In less than 24 hours Taylor Swift, got the most profitable company in the world to bow down and listen to her. Now the internet is asking her to shake it off and go after another powerful institution: the state of South of Carolina.
The 25-year-old singer published an open letter to Apple early Sunday urging them to pay musicians who will be part of a recently announced music streaming service. Swift got an Apple vice president to announce the company will actually start paying artists for streaming their music, by Sunday at 8:30pm.
"When Taylor Swift speaks, even the most powerful company in the world listens," wrote the New York Times.
So why can't she use her power for the other big story in the news?
Taylor Swift emails the Governor of SC and the Confederate flag comes down tomorrow. If she cc's Jon Stewart it's down by 5 today.
— the other one (@imfromraleigh) June 22, 2015
There's a fast-growing movement pressuring state officials in South Carolina to stop flying the Confederate flag in front of public buildings. One petition launched Friday has more than half a million signatures.
The call to take the flag down grew up exponentially following the killing of nine people at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church last week. "The Confederate flag is not a symbol of southern pride but rather a symbol of rebellion and racism," reads the MoveOn.org petition.
Now that people recognize Swift's influence they're urging her to do anything she can to raise awareness about the campaign to get stop flying the Confederate flag in South Carolina.
https://twitter.com/irathethird/status/612849429926641665
Some have even asked her to pen a new "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Not many big celebrities have spoken out against the latest campaign to take down the confederate flag in South Carolina. A quick Google and Twitter search resulted in a handful of tweets about the flag by Grey's Anatomy actor Jesse Williams and former Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac. But there are two notable Republicans who have stepped forward.
Local news outlets in South Carolina are reporting governor Nikki Haley is scheduled to hold a press conference Monday afternoon. Rumor has it that she'll address the call for remove the Confederate flag from state property.