A Democrat congressman received pushback Sunday for criticizing Super Bowl attendees in Las Vegas who did not stand during the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the “Black National Anthem,” Fox News reported Monday.
“Very very few stood at Super Bowl for ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’. The Negro National Anthem. Not a pretty picture of Super Bowl crowd,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) wrote in a social media post:
Very very few stood at Super Bowl for “Lift Every Voice and Sing”.
— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) February 11, 2024
The Negro National Anthem.
Not a pretty picture of Super Bowl crowd.,
However, users were quick to hit back at Cohen’s statement and one person replied to him saying, “The AMERICAN national anthem doesn’t see color. Dems have been the front line in dividing this country with race wars.”
“There is only one national anthem and that ain’t it, chief,” another user commented, while someone else said, “160+ years removed from the Civil War and Democrats are still obsessed with segregation. Wow.”
Grammy-winning artist Andra Day performed the song prior to the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. Video footage shows the singer flanked by a choir as fans filled the seats behind them:
Yessss, you better sing! 👏🏾
— BET (@BET) February 12, 2024
Grammy-Award winning Andra Day delivered an amazing performance of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' at #SBLVIII#BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/VQrm0dAaQp
In 2021, Breitbart News reported that the National Football League (NFL) planned to use more social justice messaging and make the “black national anthem” a big part of its major events:
A source recently told Front Office Sports that the NFL is “bringing back a lot of [social justice] elements from last year,” including helmet decals with left-wing messages, sideline signage, and the playing of the song “Lift Ev’ry Voice and sing” — the purported “black national anthem” — at major events.
…
The source also said that going forward all players will be free to protest against the U.S.A. in any way they choose, as long as it is a “peaceful protest.”
Also in 2021, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas criticized the NFL for playing the “black national anthem,” according to Breitbart News.
“When you sing the national anthem, and then you sing the black national anthem, the only thing that it does is it’s emphasizing our separateness,” he said.
To read the history behind America’s National Anthem please click here.