Let me moderate that: the above comparison of Variety headlines about deceased artists (over two articles by the same writer) “speaks for itself” in that it vividly demonstrates the familiar biases and double standards warping values and analysis in the news media, progressive bubbles, and the realm of entertainment especially.
But allow me to add a few observations:
1. No artist’s political participation or views should “overshadow” his or her legacy, reputation or success in a creative field. I know I have written about this often, perhaps too often, but it seems to be a concept most people have a hard time accepting. I hold that the same principle applies just as strongly to an artist’s personal life and character. Our most brilliant comedians and comic actors, for example, with a few exceptions, were terrible human beings when they were not performing.
2. Chuck Norris was nowhere near as outspoken as Reiner regarding politics; he also was a lesser star in Hollywood’s firmament. His was a narrow genre, and one mostly favored by conservatives. Like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, his public stance on many issues was consistent with what one would expect from one of his characters. I have found that in such cases, the public opinions are frequently part of the artist’s calculated myth-making.
3. As I have noted before, I love many of Reiner’s films and regard him as, if anything, an under-rated director. He also made some of the most idiotic statements about political matters that I have ever heard or read, including from brain-damaged social media users. (Riener’s Ethics Alarms dossier is embarrassing. EA has never mentioned Norris except with this post.) That doesn’t change my assessment of his achievements as an artist any more than the certifiably demented pronouncements and rants by Robert DiNiro, Bette Midler, and Morgan Freeman (among many others) cause me to enjoy their talents less.
4. The fact that so many progressives seem unable to function this way is, in a word, sad. It also is strong evidence that the left side of the ideological divide is emotionally ill.
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Pointer: Chris Martz
Ethics Alarms 
It really shouldn’t surprise you that much. For at least two generations the left has been unable to accept anyone from the other side of the spectrum without judgement. It probably doesn’t help that most artistic communities are comprised of people from the left as well. To them it feels odd to deal with anyone who thinks differently than they do.
To them also, any good act that comes from someone who thinks differently than them is either a mistake or in spite of the dissenter. Everything is also viewed through the lens of current politics, although that really became widespread 5 years ago in the wake of the death of George Floyd. That’s why Rings of Power introduced black dwarves and elves, and the recent live remake of a politically correct Snow White was an unqualified disaster. The left just can’t accept that to bring everything into line with their current doctrine is not to improve it and in a lot of cases it is to diminish it.
Turning guys who were heroes in the 80s like Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones into bitter, disillusioned old men who gave up on the dream long ago is just the current left’s way of telling those of us who grew up with them that our time is up, and it’s better for the world that it is, because we made the world a world of toxic masculinity and white supremacy.
The left has no use for someone like Chuck Norris, who was not only a patriot and a believer, but probably the most hetero guy who ever existed. The left never really had much use for someone like him, but it “tolerated” him two decades ago as long as he stuck to niche action movies and tv spots while occasionally getting involved in causes like keeping kids off drugs. However, now it’s all about making things blacker, browner, gayer, weaker, and less patriotic. As far as they are concerned, it’s good riddance to bad rubbish.
I would like to be noble, but DeNiro is vile and I avoid him when possible even though his acting is undeniably brilliant.