Music and television icon Cher is clapping back at people who criticized her for commenting on how she may have helped in the moments leading up to George Floyd’s death.
The legendary singer has faced harsh criticism and accusations of having a “white savior complex” for her tweet sent out on April 2: “Was talking with Mom & She Said ‘I Watched Trial Of Policeman Who Killed George Floyd, & Cried’. I Said ‘Mom, I Know This Is Gonna Sound CRAZY, But.. I Kept Thinking …..Maybe If I’d Been There,…I Could’ve Helped.”
Social media erupted and subsequently provoked the singer to take down the tweet, but not before she sent a follow-up tweet telling white people to stand in solidarity with the Black community.
Now, doubling down on her stance, Cher says it was never her intention to offend anyone with her words, but that she remains firm on her ability to help others.
Reactions to her tweets are mixed. Some acknowledge the intent of Cher’s words, but also point out that her words were still problematic. Others shared they would have acted similarly in an attempt to save Floyd’s life.
“Cher, I love u, but it wasn’t just some people who didn’t understand. It was thousands of people who saw something wrong with what you said. No one is arguing the intention wasn’t good, but maybe you should try to see why it was problematic?”
“I am an old white lady too and I get what you meant by your tweet. You (& I) would have instinctively fiercely intervened.”
“Stop. Just STOP! Be sorry. But being sorry “IF” you offended people of color is tone deaf. We’re all traumatized watching the trial. Show your ❤️ but don’t diminish the people who were actually there and tried to help by implying you could do something they couldn’t. So STOP!!!”
“A “desire to help” doesn’t exactly equate to actually helping. Which is the actual criticism.”
Floyd, a 46-year-old father of one, died as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest in May 2020. The trial for Chauvin, who is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, began March 29.
