Trying to avoid this subject

(c) 2016 P. Lynne Designs

Over the past few months, I have had my share of #blacklivesmatter, #policebrutality, and other subjects like this.  Although as a black person I feel the pain, although I have not gone through the problems associated with being an inner city black, I cannot help but think that I could have gone through everything that Urbanites, especially in cities like Ferguson, MO have experience. 

This is humorous in a way, but it has to be said.  I saw an SNL (Saturday Night Live for those not from the United States) clip, featuring a group of white people in an uproar because they just found out that Beyoncé was black.  It caused a national crisis for everyone, and even though the skit was meant to be funny, it shows how an innocent halftime show at the Superbowl can start a firestorm.

OK, let me back up for a moment.  This all started with Oscars and ended with Beyoncé. Everyone thought that she was saluting the Black Panthers.  To me, it was really about

promoting her new tour.  Everyone was wondering why she pick this time period to promote the tour.  If you were performing in front of a crowd of thousands, won’t you promote your new tour?  Kind of bad timing, but smart move on Bey’s part.

Next, comes the criticism of her video, Formation (which by the way is the name of the tour).  Folks are not happy that she capitalized off Hurricane Katrina.  Ok, I was only in New Orleans once, and it was not during that time.  I watched the news, and I feel bad that after all these years, everything is not as they should be in the 9^th ward and surrounding areas.   I am not inside of Bey’s head, so I do not know what she was thinking at the time of the creation of the video, but I think she was trying to show that one part of her is from that area (her mom), while the other part is from Alabama (her father and ironically both my parents). 

I do not think she capitalized off of her roots and this tragedy.  After all, they are. Her. Roots.  This is something that Beyoncé cannot deny.  My question is why does a black person has to forget where they came from to get ahead, to be successful, but every other race in this country can carry their roots to the boardroom and in the entertainment industry, and not get criticized for it.  It is no wonder when we go visit family and friends, some blacks say that the person has “sold out.”  There is nothing wrong with talking (or singing) about where you came from, if that is all you have known since you were “knee-high to a turtle” (baby).

Beyoncé did not become “Queen Bey” overnight.  To earn a status like that take hard work and dedication the craft.  I read a Facebook status from one of my Facebook friends, which she criticized the way Bey carried herself at halftime.  She wanted to know why can’t Bey use her talents to empower young girls.  She also said that Bey was not a queen but an ordinary person.  Not sure what her purpose for the comment was except this Facebook friend was not using her own Christian values by criticizing Bey on her actions.  I want to criticize her on the comment, but as a Christian, I would be doing the same thing to that Facebook friend.  God will deal with Bey in His own time.  You do not know until you walk a mile in their shoes.  So, while this friend is welcome to her own opinion, she is just a white woman who does not understand Bey’s journey as a wife, mother, Christian, and entertainer.

I hope this dies down soon.  Sunday after this Sunday will be the Oscars, and I have already said my peace about that little fiasco.  People need to get it together, get along, and have something for everyone, because I did not see hardly no love at the Grammys either especially for Natalie Cole.  Don’t get me started on that one.