Cher has provoked a mixed response after tweeting that she "could've helped" George Floyd if she had "been there".
As per Page Six, in a now-deleted tweet posted to the singer's account on Friday (April 2), the 74-year-old wrote: "Is Gonna Sound CRAZY,But.. I Kept Thinking …..Maybe If I'd Been There,…I Could've Helped [sic]."
This tweet led to widespread backlash on the social media website, with many accusing Cher of being unable to view the situation objectively because of her white and celebrity privilege.
One of those who piled on the singer wrote: "If the firefighter EMS who tried to intervene didn't succeed, you sure had no chance. What a post!! Mindboggling. Do you think you have some kind of magical power? Police would not allow anyone to interfere in their business."
However, despite the backlash, the singer stood by the statement that had she been present when former police offer Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, she could have helped.
She took to Twitter again on Saturday to reaffirm her statement.
"Wrestled With This Twt, Because I Thought some ppl wouldn't understand, Or Believe an Entertainer Could have Honest emotions about a human Being,suffering & Dying,even if It's Only Shown On tv. You Don't Know What I’ve Done,Who I Am,Or What I Believe.I CAN,I HAVE,& I WILL..HELP [sic]," Cher tweeted.
While not everyone might have agreed with the 74-year-old's well-intentioned claim, the reactions to her second tweet on Saturday (April 3) were very much split down the middle.
One Twitter user wrote: "We know you always mean well at the end of the day, babe. But to the Black community, when read, it comes off as them NEEDING a white person to come save them once again. When in reality, they should have the basic right to exist, like you and I. That's why it caused upset."
A second added: "YOU... frickin' CHER(!!)... picked up the phone YOURSELF (!!) and called the USPS last summer TO VOLUNTEER! Plus, your activism (with actions and not just words) is well documented, just like your workout regimen. Your heart is matched by your efforts."
Meanwhile, a more critical, but still sympathetic user of the social networking website wrote: "Cher I totally get how you feel. A celebrity in the right place at the right time can change things. But Chauvin wouldn't have gotten up 4 anyone. Imagine how guilty the store clerk feels? He said he didn't think Floyd knew it was counterfeit & wished he didn't call cops."
What do you think of the sentiment behind Cher's tweet?
