Talking points: Should artists and entertainers be involved in politics?
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Kanye West accepts the Video Vanguard Award at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards where he announced his intention to run for presidency.Natasha Lau, 18, University of Cardiff, Britain
Everyone should have freedom of speech, including artists and entertainers. They have a right to share their views about what's happening in society. They might have better ideas than even politicians on how to solve the problems faced by ordinary people.
Also, artists are more honest than some politicians who are corrupt and seek favours from big businesses. I believe politics should not be left only to politicians. Give everyone a chance!
Snehaa Senthamilselvan Easwari, 14,South Island School
Taylor Swift, Emma Watson, Beyonce. These are just some of the most powerful artists in a world where social media plays a significant role. I feel that artists have such a huge influence on people that they can make a major political impact, too.
Although politics and entertainment are poles apart, artists can use their "soft power" to bring meaningful changes to a country. I think they will do a good job as long they have the interest of the public at heart.
Sebastian Wong, 16, Po Leung Kuk Vicwood K.T. Chong Sixth Form College
Rapper Kanye West's acceptance speech at the VMAs was very funny. During the show, he announced that he was running for president in 2020. So now the question is: should entertainers be involved in politics? My answer is "no".
There is hardly anyone in the entertainment industry who could become a politician. Being a politician means you have to be familiar with the law, current affairs and the demands of citizens. Artists just don't have those skills. For example, some people may support Beyonce becoming president, but we all know that it's not possible. Artists should stick to the entertainment business, leaving politics to others.
Leuven Wang, 13, King George V School
Everyone should be allowed to take part in politics regardless of their profession. But I believe it would be better to leave politics to people who have the expertise to deal with people's day-to-day problems and other important issues. I don't think anyone would take Kanye's announcement about running for president in 2020 seriously. He has hardly any political experience, while most people think it's just a publicity stunt.
Karina Poon, 15, South Island School
I think artists and entertainers will have an unfair advantage if they get involved in politics. They can use their wealth and fame to influence people regardless of their political skills. Their involvement will take the attention away from the real purpose of politics - good governance.
Politicians should become popular based on their policies, not their hit songs or the number of awards they have won.
The publicity surrounding artists and entertainers have no place in politics. So let's leave politics to politicians and allow entertainers to show off their skills on a different stage.
Tell us what you think in the comment box below.
You're welcome to join the conversation. In our next Talking Points, we'll discuss:
Do countries with wide-open spaces have a responsibility to accept refugees from war-torn countries?
We are now accepting answers from readers for this new topic. To take part, email your answer with your name, age and school, plus a hi-res photo of yourself (no less than 1MB), to [email protected] by Monday lunchtime next week.