Many policemen and women are upset with Beyoncé for her Super Bowl performance and for her music video, "Formation," both of which expressed messages of discontent with law enforcement.
During and after her Super Bowl performance Beyoncé and her back-up dancers made explicit references to the Black Panthers, a black rights group that was active from 1966-82. The overall aim of the movement was to fight white supremacy. One of the main goals of the movement was to combat police brutality against African Americans.
Recently the Police Union has made a call to fellow officers to boycott Beyoncé’s upcoming tour. Essentially they would perform regular duties surrounding her concerts, but would not supply security for the actual event, and of course they would presumably not attend the concert either.
This is a ridiculous and childish proposal for numerous reasons.
First, this is a horrible way to get the public to like police officers more. Boycotting Beyoncé and publicly denouncing your disdain for her is not the way to get anyone to trust and respect you more.
Officers complained that Beyoncé is creating a further gap between law enforcement and the citizenry, but what do they think they are doing by making this decision? Also, I think hundreds of years of police mistreatment of African Americans is probably the main reason for the seemingly growing bridge between law enforcement and citizens, not one Super Bowl performance or music video.
Second, I do not think that Beyoncé cares if police officers attend her show. I do not think that they are her main demographic, and she will still make a lot of money during her tours without them. Also, if police officers actually go through with the boycott then she can just hire a private company to provide security for her concert because she has millions of dollars.
Third, it seems that police officers are punishing themselves as well. If they work security at her concert they could essentially be paid to go to a Beyoncé concert. Shame on them for thinking about missing this opportunity.
Fourth, refusing to protect people and help serve the community based on the fact that you do not like someone is not a great way to show people how much they should trust you and have confidence in your ability to protect them without bias.
Fifth, saying that you are justified in making a statement by boycotting her concerts because Beyoncé made a statement with her art is not legitimately reasoned. Beyoncé’s statement, and many others' surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, is based on hundreds of years of unjust violence and oppression that continue today. I suppose the police officers’ statement would be based on their feeling they are getting a bad reputation for no reason, but there is very clearly a reason for why people do not trust them. As Ilana said on last week’s episode of "Broad City," “Cops scare the shit out of me, and I’m white!”
Many police officers and even the Mayor of New York, Giuliani, have been upset by the fact that Beyoncé has possibly inspired a thicker atmosphere of hate towards law enforcement rather than promoting respect. Giuliani was quoted saying Beyoncé should use her celebrity status to teach people "to respect the uniform, not to make it appear as if they are the enemy." With this statement though, it is very clear that he and others who do not support Beyoncé’s message simply do not understand it.
Many African Americans do not have a lot of reasons to respect or trust law enforcement officers. For years black people have been victims of the racist institution and are clearly still being disproportionately victimized today as evidenced by the numerous shootings and instances of police brutality against African Americans.
Beyoncé is a singer and an artist. Instead of immediately being offended by her message, perhaps people should listen to it. Powerful ideas can be lost and misunderstood when people react in an unthinking and biased fashion. Police officers should be searching for ways to work against the animosity between law enforcement and the citizenry, not against Queen Bey, who is one of our remaining national treasures.
