(UnitedHeadlines.com) – Democratic Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen is angry after the crowd attending the Feb. 11 Super Bowl did not stand during the playing of the black national anthem before the game.
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” was performed by Andra Day, marking the second time the song has been sung live on the field before the Super Bowl. The song, composed in the late 19th century by civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson as a poem, was written as an ode to hope for African American freedom and faith. Prior to the 2023 Super Bowl, the NFL had only played the black national anthem before regular season games.
The song, along with Post Malone singing “America the Beautiful” and Reba McEntire singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” were performed before the beginning of the game.
Cohen took to Twitter, writing how “Very very few stood” for the black national anthem, which he referred to as the “Negro National Anthem.” He said it was “Not a pretty picture of Super Bowl crowd.”
In response to criticism he received on his post about two national anthems being played before the game, Cohen said that he stands for both, adding that “in Memphis, most do.” He stated that while he honors and respects the national anthem, it does contain words relating to slavery.
Cohen, who has served in Congress since 2007 and is the only Democrat in Tennessee’s congressional delegation, represents the 9th Congressional District, which is 66.8 percent black.
Cohen’s comments received pushback from some on social media.
Conservative commentator Candace Owens took issue with his use of the word “negro” in her post on Twitter, saying there was a “Lot to unpack” in Cohen’s post. Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz stated that because the song would be performed. he would not watch the game. While Daily Wire commentator Matt Walsh questioned why anyone would stand for a “song that isn’t the National Anthem.”
Copyright 2024, UnitedHeadlines.com
