Hollywood’s Activism and Hypocrisy Were on Display at the Oscars One Pin at a Time

Pins have been the fashion accessory for celebrities at award shows lately. Last night's Oscars were no exception, but do celebrities have the moral high ground they claim on these issues they promote? The tweets tell it all.  

Hollywood's biggest stars traded all-black ensembles from the Academy Awards for white, cream, and nude frocks at the Oscars. 

The attention wasn't on bangles or earrings, but pins celebrities donned to show their solidarity with two hot-button issues: sexual harassment (in Hollywood) and gun control. 

Jane Fonda, Patrick Stewart, Elisabeth Moss, and some others wore black and white Times Up pins. These pins were first used at the Golden Globes earlier this year to help launch the initiative to combat sexual harassment in the workplace, but not nearly as many celebrities wore them last night. 

The other pins to get attention were orange and white anti-gun violence lapel pins. These were the brainchild of the organization Everytown for Gun Violence which announced that celebrities and supporters would don their orange pins on the red carpet to show their support for gun control in the wake for the tragic high school shooting in Parkland, FL. 

For all of the headlines that we should expect to see orange pins, only a handful of celebrities including actor Lin Manuel decided to wear them.

Perhaps celebrities are starting to tire of their own finger-wagging on social issues at awards. 

Americans were also quick to point out the hypocrisy of celebrities wearing these orange pins while their personal bodyguards, police, and other security guards stood close by fully armed to prevent trouble. 

Here are some reactions on social media compiled by one website:

@CharlieDaniels: I would imagine that there will be a lot said about gun control at the Oscars tonight 
How about they start their gun control by removing all event and private security from the site, disarm the private body guards and leave the “elite” to handle the streets of LA on their own, 
9:28 AM – Mar 4, 2018  

?@RyanAFournier: I challenge those in attendance to the Oscars who plan to speak on gun control to get rid of their armed security details. If you want us to get rid of our guns, you can’t be protected by them. 
5:13 PM – Mar 4, 2018

?@TomiLahren: I’m guessing there won’t be armed security outside of the Oscars tonight..we know Hollywood wouldn’t be that hypocritical or anything. Oh. Wait. #oscars 
5:09 PM – Mar 4, 2018

?@dhookstead: You will hear plenty from celebrities at the #Oscars tonight about gun control and why people don't need guns. 
Also, here is a photo of armed police officers at the Oscars putting up barricades to protect the very same celebrities that want you disarmed. 
5:22 PM – Mar 4, 2018

@CoreyLMJones: I can promise you one thing… 
There will be security, armed with guns, at almost every corner of the #Oscars in order to protect the Hollywood Elite 
If only we protected innocent children the same way we protect almost everything else in our country#Oscars90 #MAGA#2A #NRA 
3:00 PM – Mar 4, 2018

@CoreyLMJones: Since Hollywood advocates for the abolition of the 2ndAmendment so often, why don’t they make the #Oscars a gun-free zone? 
Since, of course, gun-free zones are the safest place on earth right? 
It seems as if they want gun-free zones for everyone except for themselves#MAGA #NRA 
5:08 PM – Mar 4, 2018

Gun control advocates might pushback that only law enforcement should possess weapons or that they aren't advocating for an entire ban on all guns but even that is questionable based on tweets from groups like the student-run National School Walkout which said: "Orange is the color of anti-gun."

Preventing mass shootings is an important priority, but a call to action should not come at the cost of constitutionally-guaranteed rights. 

Celebrities suggesting otherwise will not surprisingly be met with resistance. Let's not forget that plenty of these actors starred in everything from action movies to made-for-tv films where their characters exercised their Second Amendment rights in order to pursue justice, stop bad guys, or protect themselves.