And I need to emphasize "Facebook friends." They're not "real" friends, I guess, because I've never met them. But the vast majority of friends I have on Facebook I have never met. Those people are mostly women, nearly all of them strikingly hot. I was suggested by the Facebook algorithm to friend them, scrolled through a few pictures of them in bikinis or other revealing clothing, I extended a request, and they accepted. And that's how we became friends, or "Facebook friends."
Well, I lost one Sunday, and it was over politics, or it was tangentially over politics. It was ostensibly over supernova pop singer Chappell Roan. I'm not completely familiar with her work because, frankly, I don't want to. I heard of her persona away from the stage before I listened to "Pink Pony Club," and I didn't like it. She waded into politics before November's election -- particularly how she stood up for Palestinians in Gaza and bashed both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for siding with Israel.
Do you know, however, that the Missourian Roan has a Republican uncle? Darin Chappell is a member of the Missouri House of Representatives representing a district in the southwestern part of the state. Back in the fall, Chappell co-sponsored a bill banning public funds going to abortion facilities in Missouri. I have seen no article that shows he has any progressive, liberal, moderate, or, dare I say, sane views. He's a MAGAt, plain and simple, and even though you can't choose family, if you call yourself an advocate for drag queens and other liberal causes with the ferocity you bashed Democrats over Gaza, I think it stands to reason that your silence in the face of a family member's Republican bona fides makes you somewhat of a hypocrite.
The post that started this mess on Facebook gave me another reason to think Roan is a fraud. According to this article -- and yes, I should be fact-checking what I see more often -- Roan seemingly took back the political stances she has espoused on stage and interviews in the past, saying she "doesn't have time to educate herself on politics" because she's just a pop singer. That's pretty damn laughable on its face because she's stuck her nose in politics ever since she became popular. Again, if you want to wade into politics, that's your right. If you don't, and want to be a cypher like Sabrina Carpenter, that's OK, too. But you have got to pick a lane, stay in your lane, and defend your lane. Roan clearly has not, and the person who posted this article about Roan not wanting to get into politics pointed that out and called Roan a fake for this flip-flop.
Now, I didn't see this link to this article to which this person said Roan's a fraud directly. I don't know the person who gave this opinion (although I followed her after I read it). I saw the link to the article from my former Facebook friend, who I think (I'm not quite sure) was defending Roan. Apparently, she's a fan. And this being social media, there was a part of me that, after I read this opinion, fell in love with it, and wanted to engage with my Facebook friend, said, "Be careful. You might lose this friend if you say what you want to say." And I heard that part of me ... and I went ahead and disagreed with her. Tastefully, of course.
Specifically, I said that Roan always smelled like a two-face and right on to this person putting Roan on blast. To which my Facebook friend gave me a screenshot of a Variety article that said Roan was going to vote for Harris after all. But it looked to get a little more personal than that: She accused me of not looking up evidence that proved I was right, and that she had already given proof that she was right, and that she had already proved to me that Roan was going to vote "correctly," and why did I think she had to prove it to me again. I thought the Variety article made Roan out not to be the diehard Harris supporter my Facebook friend said she was; it sounded as Roan was being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the voting booth to vote for the lesser of two evils.
I was going to tell my Facebook friend this, but she defriended me.
I have to admit: This hurts. I've been thinking about her off and on all day at work since she did that. We are on the same side politically. I had this big rant I posted on Facebook Inauguration Eve and she commented in a way that made me believe she was an ally. I also found her to be very sweet when not talking about politics. And yes, she's hot as hell. So it pains me to see that she is no longer my Facebook friend, and all because of Chappell Fucking Roan.
But should I be that torn up? This is the paradox of social media. I have never met her, and chances were low that I ever would, but I think I know her. She has been honest about some very low lows, and so there is a level of intimacy you can achieve with people you will never see face-to-face. And that is why I feel so bad about this. Then again, this is social media, a liminal state where people come and go. I've cut off people I've been Facebook friends with for some time because of politics, and I haven't given it a second thought. Doesn't she have the right to do the same? And besides, is my real life truly, truly being affected if she isn't my Facebook friend anymore?
---
I slid into her DMs and said that, while I apologize, I did not take back what I said about Roan. I also was sorry that she got upset that (according to her) I made her look up proof when she already said what she said. And, well, that's it.
I do believe in inner peace. Cut people off if they say something you don't like, absolutely. And yet, when it happens to you, you just wonder why people get set off so easily. Yes, that's hypocritical. But dammit, she's no longer Facebook friends with me because of Chappell Fucking Roan.
No comments:
Post a Comment