Not everyone enjoyed Beyoncé's Super Bowl halftime show
By
02.12.16
The Super Bowl football game between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday was the third most-watched television broadcast in U.S. history. Viewership did not peak during the game itself, however.
Instead, the home audience reached its largest size during the 30-minute halftime show, featuring Beyoncé, Coldplay and Bruno Mars. More than a hundred million people tuned in for the superstars' performances.
For many observers, the 2016 Super Bowl was all about Beyoncé. Not only did the singer outshine the two other acts, she dominated the entire event.
Performance Celebrated Malcom X, Black Panthers
Beyoncé's performance of her new single "Formation" touched upon police brutality toward blacks. It also celebrated 1960s black activist Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party of the 1960s and 1970s.
Since Sunday, debate over Beyoncé's halftime show has been raging. Some question whether it was appropriate for her to inject politics into her performance. On Monday, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani called Beyoncé's "attack" on police officers "outrageous."
Two things about Sunday's performance touched a nerve for some people: the "X" formation that dancers created on the field, and the Afros and black berets they wore. The first referred to Malcolm X, while the second recalled the hairstyle and dress of the Black Panthers.
Activists' Interaction Goes Viral
Beyoncé's dancers were also involved in another, quieter political display after the halftime show. That act was not shown on-screen, but photos and a video of it have quickly spread across the Internet.
It began when a group of the dancers was approached by two organizers for the Black Lives Matter movement. The movement was founded in 2013 following the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old African American. It has been trying to spotlight police mistreatment of blacks and to bring about reform to curb police violence.
Organizers Ronnisha Johnson and Rheema Emy Calloway had come to the Super Bowl to spread the story of Mario Woods. A 26-year-old black man, Woods was shot and killed by San Francisco police officers in December.
As Beyoncé's dancers walked off the field with their fists in the air, Johnson and Calloway ran up to a group of them. The two activists carried a sign that read "Justice 4 Mario Woods."
Victim's Mother Moved By Photos Of Incident
The organizers said in interviews with reporters that the dancers did not hesitate and were eager to be photographed holding the sign.
"The dancers were really excited to take pictures," Calloway said. "They didn't second-guess taking a stand in solidarity with us for Mario Woods, and it seemed they had already heard the story."
Gwen Woods, Mario's mother, said she was moved by photos of the dancers holding the sign as they sat in the stands.
"It uplifted me," she said. "I am so thankful to those dancers that they acknowledged this."
Calls For Reform
Woods's killing was captured in a video. The film shows Woods being shot by five officers who fired 15 rounds after he walked toward them with a knife in his hand.
Woods had a history of mental illness and had stabbed someone earlier that day.
Woods's death has led to calls for reform. Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced it will conduct a review of the San Francisco Police Department.
Dancers' Actions Stir Mixed Reactions
The dancers' gesture was applauded by some who viewed it as a fitting follow-up to Beyoncé's performance. Others thought it ignored certain facts of the case that support the police account of the incident.
Beyoncé's "Formation" music video features a black boy in a hoodie dancing in front of armed police, as well as graffiti that reads "Stop shooting us." After its release last week, some claimed it was unfair to police. A number of Twitter users began calling on people not to watch Beyoncé's Super Bowl performance.
Two days before the Super Bowl, singer Alicia Keys also made a statement in support of Woods. She made her remarks Friday night at the start of her concert at a pre-Super Bowl party in San Francisco.
No comments:
Post a Comment