Is racism dead or very much alive? This is a question that is asked by many people every single day. With everything that has happened around the world this past year, it is hard for me to say that racism is dead, because I do not think it is.
Sandra Bland, Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin are just a few names that come to mind when thinking about young men and women who have died recently due to racist acts.
After the deaths of these people, it has been brought to everyone’s attention that racism is not dead, it is very much alive and there are problems that need to be solved. And to those people who try to make a difference I commend you. But, have the people trying to make a difference taken it too far?
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about Beyonce’s performance at Super Bowl 50. Talk ranged from the clothes she and the dancers were wearing to the dance routine which had reference to the Black Lives Matter movement. For those of you who missed it, let’s do a quick break down.
Beyonce and her dancers were dressed in all black with afros reminiscent of the Black Panthers, a civil rights group formed in 1966 that used violence and intimidation in order to gain racial equality. As the performance continued, the dancers formed an ‘X’ during their routine. This was in reference to Malcolm X, who was a human rights activist.
These are just some of the references that Beyonce made during her performance, but it had millions of people in an uproar, including myself.
I am all for the Black Lives Matter movement, but there is a certain time and place for everything. The Super Bowl is watched all over the world, no matter the age, race or political party. So instead of watching a half time show that was supposed to be uplifting and exciting, it became a racist political statement.
Now, I am not saying that it is not important to stand for what you believe in. I am saying that we know racism is still an issue, but to continue to ram this political aggression down our throats is wrong.
Always stand up for what you believe in, but remember you cannot force your opinion or beliefs onto someone. In my opinion all lives matter. No matter what color your skin is or what you look like, you will always matter.
The Black Panther party did not use violence or intimidation to gain racial equality. The Black Panther party were attacked by the police and the FBI, and retaliated because they were being killed. I think it’s important to do proper research before printing an article even if it is a perspective piece. A documentary just aired on PBS called The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution. It’s worth a watch if you want to better understand what the panthers were about from their direct perspective/experience and not Google. There are many parallels between their experience in the 60s and what is happening today.
Also, Beyonce had every right to use her platform to bring awareness to an issue affecting her community. There is no better time to demonstrate than the most watched event on television…that’s her outlet just like the Loquitur is yours. You can’t time justice, you just have to go out on faith and do what’s right no matter the time or place.
If people are being killed because of the color of their skin ((without justice)) and you consider Beyonce’s performance as taking it “too far” because it addresses that issue, and empowers blacks in front of millions then there is clearly a disconnect. Most people don’t want it shoved down their throats because it’s not their problem and they don’t want to address it or acknowledge it, especially not during their Super Bowl. If only all lives really did matter and blacks weren’t being killed because of their skin color….
This isn’t meant to be a shady comment, just my perspective as a fan of the paper.
All the best