Blackout Tuesday: Emma Watson Sparks Outrage With Her Support
ViacomCBS has announced their intention to join “Black Out Tuesday”, an event set up by organizers for corporations to show solidarity with groups protesting the death of George Floyd.
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Emma Watson has long been an outspoken activist when it comes to feminism and also a strong advocate for pretty much every popular progressive cause. So when the world decided Blackout Tuesday was a thing to do, she showed her support for it by posting this three times on Instagram…
However, she also posted this three times…
No, your screen isn’t broken. That box contains a blank white square, which mirrors the black square. In response, the internet has erupted into outrage with people wide and far decrying her as a racist or a do nothing. Comments left on the posts are fairly toxic but it got worse when Emma Watson became the top trending topic on Twitter and people began posting things like this…
Others simply mocked her with posts like these…
To be fair a few did try to defend her with posts like this one…
But in a nation full of outrage those voices are quickly drowned out.
Media Brands Supporting Blackout Tuesday
ViacomCBS has announced their intention to join “Black Out Tuesday”, an event set up by organizers for corporations to show solidarity with groups protesting the death of George Floyd. As part of the initiative, ViacomCBS will shut down all their entertainment programming for 8 minutes and 46 seconds at 6pm on Monday June 2nd.
This should make it even easier for people to get out and peacefully protest (or unfortunately in some cases to violently riot and loot), since there literally won’t be anything for them to watch on TV. In response some looted business owners have been tweeting questions to lawyers asking if they can include CBS in the class action lawsuit they’re forming against celebrities like Steve Carell, who have posted bail to free arrested rioters from prison.
The list of CBS brands that will be shut down and unavailable during that time includes…
- BET
- Nickelodeon
- CBS Sports
- MTV
- VH1
- CMT
- Logo
- Comedy Central
- Paramount Network
- Smithsonian Channel
- TV Land
ViacomCBS isn’t the only entertainment brand shutting down and prohibiting their users from enjoying their content for Blackout Tuesday. Other brands participating are largely music companies and artists representation agencies. But expect every media brand to jump in on the virtue signalling bandwagon soon, lest someone notice and decide to protest them.
It’s unclear at this time how depriving people of programming and giving employees yet another day off of work after three months of not being allowed to work due to the Coronavirus actually helps the cause of racial justice. Presumably it raises awareness for all those people who weren’t aware of it when they watched their cities in flames over the course of the previous nights’ peaceful protesting.
It should prove especially education for kids tuning in to watch Nickelodeon after dinner. Rather than enjoying SpongeBob they’ll be treated to a message about someone being murdered. Here’s the message they’ll be sending to kids…
ViacomCBS has further announced they will now do the following, as part of their commitment to get protestors to leave them alone…
Therefore, as President of our Group, I commit that we will do the following:
Use our platforms to shine a light on the realities of racial injustice and call for equality.
This morning, we made the following statements across our brands and platforms.
Black Lives Matter
We stand with the #BlackLivesMatter movement and call for the end of systemic racism. These racist and brutal attacks must end. We call for justice.
Amplify the voices of the communities we serve and provide a call to action for change.
Tomorrow, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, we will go dark across our brands and platforms to mark the time in which George Floyd was brutally killed as a tribute to Mr. Floyd and other victims of racism. We will provide a call to action encouraging our audiences to get involved and help be part of the solution with our partner Color of Change.
Foster a culture that deeply values and respects diversity and inclusion.
On Tuesday, we are joining Black Out Tuesday, to focus our attention away from work and towards our community. We will not hold any meetings nor conduct any business – rather we will stand in solidarity with our African American colleagues and loved ones across the country.
This is just the beginning and I acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. Over the next few weeks, you will be invited to join us for discussions on ways we can use our brands and platforms to inspire and enact change.
– -CBS President Chris McCarthy
