In September, a NY Daily News article was written with the (ominous, if you’re a subscriber to that rag) headline: “Taylor Swift’s silence on politics fuels speculation that she secretly voted for Trump.” This is of course meant to get the same gut-feeling from readers as you might get from “Taylor Swift’s silence on Jeffrey Dahmer fuels speculation that she is secretly a cannibal.” Except, in liberal circles, that might actually be more understandable and acceptable that realizing that their pop icon is something so dreadful as a TRUMP SUPPORTER. That’s…that’s…almost unthinkable!
“Swift faced criticism throughout the election season for remaining mum, and not following in the footsteps of her fellow pop stars, who expressed their support for Hillary Clinton and disdain for Trump,” read the story. “Her sole foray into the world of politics was as an apolitical Instagram post on Election Day telling her followers to ‘go out and VOTE.’”
The horror!
In a recent column, the magazine Marie Claire went further, actively criticizing Swift for her determined dedication to staying quiet about her politics. “Taylor is not required to be open about her politics, of course, but it’s also fair to question her decision to remain silent in what was a particularly contentious and consequential presidential battle,” wrote contributor Kayleigh Roberts.
“Whether she likes it or not, Taylor’s politics (or her perceived political apathy) are a part of her reputation, and a song addressing or at least acknowledging that (even if the song did not address her personal politics) would have been impactful,” she opined.
Would it?
What both the NY Daily News, Marie Claire, and anyone else bashing Swift for her lack of political statements is assuming, of course, is that Swift would naturally be a Democrat. After all, how could she NOT be? She’s not an 80-year-old racist man from Mississippi, so what else could she be? None of these writers have ever met a conservative in their social circles, and Swift is far too cool and relevant to be caught dead in Republican waters, so it’s obvious. Swift was pro-Hillary, but she refused to say so because she was afraid that it might turn Trump voters off her music. That’s what they actually think.
And they may be right. But we’d guess that if tomorrow, Swift admitted she was a Trumpist through and through and began forcefully defending his agenda, they would change their minds – in a hurry – about whether or not the pop star should be vocal about her politics.
Truthfully, we don’t know who Taylor Swift voted for last year, and that makes us extremely happy. More celebrities should follow her example and just keep their mouths shut about the wonderful world of politics. Yes, they have the same rights as every American to their opinion, but they did not earn their outsized soap boxes through the clarity of their political wisdom. Their status as famous entertainers lends their political criticism a weight that is unfair, unearned, and frankly, obnoxious. Swift does her fans and the country as a whole an enormous favor by keeping her silence.
