Editorial: Why We are Delisting Some Celebrities

When Steve and I started Look to the Stars in 2007, we did it in an attempt to increase empathy, and show people that there are real rewards for helping others. We wanted everyone who read our site to try helping a stranger, even just once, to see why their idols did it. We hoped that people would see how good it feels to give their time and support to others, and would want to do more of it.

With this in mind, we set aside our own personal preferences and included people and organizations whether or not their ideals aligned with ours. We knew that all celebrities had an audience, and we hoped that including them would inspire their fans to follow their philanthropic leads. We prided ourselves on walking a thin line of being purely positive and supportive, while remaining impartial to politics and general values.

Eventually I was worn down by seeing the behind-the-scenes activities, and witnessing how ego and greed can corrupt what should be positive actions. I had to step away from the active running of Look To The Stars, despite people still randomly contacting us to say how much good our site was doing. Every time I came back to try to work on the site, I was overwhelmed by how deeply greed and ego were woven into certain areas of philanthropy, and I would have to step away again.

But, I can’t sit back any longer. We have a platform, and on this platform we have the ability to share information with people around the world, in a time when finding messages of truth, love, and support on the internet is becoming increasingly challenging.

We will no longer be including every random celebrity on our website. Any celebrity who encourages hatred, violence or mistreatment of another based on qualities they cannot control will be removed. We will continue to share news that supports people helping others in need (preferably people who don’t already have more then they need already), but only involving celebrities who have a exhibited a reasonable level of tolerance.

I had planned to post something about the Paradox of Intolerance here. It is true that a safe and secure society must be intolerant of those who are intolerant: society has to stand against those who would hurt others. But I have recently seen it turned against both racists and people who are working for a more just and equal society.

Here I have to say, there is a difference between hating people for who they are, and wishing people would make different choices. It is perfectly okay to be angry or upset about people’s actions. It is okay to demand that they change those actions. It happens every day in courts around the world when we put criminals on trial. We do it when we scold our children for doing something dangerous.

It is perfectly okay to speak up, yell, gather and demand that future choices and actions be different. Actions and choices can be changed; they are not hard-coded into a person’s genes. A person’s race, sex, or ethnicity are not the same thing as another person’s choice to hoard and deny resources, or to commit a hate crime.

This site’s editorial team will not tolerate intolerance where race, religion, or gender identity are concerned. If a celebrity openly hates a group of people, we cannot consider them a role model, regardless of how much money they might donate or how large an audience they command.

We are tolerant of the intolerant when it comes to encouraging people to change harmful actions. Encouraging others to make choices that benefit society is the only way a better society will have a chance of evolving. So, if you are one of the countless people who do want a fairer, healthier, safer world for everyone, welcome. We thank you for your visit, and hope you can find something here to keep you going.

- Myrlia Purcell and the LTTS team

We are still a volunteer-based organization, with no real funding to speak of, and a very small team. This is a plus, because it means we’re free of any financial influence from big donors. But it also means we might take a long time to answer emails, and we aren’t in a position to help others financially, much to our great regret. Still we will do our best to provide a refuge for those on the internet looking for hope.