Recently Beyonce put out a music video for her latest hit “Formation" and immediately followed it with a questionable Super Bowl halftime show. Many followed her actions with comments like, "Yas Beyonce, SLAY," but some were also outraged. Those who are outraged at Beyonce’s new music video as well as her recent super bowl performance are justified because Beyonce is capitalizing on racial tensions.

Both Beyonce and the rest of the world know that both racial tensions and police brutality allegations have been on the rise in recent years. “Black lives matter” can be heard all across the country, and many black actors are even boycotting the Oscars as no actors of color have received nominations this year. Beyonce saw this recent tension as opportunity. No, she has not come out in front of the world to use her widely-heard voice to say what she thinks should be done to mitigate police brutality and lessen racial tensions. No, she has not used her mixed-race status to prove that blacks and whites are not so deeply divided as those on either side of the “black lives matter” movement might think. Instead, Beyonce, being in the industry for the money and fame as she is, saw these tensions as a way to bring attention to herself. She saw an opportunity to capitalize on a sore subject by basically “pouring salt on a wound” and further aggravating the racial divide and lack of security in law enforcement problems that we as a nation already have.

In her video, Beyonce includes a young black child wearing a hoodie and dancing in front of police officers with graffiti that reads, “Stop shooting us.” But as Congressman Peter King of New York states, “her pro-Black Panther and anti-cop video ‘Formation’ and her Super Bowl appearance is just one more example of how acceptable it has become to be anti-police." Beyonce also included a tribute to the Black Panther party in her Super Bowl performance, which was an uncalled for politicizing and tension-driving of what should have been a lighthearted, favorite American pastime event. As Tomi Lahren puts it, “A salute to what? A group that used violence and intimidation to advance not racial equality but an overthrow of white domination?" She brings up the point that the Black Panthers were critical even of Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent civil rights efforts. It was declared by the FBI to be a communist organization and an enemy of the U.S. government. According to the FBI’s webpage, the Black Panther party "advocated the use of violence and guerilla tactics to overthrow the U.S. government." Therefore, it seems like the Black Panther supported extremist entitlement through violent measures more so than equality for all. Such an organization should not have been represented at this venue.

The Super Bowl is supposed to embody all things American. It is about everything Americans as a culture love: Football, good food, and a sense of community brought upon through cheering a team to victory together in the game. It is about bringing all types of people together to watch this one event a year. However, Beyonce felt the need to highlight all of America’s flaws for the most-watched event on television for the sake of bringing attention to herself.As Tomi Lahren said, “So congratulations, Beyonce, you made your statement. You should be proud of yourself. The Super Bowl, the most watched event on television, a game that brings Americans of every color, background and political party together, a game where black fans cheer next to white fans, a game where teammates work together, as one regardless of race, a celebration of diversity rooted in a common bond.”

Beyonce is one of the most successful female music artists in the world. According to Forbes, she has an estimated net worth of over $250 million. How could Beyonce possibly know the struggle of those who feel threatened by authority or those who feel overlooked by society? Who has ever made Beyonce feel inferior because of her color. Moreover, who has ever made Beyonce feel inferior, period?

In a televised interview with Piers Morgan in 2011, Beyonce stated, "I think they look at me as an entertainer and a musician, and I am very happy that that is changing, because that is how I look at people…it’s not about color and race.” However, does this sound like the Beyonce we see performing today? “Formation” completely conflicts this idea, featuring all black dancers and featuring blacks in the stereotype of which they try so hard to break free—in poor, run-down neighborhoods with police sirens in the background. If “it’s not about color and race,” then why are only black people featured in such a desolate situation? If I were a black person trying to achieve success in this world, I would find this portrayal of my race utterly degrading. Beyonce claimed she is happy to see society changing and that she is happy her audience sees her as an entertainer and musician with no thought to race, but this video along with her performance seem like attempts to revert society back to its old ways and further the divide between races.