Stephen A. Smith has accused critics of the so -called 'National Black Anthem' of threatening the 'fabric' of the United States, and compared the reaction with Donald Trump 'kidnaping' the debate on Colin Kaepernick taking the knee.
Some NFL fans have asked for a boycott of Sunday's confrontation between the Chiefs and the Eagles after it will be revealed that 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' will be sung before the start.
Traditionally it is done during the festivities prior to the Super Bowl game, but has caused great controversy in recent years.
The NFL has confirmed that the winning singer of the Grammy Ledisi award will perform the song, in front of President Donald Trump, shortly before the interpretation of Jon Batiste by The Star -Spangled Banner on Sunday.
That caused a violent reaction online, but, in an interview with Dailymail.com in New Orleans, ESPN Star Smith said: “I understand that society can be very polarizing sometimes, but the reality is that the segments of our population are entitled To be proud to be proud about their culture, its people.
He continued: 'Everyone has the right to feel the way they feel … if you are not harming anyone else, leave it.
Stephen A. Smith has accused critics of the so -called 'Black National Anthem' of hypocrisy
Ledisi will carry out the Black National Anthem before the Super Bowl on Sunday in New Orleans
Smith compared the reaction with Donald Trump 'kidnapping' the debate about Colin Kaepernick
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City bosses meet at the Super Bowl in New Orleans
'When we start telling people how to think and how to feel, even when they are not damaging anyone else? Now you are playing the American fabric.
'That's not the United States. Freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom to think, being a free thinker, that is what makes the United States special, and that is what we have to remember. '
Smith accused critics of hymn of hypocrisy. “We have to be consistent with who we complain about, when the Jewish community tells us what they are passionate about and what care, non -Jewish people do not try to tell them how to feel,” he said.
'Well, black people have the right to feel how they feel: if there is a black national anthem or something … whenever it is not something harmful to the United States, the nation itself or for any segment of our population, what is the problem?
Trump confirmed Tuesday that he will be at the Superdome in New Orleans this weekend, becoming the first acting president to attend the Super Bowl.
The NFL has long been a vehicle for the political debate, from the 49ers star, Colin Kaepernick, kneel 2024.
In the Super Bowl LVII in 2023, the republican politician and Trump's old loyal Kari Lake was news when he refused to defend the black anthem.
After it was held at the Super Bowl last year, former Florida congressman, Matt Gaetz, said: “They are desecrating the United States national anthem playing something called” Black National Anthem. “
Andra Day made 'Levanting Every Voice and Sing' at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas last season
Lake Kari was seen refusing to stand while the black anthem was played in 2023
On Wednesday, Smith mentioned the controversial protest of Kaepernick, claiming that Trump 'kidnapped the narrative' about the field marshal, which he has not played in the NFL since 2016.
'What (was) doing? He is not interfering with the 60 minutes. It is rolling during the national anthem, “said the host of the” first shot. ”
'The president at that time, who is the president now, the 45th President of the United States, who was Donald Trump, kidnapped the narrative because he was of interest.
'I am the person Donald Trump called in 2014 when I wanted to buy the Buffalo Bills. The price was $ 1.4 billion. As reported, it had about $ 1.1 billion.
“His exact words for me were, sorry for my language:” If the patterns get in my way, which means that the owners of the NFL, I will recover them. I'm going to run for president. ”
Those are his exact words. They did not miss the sale, and he ran for president. The rest is history. So what I say is: this is how it felt.
Smith continued: 'The reason I mention all the national anthem with him by kidnapping the narrative is because … BBefore Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem, Marshawn Lynch would sit in the refrigerators, or at the bank, eating a banana. No one said a word. Why are you stumbling with Colin Kaepernick?
The ESPN star insisted on the United States is not composed of 'a monolithic group'. “Hispanics are different from Jews, Jews are different from blacks, blacks are different from whites, etc., etc.,” he said. May all be themselves. Just do not harm anyone else.