Beyonce is rarely interviewed but the singer has released an open letter on the shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. While she often remains quiet in the press, she has always been open about her views on the modern civil-rights movement. With her release of the open letter, she has joined the throngs of celebrities showing support for the deaths of 37-year-old Sterling and 32-year-old Castile.
Her short letter (via SPIN) said in part that “We don’t need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives. We’re going to stand up as a community and fight against anyone who believes that murder or any violent action by those who are sworn to protect us should consistently go unpunished.”
She further described people feeling "helpless" and "hopeless" due to the "robberies of lives," but urged people to believe in the good of the next generation. Beyonce wrote that it is a human fight that discounts race, gender or sexual orientation and only includes those feeling marginalized. She also said that the letter can be seen as a plea "towards any human being who fails to value life" and not just police officers.
The open letter further stated, "The war on people of color and all minorities needs to be over. Fear is not an excuse. Hate will not win. We all have the power to channel our anger and frustration into action. We must use our voices to contact the politicians and legislators in our districts and demand social and judicial changes. While we pray for the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, we will also pray for an end to this plague of injustice in our communities."
Beyonce ended the letter by urging those reading to contact politicians and legislators in their area by clicking on the post, saying, "Your voice will be heard."
Beyonce took things a step further and, according to Billboard, she asked for a moment of silence at her Glasgow show this past Thursday (July 7) during her Formation World Tour. In addition to the moment of silence, the singer also posted names of police brutality victims on an onstage screen that included Sterling and Castile.
