Pop icon Cher ruffled a few feathers on social media on Saturday (April 3) after she shared her thoughts on the Derek Chauvin trial. Chauvin is in the middle of a high-profile trial as he faces three charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for the death of George Floyd. The singer opened up to her followers telling them that she and her mom were in a conversation where she revealed she believed had she been at the scene that day, she could’ve helped save Floyd from his fate. “Mom, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I kept thinking… Maybe if I’d been there… I could’ve helped,” she tweeted.
The statement clearly struck a nerve with many of Cher’s fans as they took over the timeline with responses that ranged from anger to confusion. Floyd’s death is obviously a sensitive topic for many reasons –– one of them being the string of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that were sparked by the loss.
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Was talking With Mom
— Cher (@cher) April 3, 2021
& 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😔
“The intention to be there and help is pure, but a Black man shouldn’t need a white person to stand up for him to be safe,” one user critiqued under the post. They also pleaded with the star to look at some of the comments and use the moment to learn from the tweet faux pas.
Mama, I’ll say it with respect and I hope you take it. The intention to be there and help is pure, BUT a black man shouldn’t need a white person to stand up for him to be safe. People will beat you up over this tweet, but go over the mean things and try to learn… PLEASE
— Lívifer 😈🌈 (@LivisAlibi) April 3, 2021
Some people defended the pop star against the rain of hate suggesting that she probably meant she would use her celebrity status and privilege to diffuse the situation.
Well she is famous and very recognizable
— G Young its the F**kin’ Catalina Wine Mixer (@GYoungTheOldOne) April 3, 2021
Which cop would want to be on tape tasing Cher🤷🏻♀️
She’s just acknowledging her color and celebrity grants her privilege she WISHES she could have used to help him
What is so wrong about that? Maybe she could’ve helped to diffuse things🤷🏻♀️
Some people, like this user, admitted the tweet was a poor decision on the star’s part, but they don’t believe it warrants people to “cancel” her.
she was just trying to be nice, and she didn’t implied racism, you guys want to push cancelling everywhere and then ask why people don’t support social movements
— juanito 🍭 (@borntomoon) April 3, 2021
There were many fans cutting the artist some slack. “I think a lot of people are wondering if they could have done something. It’s a surreal feeling that you don’t have many options in that situation other than to watch someone die,” this person wrote.
I think alot of people are wondering if they could have done something. It’s a surreal feeling that you don’t have many options in that situation other than to watch someone die. Cher isn’t the only one wondering this.
— Chloe (@GlowySweetFab) April 3, 2021
“How do you think this makes the people who actually did try and stop it feel?” someone asked. “They’re already traumatised.”
How do you think this makes the people who actually DID try and stop it feel? They’re already traumatised. What would you do? Crash tackle the cop? Get shot or break a hip at your age. You could do no more than what those present tried to do.
— Bobby-Jo Reid Tuita (@BeeJae78) April 3, 2021
This user empathized with Cher, saying that they also imagined what would’ve happened had they had a chance to stop the officer accused of killing Floyd. “My eyes have truly been opened to the injustices done by what is supposed to be the peacekeepers in America since I’ve been on Twitter,” they said.
I keep thinking if I’d been there I would’ve got maced but none of us know what we’d would really do in that situation. My eyes have truly been opened to the injustices done by what is supposed to be the peacekeepers in America since I’ve been on Twitter.
— I AM NOT DISTRACTED 😷 (@dancindoti) April 3, 2021
