Jasmine Scott

Monday, February 22nd, 2016

CAP AP Lang & Comp
Plotinsky/ 3

500 Words on Why People Need to Chill Out: The Beyonce Edition

On Sunday, February 6th, Beyonce released Formation, the new single highlighted her

cultural pride. While the lyrics focus on black girl magic and African Americans self-love, the

video touches on African Americans issues such as Hurricane Katrina aftermath, police brutality,

Flint Michigan injustices, and African Americans being ridiculed for embracing their natural

features. The following day, Beyoncs Super Bowl halftime performance of Formation included

dancers dressed in Black Panther Party inspired. Her performance, which was a tribute to the

#BlackLivesMatter movement, resulted in many people taking issue with Beyonces message.

The performance was depicted as liberals hijack[ing] the Super Bowl halftime show to further

divide our country.

Critics had issues with Beyoncs dancers Black Panther inspired costume. They

indicated that the song, performance, and Beyonce are racist. The first issue with this statement

is the allegation that Beyonc is racist. Racism is a problem of institutionalization, where one

group has the power to take its prejudices and exercise them with impunity under de facto color

of law (Daily Kos). As an African American individual, Beyonc isn't in a position of power.

Therefore she cannot be racist. Even though she is famous and influential, one person cannot be

racist. You need a group of powerful people to be racist. African Americans do not have power to

inflict injustices on white people.

 Arguments were made against the Black Panthers, depicting them as a terrorist group that

used violence to achieve their goals. Protesters of the performance compared the Black Panthers

to the Ku Klux Klan. According to Tomi Lahren, the Black Panthers were "A group that used

violence and intimidation to advance not racial equality, but an overthrow of White

domination However, this is an inaccurate representation of the Black Panthers goals. They

use violence only when necessary for their protection. Unlike the KKK, they did not harm or kill

other races for domination. Where both groups sought to protect their communities, the KKKs

white community did not need protection. As the majority group, they used their power to

terrorize and oppress other groups. The Black Panthers, on the other hand protected black people,

who desperately needed, and in some cases still need, protection.

Another criticism about Beyoncs performance was that it was an attack on the police. I

am personally confused with this argument. Neither her performance nor song said anything

about attacking police officers. The music video had a boy in a black hoody with his hands up

representing hand up dont shoot, based the Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin shootings. As

well, on a brick wall it says, stop shooting us to represent the numerous unarmed African

Americans who have been killed by the police within the last year. How was this an attack on the

police? All Beyonc said was to stop killing black people. The fact that critics have issues with

this message and police officers around the country refuse to work at Beyoncs concerts is the

real issue. Disagreeing with this message implies a devaluation of black peoples lives. No one

should be offended that Beyonc asked for police officers to stop killing black people and getting

away it.
 While Beyoncs bold performance and message conveyed important social injustices;

there wasn't anything that her critics should have gotten salty about. People need to chill out.