Madonna’s ‘activism’

A couple of weeks ago, news of Malala Yousafzai’s plight spread throughout the world.

Because of her alleged Western values, the Taliban in her home country of Pakistan shot the 15-year-old blogger and female education activist.

She was shot not once, but twice, in both the head and neck.

While the global community was quick to offer signs of solidarity, admiration and well-wishing, one response decidedly fell flat.

Shortly after the tragedy in Pakistan, pop star Madonna felt it would be tasteful and wise to perform a striptease routine at her concert in Los Angeles.

It culminated in the revealing of a sheer bra, thong and none other than a “Malala” tattoo spread across her back.

We say Madonna’s act was not one of activism, but of exhibitionism, and her stunt shows a complete ignorance of culture and lack of regard for Yousafzai’s actual well-being.

Out of a deep-seated desire for attention that has not seemed to wane with age, Madonna’s lewd show, operated under the guise of “social awareness,” has spewed a terrifying backlash among the extremists that carried out the attacks against Yousafzai.

They now have pictorial sources to point to their claim that the Western values are not just tied to education and democracy, but to the sort of immodesty and consumerism the Muslim faith disparages.

Yousafzai has been placed in even greater danger as the attack’s perpetrators vow to strike again.

We say artists attempting to be socially aware for shock value or trendiness is as sickening as it is unwise.

It’s not uncommon for celebrities to become involved in causes.

Lady Gaga has been active with her pro-GLBT rights organization, Born This Way.

Coldplay has taken up the issues of fair trade and global hunger in its work with Oxfam, and Bono has worked to combat poverty in his collaboration with the ONE Campaign.

These are all examples of artists who have taken their positions of influence and used them to impact the world in a constructive and meaningful way.

Celebrities are in the perfect position to do just that, since they have a lot of money and a great deal of media attention.

Gaga, Coldplay and Bono have used their fame appropriately in their quest for the betterment of the world.

Madonna, with her “artistic” tattoo striptease, has not.

We say if Madonna really cares about social justice and human rights, she will take steps that create positive dialogue and promote constructive change.

Steps that go beyond a tattoo scribbled across an exposed back.