Can't Say No?

There has been much fuss made about a recent photo shoot which featured Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana).

I was not going to comment on it here, until I read an article which deeply concerned me. In the article Cyrus said of the photo, "I think it's really artsy," she told the magazine at the time. "It wasn't in a skanky way. Annie took, like, a beautiful shot, and I thought that was really cool. That's what she wanted me to do, and you can't say no to Annie." A CNN article quoted further, "And you can't say no to Annie. She's so cute. She gets this puppy dog look and you're like, 'O.K.'"

You can't say no to Annie? Why not? Because she is powerful? Because she will be sad if you do? If Miley Cyrus and her parents can't say no to a photographer, there is little hope for the rest of her life. Eventually there will be a cute boyfriend who will get the "puppy dog look" too and what will happen then.

Young stars need to be taught there their values can't be sold to the highest bidder. Perhaps Annie Leibovitz is an influential photographer who has the ability to help people advance in their careers, but she can certainly be told "no".

If Miley's dad, country star Billy Ray Cyrus, really wants to keep his daughter from following in the footsteps of so many other hollywood stars, he will start by teaching his daughter that the only one who you can't say no to God.

Furthermore, if Miley or her parents expressed any concert with the poses and Annie Leibovitz gave them the "puppy dog look" then she should be ahamed of herself.