The best thing about having a blog on word press is the incredible diversity associated with  the content, people and places that they are from. I have learned so much from so many different blogs over the course of the last year, and I find that amazing. If you are reading this then you know that my blog, “The Zen Hiker,” deals primarily with hiking in the Hudson Valley of New York State.

As you know, this is an election year here in the US. Whether you (especially those of you outside of the US) have been entertained, disgusted, amazed, confused or whatever, it is a long process that wears everyone down, no matter what side of the aisle you are on. I have tried very hard to not post any blogs about politics, because what I think about a certain candidate, positive or negative, really means nothing.Now, with all of that said, my question to all of you is this-Why do we place so much value in what entertainers have to say about politics? What is about being an entertainer that makes what they say gospel? Does this also happen in other countries? Please, those of you in countries outside of the US, tell me this isn’t the case.

I am specifically referring to the growing list of celebrities who are threatening to leave the US if a certain presidential candidate is elected.  Where is the correlation that if you are famous because you can sing, act, throw a ball, hit a ball or bounce a ball that you are uniquely qualified to then weigh in on politics.? Here in the United States we do have the constitutional right to free speech and I am certainly not advocating anything else. But….why is it a lead story on the news when an entertainer has vile things to say about any candidate, left or right? Who cares?? If these people didn’t have press people, most of them wouldn’t be able to tie their own shoes without help.

I wish, that just for once, they would act in a responsible manner and just say, “Everyone needs to get out and vote for the candidate of your choice” and maybe, “Just make sure that you get out and vote.” That would make more sense to me than listening to the nonsense about leaving the US. Why???

Because they never do it. They never ever leave, ever. Do these celebrities and sports stars understand that based on political demographics, approximately 50% of their fans probably do not agree with their political leanings?

My point then is this:

If you are famous for acting, singing, throwing, hitting or bouncing a ball, then just shut up and act, sing, throw, hit or bounce your ball. If you are threatening to leave if your candidate is not elected, then follow through and do it, silently. Even though we all know you won’t…