Here is a suggestion. When you see a video on the interwebs that appears to be commenting on a current situation, check the date. If you come across something like Meryl Streep talking about the Middle East, see what was said when it was said. It might have nothing to do with what is going on right now.
This is not in any way meant to spark debate about what a celebrity might have said is right or wrong, but rather not attacking them in a knee-jerk fashion because one thinks they have made a statement about recent events. Do the research before you judge. It might all make sense in context.
This brings us to our current problem that surrounds Garth Brooks. Without getting too far into politics, you might know that last week, President Donald Trump had a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office about the state of the Ukrainian war with Russia. The meeting did not go well.
Garth Brooks' viral video on Ukraine makes a comeback in the worst way
Soon after, a video surfaced of country music superstar Garth Brooks suggesting that American people should give some of their money to help support the Ukrainian people in the war. He stood next to his wife, Trisha Yearwood, and they pleaded for people to help those in need,
Now, instead of commenters reacting logically to what they were seeing, social media trolls skipped ahead to spread hate. If one agrees with Trump after what happened with the Ukrainian president, it might seem un-American to help Ukraine now (again, you can weigh the true events of the situation of the war versus the biased politics involved). Only, Brooks was not reacting to what happened in the White House.
Brooks and Yearwood made the comments three years ago. You remember way back then, right? That is when it was cool to help Ukraine. Now? Maybe not so much, depending on which side of the political fence you stand on. The issue is the context of the video.
One reaction on social media said, "They should do this PSA for the people of North Carolina first!" Again, the video was made three years ago and well before Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina. (Do the research, CGentry.) There are, sadly, a lot of comments like this, so people are falling for the false news of Brooks' supposed recent commentary on Ukraine.
One should blame the social media poster instead of Brooks. Maybe he feels the same about his support of Ukraine, and maybe he doesn't. We likely will never know that. If Garth Brooks is smart, he will stay far away from social media because ignorant hate is real.