during the military dictatorship in the 70s, and to renew our commitment to NEVER let it happen again and to always remember those who were taken forever. I marched for my cousin and the thousands others I never met #NuncaMas
Violence, perpetrated by State or guerrillas/groups, is a decease no society deserves.
Wow. Way to go!
She’s just doing what she has always done: Jump on a movement that’s already ‘safe’ to join.
I’m glad she decided to show her support though.
I swear. When I read something like that, coming from an actual American voter….man….I just don’t know what to say. It literally makes me so depressed. So sick to my stomach. I’m so tired of these extreme righters and their lack of….everything. If they really want government completely out of our lives, why don’t they just stfu? Aren’t they supposed to be the magical “silent majority?” In reality, they’re like squawking Appalachian turkeys (sorry actual turkeys).
WOW. Did not expect this. Good for her. She has such a platform.
I am just flabbergasted at how butthurt everyone is over children simply asking adults to help keep them safe. IN SCHOOL. It is a no-brainer. IT IS OUR JOB. I cannot understand it. People I thought I knew are just shocking me with the crap they are posting to keep their right to bear arms.
It seems like Taylor’s bestie Selena Gomez also gave her support and is getting attacked.
On a personal note I must say this…I guess she finally found a cause that matters because if I recall her tweet to a fan asking if she supported BLM and fighting against police brutality was met with gem:
“There are more important things to talk about…why can’t people use their voice for something that fucking matters?”
And this gem:
“Oh lol so that means if I hashtag something I save lives? No. I could give two ducks about ‘sides’. You don’t know what I do.”
I wonder what changed for her? That was a rhetorical question as I have a pretty good idea.
I’d like to see these tweets. I think she’s extremely problematic, but she’s more of the silent type than the over-expressive kind.
The first tweet is from Selena Gomez, on July 18, 2016. Can’t say if it’s a tweet to a fan in regarding to BLM or anything else, because it’s not a reply tweet, it’s just a statement she made. About the second tweet, some claim she posted and deleted it, but I haven’t seen any proof. Still, I can understand why someone would get frustrated when you have people demanding you to publicly voice your opinion about an issue in social media. Some people prefer to do their important work out of the public’s eye, and in Twitter you’re dammned if you do or if you don’t.
Sure. Selena’s got so many deeply-set issues that I won’t even get into her politics. Taylor has a brain and has often jumped on existing bandwagons instead of helping lead the way for causes she “believes” in; she doesn’t take many risks where her business is concerned. Some might argue she doesn’t have to. I like a little more integrity in the people I throw money to.
http://www.latina.com/entertainment/celebrity/selena-gomez-under-fire-minimizing-black-lives-matter-tweet
Here you go. The tweets are in the article and saved on the internet for posterity.
@Mina…no this really isn’t a case of her not being able to win.
As a black woman shit like this hurts my soul. It just re-confirms time and time again the USA’s disgusting attitudes towards blacks. To add insult to injury people are so nonchalant and normalized in their hatred that you can come around trying to justify her actions making her the victim and saying that it is not okay to cancel people for saying vile shit.
It is funny to me how people can say the most vile things about blacks ( a tale as old as dirt) and it is justified in every level of society as natural and and just an opinion. It is not just an opinion. It is damn vile but the USA stays showing its true colours when it comes to race relations. I mean she said stuff happening to blacks is stuff that does not matter? How can you explain that away? You can’t but it is a rhetoric so damn normalized that most of the majority population on one level or the other agrees with it.
So just to be clear, yiu’re now talking about Selena Gomez?
What strikes me the most about that extremely weird statement is the idea that “Swift has finally forced her fans to take a side with or against her on an issue.” It’s so telling of today’s mindset. Like you can’t disagree with someone, if their fans chose so, and still like them? Is everyone nowadays supposed to agree about everything with someone, otherwise they should be “cancelled”? That’s mind-boggling to me (not as mind-boggling as people being so against gun reform, but still). Our current society is so afraid of respectful debate, we’re doomed.
The issues are so different now though. This is no longer determining things such as what type of economic plan is best or how much regulation is too much. There is no “debate” when it comes to human rights.
Debate is the basis of any democracy, though. If you’re just going to impose stances, as righteous and obvious as they may seem to us, it becomes a different kind of government.
Honestly, I’m guessing that’s probably why Taylor Swift has avoided politics – because people will tear you apart and cancel you in a second. I was becoming friends with someone, realized she was a Trump supporter but gave her a pass in my head because pretty much everyone where I live is and I can’t not have friends. Then she found out I am most definitely not a Trump supporter and I haven’t heard from her since. Personally, I have a hard time keeping my politics to myself, especially on social media or if directly asked, but I also don’t have a multi-million dollar business to protect. Given that, it was relatively brave of her to speak out. You’d *think* this was a “safe” cause but omg people get crazier over guns than they do abortion imo, so it’s actually shockingly controversial for a lot of people.
I’m from Mississippi and have that trouble too. I now have three friends to my name because I can’t tolerate anyone else. The people on the far right down here are near militant about it. It’s not worth it.
Finally!! I’m happy she took a stance, it was about time.
What a mansplainey, gun crazy jackass (red state guy). Which doesn’t surprise me at all. I hope Taylor Swift writes a song about HIM LOL
This girl is so predictable and it is nauseating. If she had done this ten days ago , there would have been an ounce of authenticity. She has a long record of diverting bad press with donations. Her last video is in the news for it’s blatant plagiarisms, and now she is shifting the story. Before this, her app failed miserably as white supremacist homophobes came in droves and – as usual- she told People Magazine that she sent flowers to gay couple for their wedding. Do not buy this bull. She is no activist. Just like with the me too exploitation. She was sued, she counter-sued, and released a statement.That is no activism.
wow, Taylor – I didn’t expect this! thank you for using your platform for this <3
this country is due #gunreform.
Via The Red State, “Gun control will never come up at her concerts.”
After the Ariana Grande tragedy, the Las Vegas country music festival brutality – how willfully ignorant and dangerous to make that statement. Jesus.
“Gun control will never come up at [her] concerts”
Las Vegas and Le Bataclan beg to differ.
This is a PR move sadly. She could have denounced the suggestion of being Nazi/Aryan Barbie. But she didn’t. Yet, she doesn’t want to be seen as someone who is silent on this issue, despite being the darling of those she should have denounced. It’s empty.
Meh.