Black National Anthem Sends MAGA Into A Rage

(ConservativeSense.com) – Republicans reacted furiously to the “black national anthem” on Superbowl Sunday. The pre-game performances at Super Bowl LVIII included an Andra Day rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was adopted by the adopted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as an alternative to the Star-Spangled Banner.

Among the Republicans to condemn the anthem was Arizona firebrand Kari Lake, who posted a picture to Twitter showing her sitting down during last year’s performance. She stated that she refuses to stand for “divisive garbage.” GOP Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said he would no longer watch the Super Bowl because of its “desecration” of the official anthem of the United States.

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” was initially a poem written by civil rights campaigner James Weldon Johnson in the 19th century. President Biden has used its lyrics to promote campaigns for gun control, and it was regularly heard at Black Lives Matter protests and riots after the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Footage of the Super Bowl showed that many people in the crowd, including many black people, did not stand for the performance. Several commentators on Twitter denounced it for dividing America, but others were supportive, including New York Democrat Rep. Richie Torres, who said the song is part of US history.

Written to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, the song was initially considered a hymn, but modern criticisms largely surround its labeling as a “national anthem.” For example, following last year’s performance, Rep. Lauren Boebert said, “America only has ONE NATIONAL ANTHEM. Why is the NFL trying to divide us?”

This year’s Super Bowl marked the fourth pre-game performance of the controversial song. Alicia Keys sang it in 2021, followed by Mary Mary a year later, and Sheryl Lee Ralph last year.

Super Bowl 2024 pitted the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs, with the latter securing victory by 25 to 22. The Star-Spangled Banner was also performed before the game.