Personally it don't bother me about the casting choice for the Little Mermaid. It is a remake is it not? Remakes are almost always different a little bit. It's not like they are continuing a saga while blatantly disrespecting original characters!
I don't know anything about Halle Bailey other than she looks beautiful, she has a nice smile.
I will say, I don't like how people are already accusing critics of being racist. I mean some people may have anticipated seeing a live action of Ariel with her red hair? But Disney will most likely behave with TLM fans the way they have us Star Wars fans. We are labeled racist misogynists man babies because our expectations got subverted. And all legitimate complaints is swept under the bus.