Celebrities should encourage votes, not endorse candidates

Celebrities should keep their opinions to themselves and not try to persuade voters to think as they do. Most young people take the view of their favorite star as being the final say in an issue and vote accordingly without investigating how a candidate or proposition will affect them.

Actors, singers and athletes have all been very visible this election season especially as election night approaches. Stars were out in force trying to get voters to inform themselves about issues and trying to persuade them in a certain way.

Celebrities are a very useful tool for politicians because they know stars have a strong influence on people especially young adults who are awestruck by famous personalities.

Bo Derek and Barbara Streisand have both gotten involved by hosting fundraising events or sharing the stage with a candidate. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick issued a press release urging voters to do the right thing and vote for President Clinton.

It is endorsements like these that are questionable. They should encourage voters to register and vote not tell them for whom or which way to vote.

It is important that celebrities get involved with political issues and invite people, who would otherwise not be interested, to get involved in the electoral process. Other celebrities should learn from stars Candice Bergen, Magic Johnson, Jerry Rice and Ellen DeGeneres, who are actively campaigning with radio ads or live speeches urging people to vote.

Campaigns such as MTV's Rock The Vote and the Southwest Voter Registration Project, which shows Latino and Native American celebrities, are great examples of campaigns that instill in the viewer and listener that they have a responsibility to register and vote.

Michael Luevano is a reporter for the Daily Forty-Niner.