ANGEL: No, celebrities do not have to respond to tragedies. If you’re depending on an entertainer for guidance, you my friend are already lost.

Celebrities are put on such high pedestals, to the point that they’re not even considered human anymore. They’re criticized for everything they do, from how they comb their baby’s hair to the way they dress, but at the end of the day they can chose to be as apathetic as they want in light of tragedies.

First off, you never know what a celeb may be doing behind the scenes to support a tragic situation; they don’t always have to publicly announce their feelings and efforts. We should all be more concerned about the actions of President Obama, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson and Attorney General Eric Holder when it comes to justice for Mike Brown. Those are the voices that will speak volumes and bring change.

No matter how much effort a celebrity puts in, they’ll still be criticized to some degree. For example, St. Louis rap veteran Nelly was criticized for not making an instant statement about Mike Brown, even though he’s from the same city. What most people don’t know is that Nelly was overseas at the time and says with lack of information he waited to make a statement: “we should strategize before we overreact.” I personally think that was the right way to approach it.

The point is, don’t expect your favorite celebrities to be that change you want to see. How about you be the change, your voice is just as powerful. Celebrities are not obligated to speak out on tragic situations and that’s the reality of it.