Critics Blasting Rihanna’s Latest Video

Rihanna premiered the music video for her latest single 'Man Down' on BET Tuesday (May 31) and the pop star is already facing criticism and controversy for the video, in which she guns down a man to avenge a suggested sexual assault.
Rihanna, who was the victim of an infamous assault by then-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009, communicated to her fans over several Twitter messages that the message of the video was female safety and awareness. However, representatives from the Parents Television Council and Industry Ears have reportedly petitioned to have BET and parent company Viacom stop airing the video.

Paul Porter, co-founder of Industry Ears, which campaigns against negative images in the media argued, "If Chris Brown shot a woman in his new video and BET premiered it, the world would stop. Rihanna should not get a pass." Porter described the video's violent scene as "a cold, calculated execution of murder in prime time."

Melissa Henson of the Parents Television Council said, "Instead of telling victims they should seek help, Rihanna released a music video that gives retaliation in the form of premeditated murder the imprimatur of acceptability."

See the video at http://blog.music.aol.com/2011/06/02/critics-rihanna-man-down-video/.