‘Do football, not wokeness.’ Boebert’s tweet sets off debate over Super Bowl anthems
Nation music star Chris Stapleton delivered a simple, no-frills Nationwide Anthem to overwhelming social media reward. Kansas Metropolis followers yelled “Chiefs,” per their custom, on the “house of the courageous” anthem ending, setting off individuals who need them to cease doing that.
Nevertheless it was the primary track sung throughout pregame festivities, “Elevate Each Voice and Sing,” that riled up some NFL followers hanging out on social media, thanks partly to a sure controversial congresswoman.
Even earlier than singer and Emmy successful actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of TV’s “Abbott Elementary,” sang “Elevate Each Voice and Sing” backed by a choir, social media had its say in regards to the track unofficially referred to as the “Black nationwide anthem.”
And far of it was unkind.
Detractors appeared to take their lead from a tweet earlier on Sunday from the conservative Republican congresswoman from Colorado, Lauren Boebert.
She tweeted: “America solely has ONE NATIONAL ANTHEM. Why is the NFL attempting to divide us by taking part in a number of!? Do soccer, not wokeness.” Her tweet had greater than one million views before kickoff.
The NFL started to play the track at video games within the 2020 season after the demise of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which set off a summer season of unrest throughout the nation, in accordance with Fox Information, which aired the sport.
It was performed earlier than Tremendous Bowl LV when the Chiefs misplaced to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and earlier than final yr’s Tremendous Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals.
It was not known as the Black nationwide anthem when Ralph was launched. However she referred to it as such in her personal pregame tweet.
“It’s no coincidence that I can be singing the Black Nationwide Anthem, Elevate Each Voice and Sing on the Tremendous Bowl on the identical date it was first publicly carried out 123 years in the past (February 12, 1900). Joyful Black Historical past Month!” she tweeted.
Boebert’s tweet touched off a rash of criticism from each side.
“Black Nationwide Anthem” is an oxymoron. We are ONE nation under God. Should you assume in any other case, you’re in help of segregation. It’s that easy.”
“The @NFL is making an enormous mistake, in my humble opinion, by having ‘Elevate Each Voice and Sing,’ what has historically been known as the ‘Black nationwide anthem,’ sung on the #SuperBowl. What extra divisive message may very well be despatched than to suggest we’re a nation of two anthems.”
However others disagreed in a web-based debate that continued effectively previous the primary landing.
“I say we solely do the Black National Anthem.”
“WHEW Maga nation is displaying their (bleep) immediately over the Black national anthem.”
