Celebrities After the Election

Celebrities are typically at the center of attention, so it is no surprise that barely one week after the United States elect a new President, celebrities and other American's have begun to speak out. With an easily accessible platform, many personalities including actors, singers and athletes are telling America what is on their mind.

One of the first celebrity related incidents was by actor and singer Justin Timberlake who took a picture of himself in the voting booth. USA Today reported on the selfie with a ballot Timberlake took and the details behind taking photos in the voting booth. In 17 states across the country, including the state of Tennessee where Timberlake took his picture, photos in the voting booth are illegal.

Timberlake's case was never under review because the Tennessee Attorney General stated there were not enough resources to investigate any further. Just like Tennessee, Maine has lenient rules. Yet, in Pennsylvania, a ballot selfie could inflicted a fine of one thousand dollars and jail time.

In this article the use of snapchat was questioned as being a large part of the election as a whole. For voters, taking a picture with a ballot is a form of political expression, similar to the effect of the "I voted sticker."

For other celebrities, voting was not a priority. NFL Quarterback Colin Kapernick believed it did not matter who won the election. Choosing not to vote, was Kapernick's way of demonstrating his lack of support for oppression.

When asked by reporters and documented in this CNN article, 49ers quarterback Kapernick said he did not want to "show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

After recent controversies regarding Kapernick's refusal to stand for the national anthem during preseason, a new movement has begun around the country eliciting other's refusal as well.

The article also discussed the recent protest of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Mike Evans refused to stand for the National Anthem out of protest for Donald Trump being elected President.

"It's just who he is. It's well-documented what he's done. I'm not going to stand for something I don't believe in," said Evans.

In addition to these athletes, many celebrities took to Twitter to express their feelings on the results of the November 8th election, calling for unity.

Another article titled Hollywood expresses shock, disappointment after voting results had celebrity tweets displayed. One notable post came from West Wing actor Bradley Whitford who

tweeted, "We fight on. For equality. For inclusion. For opportunity. For justice. For science. This is not a defeat. It is a call to arms."

As America's come to terms with the new presidency, celebrities are still frustrated with the outcome and are continuing to post on social media and spark conversation.