Bad Bunny, also known as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, a Puerto Rican rapper and record producer, was announced as the headliner for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show in February. However, this report soon proved provocative as the public learned more about his political leanings and outspoken attitudes towards Trump, ICE, and immigration enforcement.
The 31-year-old singer has been known to cross-dress on many occasions and promote progressive and other left-wing ideologies, which many conservatives disagree with. Bad Bunny has been a vocal critic of Puerto Rico’s status as a US unincorporated territory, promoting independence rather than statehood. He is also a strong supporter of Palestine and transgenderism, which he advocates for on his social media and other platforms. Additionally, he has frequently criticized the Trump Administration’s aggressive immigration policies. He has chosen not to include the United States mainland in his coming tour due to fear that ICE agents would arrest his illegal-immigrant audience members during his performances.
Recently, Bad Bunny appeared on SNL to call for the audience to learn Spanish. During his speech, he transitioned from English to Spanish, and after giving several statements in his native tongue, he went on to say, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”
His widespread obloquies have divided conservatives, who are not widely against Puerto Ricans or the Spanish language; however, there is a growing resentment in the party of being talked down to. Conservatives do not want a foreign language imposed on them, which is what many feel Bad Bunny’s statement is doing.
Ben Shapiro of the Daily Wire said on his podcast, “I’m not going to be lectured about learning Spanish by Bad Bunny.” Meanwhile, fellow Daily Wire podcaster, Michael Knowles, stated, “I’m not opposed to Spanish – it’s the disrespect is the problem.” A unifying theme between conservative thinking seems to be that Bad Bunny seems to want Americans to conform to his culture instead of him conforming to ours.
The English language is one of the many symbols of America, and it is something that unites all its people. English unifies a country and culture, and allows US citizens to operate together coherently. To undermine the English language, some critics feel, would be to disrespect America as a country.
However, some left-wing reporters feel the opposite. Molly Jong-Fast published an opinion piece in the New York Times where she wrote that Bad Bunny’s ability to attract a large, diverse audience is something the Democratic Party could learn from. She stated, quote, “Lest you think Bad Bunny is some kind of fake lib, he is not.”
However, there is perhaps a way to blend cultures without dividing people. Throughout the history of the Super Bowl, a diverse array of performers from various backgrounds have performed, including Rihanna (2023), Eminem (2022), Shakira (2020), Justin Timberlake (2018), Bruno Mars (2016), Katy Perry (2015), and Beyoncé (2013). For years, there has been a great deal of diversity and variety at the halftime performance.
Instead of focusing on making divisive political statements that alienate half the audience, the NFL, Bad Bunny, and Super Bowl should concentrate on bringing people from all walks of life together to celebrate a special event in American sports for the country’s 250th anniversary.