Beyonce Controversy

Beyoncè Controversy
The controversy sparked by the live performance of Beyoncè´s song “Formation” during the
Super Bowl half-time, spread like a wildfire throughout the country. With supporters and protesters, a simple song has lead to a nation wide issue.
There are two sides to the story. On one side Beyoncè who showed support for her own race, on the other many representatives of many police departments around the country who felt strongly attacked. Her performance at the Super Bowl halftime with her song “Formation” received strong criticism, especially by many police departments, for it was said to be “anti-law”(France, 2016). “One scene in the “Formation” video features a young African-American boy in a hoodie dancing in front of a line of police officers wearing
riot gear; then, the words “Stop Shooting Us” appear in graffiti on a wall”(France, 2016). darrylayo tweeted “The American police are bullying Beyoncè because she asked for police not to murder black people, please and thank you”(Layo, 2016). According to Lisa R. France
(2016), Vincent Gericitan, the president of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association, stated that his police force was “disgusted” by this performance. Also “If we volunteer to work her event, we´re basically saying, ýou can say or do anything you want to when it comes to police officers, and we´re just goin to sit and take it,´” Sgt. Danny Hale, president of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police,
Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 5, told The Tennessean”. “We´ve been under attack for the past eight, 10,
12 months. Some things that are done and said are just not fair, and it´s not right”(France, 2016). “The
National Sheriffs' Association linked Beyoncé's "anti-police 'entertainment' " performance to the
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"senseless killing of seven deputies in the U.S.
since the (Super Bowl halftime performance) aired." A sheriff in Tennessee said after shots were fired outside his home that Beyoncé's video may have provoked the incident”(France, 2016). Lisa R. France (2016) in her article says that New York Daily
News columnist Shaun King wrote that seven of eight police killings where committed by white men and have not been racially incited.
The reason that this issue took on such proportions, simply is that until now Beyoncè has never taken any real stance when it was about race or color, and the other that nobody expected it so blatantly at a national event so every blue-blooded American would be confronted with issues that have been around since slavery. Her support of the #BlackLiveMatters movement was unexpected. Of course this is an extremely sensitive topic and AmeriKKKa does not want to be reminded, and least of all want to be put in the position to answer any questions or take any official stance on this topic.
I personally feel all information was presented in an unbiased manner. Beyoncé´s
performance was clearly described, as well the issue many police departments felt confronted with. It was also clearly mentioned that not all police officers and unions, such i.e. the Raleigh, North Carolina police union feel attacked. Therefore this article was very well balanced