In a bold statement ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, has announced that he will not be watching the game due to a scheduled performance of the Black National Anthem. The highly anticipated game will see the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday as they vie for the title of the 2023 season's champion.

The decision to include the Black National Anthem, also known as "Lift Every Voice and Sing," at the start of the game has drawn both praise and criticism. The hymn, originally written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900, became a symbol of empowerment during the civil rights movement and is considered a significant part of African American culture.

Gaetz took to social media, specifically X (formerly Twitter), to express his disdain for the inclusion of the Black National Anthem. He shared an exchange he had with his wife, where he explained his refusal to watch the Super Bowl, citing the belief that the performance would be a desecration of America's National Anthem. Gaetz's wife jokingly asked if rapper Cardi B would be performing instead.

This is not the first time that "Lift Every Voice and Sing" has been performed in conjunction with the Super Bowl or other NFL games. The song was previously played during the Week 1 games of the 2020 season as the league aimed to address social justice issues and amplify the work done by its players.

Criticism of the song's inclusion is not limited to Gaetz, as Republican Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado also expressed disapproval. Boebert took to X to question why the NFL was dividing the nation by playing multiple anthems and urged them to focus on the sport rather than "wokeness."

Past performances of the Black National Anthem have faced criticism from conservative figures. In 2021, Sean Hannity, a Fox News host, criticized the song's inclusion as an attempt to inject politics into sports. Similarly, when Vanessa Williams performed the song during a PBS Fourth of July special, several conservative pundits voiced their discontent.

Despite the controversy surrounding the performance, the NFL has remained committed to using the Black National Anthem as a means of promoting equality and addressing social justice issues. According to Troy Vincent, an NFL representative, the song holds immense significance for generations of Black Americans and remains relevant in today's social climate.

As the Super Bowl approaches, the debate over the inclusion of the Black National Anthem continues. While critics argue that it further divides the nation, supporters see it as an opportunity to honor the struggles and resilience of the African American community. Only time will tell how this controversy plays out on the grand stage of Super Bowl LVIII.