Wrong to morally kidnap stars

Asocial media post demanding Wu Jing, the actor-director of the popular action film Wolf Warrior II, donate more than he already had in the aftermath of the recent Jiuzhaigou earthquake in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, has sparked fierce online debate about whether it is reasonable to morally blackmail celebrities to donate money after a natural disaster.

Some netizens believe Wu, as the director of China’s biggest-ever hit at the box office, had a moral obligation to make a large donation and argue that the 1 million yuan ($150,000) donated by Wu is disproportional to his film’s colossal box office revenue and he should have donated at least 100 million yuan.

This is not the first time people have tried to morally kidnap celebrities, similar donation demands were made of celebrities after the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan in 2008. When Yao Ming, then a Chinese NBA player, donated to the disaster-hit region 500,000 yuan, quite a few netizens were dissatisfied with the amount, saying Yao’s donation was meager compared with his more than 100 million yuan annual income. Many other celebrities have faced similar accusations.

Since then, any time a natural disaster occurs, public figures who are considered “wealthy” are always put in the spotlight, with the amount of their donations being exposed and even ranked by amount.

For anyone, celebrities included, whether to make a donation and if so how much are personal choices. Everyone has the right to decide for themselves without feeling coerced.

Anyone who makes a donation to help those affected by a natural disaster should be welcomed and praised, regardless of how much he or she donates. It is wrong for someone to tell others what they should do. Those who like to make a fuss about how much celebrities donate should first ask how much they have done for the society before pointing accusing figures at others.

— QIANJIANG EVENING NEWS