Why Cher's Tweet About The George Floyd Trial Is Causing Such A Stir
George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, caused a massive outcry and stir of activism, sparking waves of protests across the country and the mainstream acceptance of the Black Lives Matter movement. People from all over took to the streets to protest police brutality and address systemic racism in the United States. Numerous proposed changes have been made and conversations about race relations have begun to take place in many different areas of society. So it is no surprise that the murder trial of Floyd's alleged killer, Derek Chauvin, is drawing national attention. As the trial continues, people are weighing in on their thoughts and feelings about it — and Cher is no exception.
On April 2, 2021, the musical icon sent out a tweet that referenced the ongoing trial and a conversation she had with her mother about it. However, it proved to be controversial, as Cher made a bold claim about what she would have done that day, which didn't seem to sit well with a few of her fans.
But what exactly did she claim and why are people upset about it?
Cher made an interesting statement about George Floyd's death
The tweet in question detailed Cher claiming she "Could've helped" George Floyd if only she'd "Been There." She posted that she "Kept Thinking" about that situation and some people have interpreted her tweet as her saying that she could have potentially changed the outcome of Floyd's arrest and ultimate death. And while some of her fans applauded her for her courage in comments to the tweet, writing that they appreciated her support and knew that her heart was in the right place, others were decidedly not okay with what she said.
Some fans took issue with the fact that Cher was a white woman putting herself in the front of the conversation. "Rejoice, our yt savior is here," one person wrote in response to the post. "Oh yay, another White person centering themselves around blk ppls pain. I wish I was there to stop you from tweeting this," another person posted.
Still others called on her post as undermining to those who were there and tried to help. "This might not be your intent, but you basically just called every bystander a coward in positioning yourself as the superhero who could have prevented this tragedy," another user tweeted.
On April 3, Cher posted two follow-up tweets to the controversy. In the first, she noted, "I CAN,I HAVE,& I WILL..HELP," and in the second, she acknowledged that her original tweet ruffled feathers and she apologized to anyone offended.