Peace For Kristen Stewart

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. ~ Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)

THE TIME TO PUT THIS TYPE OF PAPARAZZI BEHAVIOR TO REST IS NOW.

Can anyone see Rob? I can’t. (Not that I want or care to in these circumstances anyway.) There are at least 20 guys surrounding him. I don’t think he can get anywhere safely by how they swarm. Remember, they are also screaming things AT him. Now, this isn’t what anyone saw in Japan or even in Australia, maybe it’s because it didn’t happen or no one is recording paparazzi behavior.

The paparazzi at LAX are known to be rude, unsafe, disrespectful and vicious. That isn’t news. Personally, I cannot bring myself to look at/gawk/circulate/post pics taken this way. It’s inhumane.

NOW. WE CAN begin the process to putting an end to this now, and complaining without forward action is just complaining. So, I recommend that you take your anger, frustration and complaints with all this (if you are feeling those things) and please BE PROACTIVE. Sitting idly and expecting someone else to do it isn’t going to cause anything.

Here are some suggestions via The Paparazzi Reform Initiative. You can also scroll through our Tumblr for more ideas.

:) One of the many reasons she’s loved by so many…

The paparazzi aren’t the issue. It has to do with how they behave, act and treat people. The issue has to do with their respect for human rights and privacy - knowing when to draw the line between what is or what isn’t okay.

Many people say “It’s part of the deal to get their pictures taken,” or “They shouldn’t choose the industry if they want to keep their lives private,” or some rendition of that…By the way, I find this logic funny because I could turn it around and also say to the paparazzi, “If you don’t want to be treated with disdain, then choose a respectable occupation.”

And I digress…

LOOK. MOST high-profile people understand getting their pictures taken by paparazzi is part of their lifestyle. I can’t speak for any celebrity, but I imagine, given that they are very well aware of what they are getting into by choosing to do something they love, they understand what they “signed up” for. However, I don’t believe ANY of them “signed up” for being constantly harassed, disrespected and/or to lose their freedoms like personal space, privacy and most of all, human rights.

The paparazzi in the US, especially in CA behave in animalistic and horrifying ways (in my view) and it is the ones who behave in this way that give other paparazzi a “bad wrap”. I imagine there are a few respectful paparazzi out there, and unfortunately, the culture bred by competitiveness, money and greed is what creates these men/women into rabid animals who negate human compassion and respect.

IF THE PAPARAZZI BEHAVED RESPECTFULLY, I’d be willing to bet that most celebrities/famous people would have no problem having their picture taken within reason.

This is ultimately about context. It’s not an attack on the people who happen to choose to live a certain lifestyle as a paparazzo. It’s an “attack” on the behavior.

Another example…(read this please)

..of something that I don’t think works…If there is a “hands off” policy for the children of politicians, for the children of crime victims, as well as for our own children, HOW IN THE WORLD IS IT OKAY that there ISN’T a “hands off” policy for the children of celebrities?

WHY do they seem to be the exception to the rule? Does that sit well with any of you?

This seems like a double-standard to me and something I feel WE can do something about NOW.

I recently got into a discussion with someone about this and their attitude was this, “I think their parents are rich enough to do something about it. And if they are not doing anything, then why should anyone else?” AND “How much sense does “privacy for those in the spotlight” really make? - if they don’t want people taking pictures of them, then why are they in the field they chose?”

(Now, to give you insight, the conversation went well as I chose to use the opportunity to open some things up that he didn’t see…overall, we agreed to disagree and that was that.)

Now, my thought to the first question is this:

“Why wouldn’t anyone else? And, who’s to say that the parents aren’t doing anything? Do we know for sure?” Ask Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Natalie Portman and countless other celebrities with children to see if they aren’t doing anything to protect the privacy of their own children. Something tells me they’re not just sitting there being victims of the paparazzi/media, and I will go so far to say that since WE are the consumers of the media, WE ACTUALLY CAN AFFECT these types of situations. See, IF the general public DEMANDS RESPECT for children of celebrities, then in joint effort WITH the celebrities who value the privacy of their children, the difference CAN AND WILL BE MADE. That whole “This has nothing to do with me” attitude is exactly why we are in the situations we’re in worldwide…we think certain things have nothing to do with us, but on a deep level, EVERYTHING has something to do with us because we are all connected as human beings. Some of you may grasp this and some of you may not. I hope that most of you who take the time to read this understand what I am saying.

