Jay-Z and Beyonce have infuriated Cuban-American civil rights activists after photos of them--along with their mothers--in Havana, Cuba went viral.  But is it Jay and Bey's (or any celeb's) responsibility to make a stand for human rights in other countries?  Speak on it.....

Though Jay-Z and Beyonce (who just changed her Instagram name from BaddieBey to her government 'Beyonce") are beloved all over the world, their choice of locale to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary has put fans and critics in an awkward position.  Whether Jay and Bey are aware of it or not, Cuba--which Americans for the most part are not allowed to visit legally--has a reputation for being "brutal" to citizens who dare challenge the government.  And it could be argued that being a celebrity comes with a certain level of responsibility of what you promote.

Mauricio Claver-Carone, the D.C. director for the US-Cuba Democracy PAC, a group which fights for democracy in Cuba, was particularly vocal about the trip telling TMZ,  "There are women getting beaten on a daily basis, women who are being jailed for no reason ... people are fighting for their freedom. It’s extremely insensitive."

And on his Capitol Hill Cubans blog, Mauricio is even more pointed is his criticism nothing that the Cuban government happily released pics of Jay and Bey's stroll through Havana to foreign media outlets as it takes attention away from the alleged atrocities and civil rights violations that he says are common place.

Plenty of comments on this blog and others also criticized the couple for visiting the communist country.  But from Jay and Bey's perspective, why can't they just enjoy some good arroz con pollo in peace? Should they be held accountable for the Cuban government using them and their wedding anniversary trip as propaganda?  And from the other perspective, shouldn't they choose a place that is not known for creating an unapologetic environment of violence and poverty...seeing that they will be photographed like crazy while there?

You'll recall that Beyonce has been in this position before.  In 2009, she performed a concert for a Libyan dictator.  Although she donated the money to charity, she was still called out for not knowing who she was performing for.  But...is that her responsibility?

Should entertainers check the political climate of a country before they get their passports stamped? Or should there by a line drawn between entertainment and politics?

SPEAK ON IT.......
 

Photo: AP