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CULTURE
Why Some People Are Angry When Black Culture Takes Center Stage
Those accustomed to privilege see inclusion as oppression
Why does the mere presentation of black culture provoke anger and disdain? Those accustomed to privilege see inclusion as a form of oppression. Take, for instance, the backlash to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show. The Pulitzer and Grammy-award-winning hip-hop artist performed as the headliner. An array of Black singers, dancers, and surprise guests accompanied him. It’s become the most-watched U.S. broadcast since the moon landing in 1969. This surpasses viewership for Michael Jackson, the King of Pop’s half-time performance in 1993. Despite its popularity, some people feel triggered when black culture takes center stage.
Rich Tsai, a Republican politician, complained that “not a single white person” performed. Playing the “black national anthem” upset Shelby Alexander, a White woman from Pennsylvania. “The Super Bowl halftime show was so black it would leave fingerprints on coal,” a woman named Susan said. She also felt angry that “not a single Caucasian” performed during the halftime show. The NFL set the tone with their decision to remove the “end racism” sign from the field. As a result, some expected to see fewer Black performers. These comments read like…