My thought on the second question is this:

“So, is the solution to this thought process this? To gain back privacy and human rights (which, by the way, EVERYONE deserves and let me remind you, one FULLY had BEFORE they became well-known), one should just forgo their God-given talents, their love and passion for music/film/art/etc. (which happens to become much more high-profile, the more successful he/she is) and quit what he/she was put on this planet to do just to avoid getting their picture taken?!”

(Granted, what I’m saying applies to true artists who do what they do for the art, not for the fame, because in reality, there are people out there who only strive to become famous because that’s all they care about. What I am saying right now, does not necessarily apply to them, although they still deserve respect.)

Should we then all just sell-out on our dreams and contribution to others and the planet (whether it’s through music, acting, or whatever one loves to do) to maintain what we, AS HUMAN BEINGS should always have the right to have?!…RESPECT, PRIVACY, SAFETY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS?!!! People around the world are dying to have these rights and we justify the loss of it? Good grief.

I DO NOT AND I CANNOT ALIGN WITH THAT MENTALITY/LOGIC AT ALL. It’s not wrong, and anyone can have that attitude, but that’s theirs. However, I DO CHALLENGE/QUESTION ITS LIMITATIONS. To me, that particular attitude and mentality, doesn’t seem to open up possibilities, nor does it seem to empower others to be their best. To me, it asks people to shut parts of themselves down, settle and compromise their human rights for the sake of their dreams or worse, compromise their dreams for their human rights. That’s a win/lose situation vs. a win/win situation, folks. So, excuse my language, when I say, FUCK THAT. IT’S COMPLETE BULLSHIT. Fuck anyone/ANYTHING that tries to limit people’s greatness and attempts to put a lid on who they can be. Control has never nor will it ever work. Just look at the wars around us. It’s all about who has control and that false sense of “power”.  

Unfortunately, this mentality is pervasive in the media culture, it’s pervasive in the minds of most paparazzi, and sadly, it’s pervasive among the general population.

Here is something I will ALWAYS STAND FOR UNTIL THE END OF MY LIFE AND EVEN BEYOND, AND THAT IS THE RIGHTS OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS. No matter what it’s about. In this case, I am standing for the rights of human beings as it relates to celebrities and their children. So, yes, this might come as a shock to some of you (as it did me recently), but I also stand for the rights of the paparazzi because I do believe that a win/win relationship that can be created between paparazzi/media and the celebrities. I believe if they all agreed to be respectful towards each other, everyone can be happy. It CAN work.

Here’s a simple (not necessarily easy) rule to live by: RESPECT EACH OTHER. If we all did that, I promise you, we’d see a very different world. One that is peaceful and loving.

My purpose in bringing up this person’s view is to bring to light the general idea that does exist within our culture and to open up a different, maybe new way of looking at things. I think one of the many reasons the mentality of that person and others like this person even exists is because most of us are disconnected and happen to be poor at empathizing or being compassionate. I’m not saying the values are dead, but I am saying that with my experience on Twitter/Tumblr/Socia Media/everyday life, I have noticed these values are something WE ALL really can really work on doing better at putting MORE focus on.

Anyway, I digress…

Personally, I would like to see the above picture published ONLY IF the publication/outlet attained permission from Mr. Matt Damon to do so. If you support that idea, definitely support the success of this petition. I don’t expect an overnight ‘miracle’ so to speak, but it IS one step in a new and positive, forwarding direction.

Thank you for reading and of course your continued support.

~ Peace4Stew

P.S. Please feel free to share this with anyone/everyone who is crazy enough to believe that we can IMPACT the world, merely because WE CAN.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Gandhi

Something to think about….

So, this is Sienna Miller. You all know who she is. Now, TRY to tell me that situations like this is something that her young baby should not be protected from.

If you feel for Sienna as well as her child, please make sure to read, sign and share THIS PETITION via The Paparazzi Reform Initiative to be part of supporting the shift in media culture as it relates to children. YOU can be part of history.

“Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

Photo credit: unknown

AGAIN: Please only circulate pics of Kristen taken WITH permission. I still see some of you circulating photos taken by paparazzi. RESPECT PRIVACY PLEASE.