The pop band Hanson is facing fire from many of their progressive fans over what some of their followers say is a lack of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The left-wing news network Vice published an article on the band detailing the intense pressure its members have faced for what some fans say was their resistance to speak out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd.
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The brothers, who catapulted to international fame more than two decades ago with their smash hit “MMMbop,” did eventually weigh in via their Instagram accounts, referencing the Tulsa race massacre and the 8Can’tWait police reform campaign, although none of them reference “Black Lives Matter” by name.
“This last week has rocked us to the core as we grapple with the tragic death of George Floyd, and the violence sweeping our country,” the group said in a joint statement following the outbreak of demonstrations. “We have stood in disbelief at the sound of hateful slurs and the sight of painful conflict, while finding solace in the peaceful marches and the heartfelt expressions of empathy and compassion.”
After more backlash from some fans, the group followed up with another post on June 9th, where they wrote: “There is no question we believe that black lives matter.”
Vice interviewed a disgruntled fan, who accused the band of being “tone deaf”
“They went from being the princes of pop to the kings of being tone deaf,” said one fan. Another added: “For me, to say Black lives matter should be as easy as saying the sky is blue because it’s a fact. Period. So, to have them duck and dive and do everything that they could possibly do to not say Black lives matter was really interesting. It was just weird.”
Adding insult to injury was a leaked Pinterest account belonging to the drummer and youngest brother Zac Hanson. The Pinterest account was filled with right-wing memes promoting guns and what some fans called “racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic in nature.”
“The leaked Pinterest page provided a distorted view of the issues surrounding race and social justice, which do not reflect my personal beliefs,” Zac Hanson said in response to the revelations. “I apologize for the hurt my actions caused.”
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