OPINION:
Nearly 100,000 Americans have made it clear: This year’s Super Bowl halftime performer, Bad Bunny, must go.
Why the outrage? The rapper and singer, known for his far-left political views, said Americans should “learn Spanish” if they want to understand his performance. That remark ignited a national debate. An online petition urging the NFL to replace him with country music legend George Strait has already gathered more than 95,000 signatures and continues to grow.
While America welcomes many languages and cultures, English has always been the unifying language that allows us to understand one another.
Much like the Super Bowl itself, English is something that brings Americans together. Public opinion backs this up: Our recently commissioned Rasmussen poll shows that 73% of Americans support making English our national language.
This isn’t just a cultural issue; it’s also political. In March, an executive order established English as the official language of government operations. In Congress, legislation by Rep. Robert Aderholt and Sen. Bernie Moreno would codify this into law.
The Super Bowl is the most prominent annual entertainment event in our country, with over 100 million viewers last year. It’s meant for football, feasting and fun — not a political lecture.
Should the NFL endorse a performance that many feel diminishes the shared identity of our nation? Americans have resoundingly said no, and it’s time for the commissioner to take action.
There is also the matter of content. Many of Bad Bunny’s lyrics are laced with violent or explicit language, glorifying aggression, promiscuity and revenge. The verses in songs such as “Safaera” and “Yonaguni” re riddled with profanities and sexually explicit or aggressive themes that most Americans wouldn’t understand or want their children to hear, especially when performed entirely in Spanish.
Music critics have long noted that reggaetón and Latin “trap,” the genres that made Bad Bunny famous, are often marked by misogynistic and violent imagery. When most of the audience cannot even translate the words, the problem isn’t just taste — it’s trust.
We live in a country where language is the bridge to understanding. When that bridge is intentionally removed, division fills the gap. If Bad Bunny truly wants to connect with an American audience, maybe he should start by learning “Amarillo by Morning,” George Strait’s iconic country anthem about hard work, humility and the American spirit.
ELLEN HAMILTON-COTTEN
Executive director, ProEnglish
Washington
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