“We’re giving it power by shutting the fuck up completely.”
-Madonna Ciccone
#freespeechmatters 05.11.2021
Pop icon Madonna joins a growing list of celebrities standing up against cancel culture. In an interview with playwright Jeremy Harris for V magazine, the popular artist addressed the fact that celebrities are too afraid to speak out for what they believe is right in fear of being cancelled. She offered up the pandemic as an example, noting that the current censorship is “pretty frightening.”
Madonna’s Instagram account was flagged last July after the masses got highly upset when she shared a video of a medical professional discussing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine and the ineffectiveness of masks, facts that are still referred to by Yahoo News as “falsehoods.” ‘Madam X,’ her latest concert film, open up with the quote, “Artists are here to disturb the peace.” During her interview, she recognizes that “disturbing the peace” is probably an “act of treason.”
Musicians and comedians are far less concerned with disturbing the peace than they are with protecting their profits. Many celebrities have become voice boxes for the national narrative, repeating the dictated script in popular television shows, films, and radio hits to secure their position in the spotlight. These people are discouraged from doing what’s right and, instead, encouraged to do what they are told.
The pop star clearly wants to be able to have a conversation without her career being threatened. That shouldn’t be too much to ask for in the land of the free. Sensitivity is at an all time high while our free market of ideas is functioning at an all time low. Falsehoods are being adopted as fact just so that nobody’s feelings are hurt. It really shouldn’t be a wonder that our children are struggling academically, when there’s literally a chilling effect placed on asking questions.
I hope we the people can rid ourselves of cancel culture soon. I’m tired of the same narratives played on repeat using different mediums. I want musicians who aren’t afraid to take risks and comedians who aren’t afraid to be wrong. In the land of the brave, we shouldn’t be living in crippling fear of voicing what we believe. Hopefully, Madonna’s speaking out encourages other people with platforms to do so. If we don’t end cancel culture soon, American culture is finished.
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