They claim Bad Bunny isn’t American. That should scare you.

Shiny Chandravel, Contributing Writer

After the NFL announced Bad Bunny as the halftime show for next year’s Super Bowl, there was an uproar from many Americans at the idea of showcasing a “non-American” in a game so quintessential to “American” tradition.

The irony is that Bad Bunny is, in fact, American. Puerto Ricans have been American citizens since 1917.

The uproar over the Latin singer isn’t just coming from online rage-baiters or random podcasters — it comes from inside the federal government. 

House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, went as far as to say that country artist Lee Greenwood would have been a better choice than Bad Bunny, whom he claims “sounds like he’s not someone who appeals to a broader audience.” 

Bad Bunny is a proven megastar, though, receiving global acclaim for redefining reggaetón as one of the most-streamed artists in the world.

Either Johnson is just that out of touch, or his definition of a “broad audience” was never meant to include those who don’t look like him.

Conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA also capitalized on the outrage by announcing a rival event, the “All-American Halftime Show,” which is said to promote “faith, family and freedom” and promises that every song will be sung in English.

This was never about who the better performer is. It is a tool in a larger cultural war — one that seeks to decide who is “American” enough to stand center stage in a stadium meant to celebrate the nation’s greatest talents. 

Bad Bunny and his fans’ resistance to the backlash is not just important to me as someone who loves his music — it is important to me as an American. 

It is clear that citizenship is no longer enough in today’s politics. Arbitrary values now dictate who counts as “American,” weaponized to pit “real” Americans against those painted as their antithesis. 

The issue with Turning Point USA’s appeal to “faith, family and freedom” isn’t the values themselves — it’s the suggestion that anyone outside their vision of America stands opposed to them, as if Bad Bunny and his fans’ very existence threatens those ideals.

Calling it a “culture war” is an understatement, because the war isn’t just between artists — the war is coming for us as citizens.

When enough people consider entire demographics un-American, our government knows it can treat them as such. The tragedy of this year isn’t just that our government turned against its own — it’s how easily it happened. It’s how quickly federal agents started detaining American citizens without warrants, often on grounds of race or language, enabled by our own Supreme Court.

The right to be called, considered and treated as an American isn’t just a desire for belonging, but to have the promise of the rights that come with citizenship. 

Whenever that promise becomes fragile or threatened, it is up to us to stand up and protect it, refusing to let the government break its oath. 

Be wary when they question who is “American” or “citizen” enough. This rhetoric has been used throughout history to deny women, Black Americans, Indigenous peoples and immigrants their civil rights — claiming they weren’t “American” enough to take part in democracy.

Bad Bunny is not the only high-profile victim of this phenomenon; it targets any politician outside the traditional image of America. Former President Barack Obama faced it in 2008. Kamala Harris and Nikki Haley received similar accusations during their 2024 campaigns. Zohran Mamdani dealt with it during the recent New York City mayoral race. Baselessly questioning a person’s background or birth is a tool to invalidate their right to occupy space — whether on a stadium stage or the ballot.

In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt: “Remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”

To erase that truth is to rewrite history.

And if they’re already rewriting Bad Bunny as “un-American,” who is to say they won’t erase you next?