Stella Parton is pushing back against the criticism surrounding her elder sister Dolly following her death.
In a lengthy message shared to her Instagram 10 days after the country star’s death on August 25, Stella addressed the “tremendous amount of AI and endless garbage” being posted about the country icon, especially regarding her politics.
“As time passes, those who are in the business of exploiting the loss and tragedies of others on a daily basis will move on to the next stampede of endless misinformation,” the 77-year-old wrote.
Stella, who is also a singer-songwriter, noted that Dolly “loved her fans and the public in general. That is the reason she chose not to express her opinions on a lot of things like politics, religion and individuals in the public eye.”
According to Stella, Dolly knew “what a negative vortex that could turn into which is nothing but a huge waste of positive energy.”
The grieving sister — who is one of Dolly’s 11 siblings — then asked viewers to “show more compassion and wisdom as we move forward in life,” using Dolly’s life “as an example for tolerance and respect toward others.”
“It’s not about the most clever comments, fake AI garbage or snarky tweets,” she added. “At the end of the day or the end of a life, how will you feel about yourself?”
Notably, Stella herself has been very outspoken on her religious faith, noting, “I’ve always embraced my own personality and will continue to be myself and express my opinions as I deem appropriate regardless of what anyone thinks of me. It’s my right as a human being!”
Dolly died at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer.
