Is there a greater inkblot take a look at for America proper now than response to Unhealthy Bunny being the halftime act for Tremendous Bowl LX?
Quickly after his identify was introduced, social media exploded into meritocracy debates as if the Nationwide Soccer League’s selections are culturally motivated and never commercially. Taylor Swift is essentially the most streamed artist in Spotify historical past. Unhealthy Bunny is No. 2. For a home sports activities league attempting to develop its recognition globally, the rationale appears clear.
And but as a result of he’s a Puerto Rican who sings in Spanish, conservative speaking heads should undertaking outrage and provide listeners nonsensical objections.
“It’s so shameful they’ve determined to select someone who appears to hate America a lot to symbolize them on the halftime present,” Corey Lewandowski, a longtime confidant of President Trump who at present advises the Division of Homeland Safety, informed conservative podcast host Benny Johnson. “We needs to be attempting to be inclusive, not unique. There are many nice bands and leisure individuals who might be enjoying at that present that might be bringing individuals collectively and never separating them.”
Suggesting Unhealthy Bunny hates America is an fascinating take given Puerto Ricans have been U.S. residents since 1917. The three-time Grammy winner additionally has 4 No. 1 albums on the very American Billboard pop charts and has already carried out throughout halftime on the Tremendous Bowl again in 2020 with Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. The Federal Communications Fee obtained greater than 1,300 complaints concerning the present that yr with the overwhelming majority being from dad and mom complaining concerning the stripper pole and twerking of the ladies, not Unhealthy Bunny’s alleged hate of America.
I don’t know if Lewandowski and Johnson knew any of that earlier than they began speaking, however I get the sensation it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. As soon as Lewandowski advised ICE was going to be on the Tremendous Bowl — an occasion that had a mean resale ticket worth of $8,600 in 2024 — it was clear their dialog wasn’t about fixing the immigration downside.
It was clear they didn’t know a lot concerning the historical past of halftime acts both.
In 2006, a Tremendous Bowl held within the coronary heart of Detroit — the birthplace of Motown — rolled out the Rolling Stones, who’re from London. In 2010, a Tremendous Bowl in Miami — house of salsa and Afro-Cuban jazz — gave us the Who … who’re additionally from England. In 2002, months after the 9/11 terrorist assaults, U2 — a band from Dublin, Eire — did the present. There’s a decades-long precedent for non-Individuals to headline the Tremendous Bowl. Although, once more, fast geography lesson: Puerto Rico is a part of america and Puerto Ricans are U.S. residents.
Detractors like Lewandowski and Johnson need to make English being Unhealthy Bunny’s second language an indictment of his patriotism, as if rising up talking English is a criterion for citizenship. It isn’t and by no means has been. Maybe as a substitute of utilizing their platform to stir concern at a time when calm is required, the 2 may see subsequent February’s present as a chance to develop. As a result of actually, it’s so counterproductive to permit influential voices to gaslight the nation into forgetting the milestones it’s already crossed. “La Bamba” by Los Lobos was sung in Spanish and hit No. 1 practically 40 years in the past. The one English within the Ok-pop hit “Gangnam Model” is “hey, attractive woman,” and that music made PSY a world sensation.
As an alternative of constructing individuals concern Spanish on the Tremendous Bowl, possibly encourage them to spend this NFL season studying one thing past “gracias.“ As a result of on this world, there are individuals who select to talk in English and there are individuals who don’t have any different alternative. Solely a kind of eventualities looks like freedom to me.
That was the subject of dialogue in the summertime of 2008 after then-Sen. Barack Obama stated this at a marketing campaign cease in Georgia: “Perceive this, as a substitute of worrying about whether or not immigrants can be taught English — they’ll be taught English — it’s good to ensure that your baby can communicate Spanish. You have to be serious about how can your baby change into bilingual.”
On the time many conservatives — corresponding to Tucker Carlson and Lou Dobbs — used these feedback not as a immediate to debate the deserves of Obama’s remarks relating to U.S. schooling however as a weapon to assault him. They accused him of being divisive — when years in the past Nelson Mandela stated whenever you speak to somebody “in his personal language, that goes to his coronary heart.” In actual fact, Dobbs stated “as a substitute of variety, he’s speaking about factionalism.” Nonsense that sounds loads just like the echoes we hear from Lewandowski and Johnson immediately.
It’s not only a query of if our youngsters needs to be bilingual; it’s additionally about being curious concerning the world we reside in. This NFL season has already featured video games in Eire and Brazil. Mexico Metropolis is an annual occasion. The league is in it for the bag. And ultimately there will probably be a staff primarily based abroad the place Spanish is heard, visiting groups carry passports and Unhealthy Bunny isn’t any stranger.
YouTube: @LZGrandersonShow
