Podcaster and former ESPN host Sage Steele took aim at the use of what is referred to as the “black national anthem” — “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — saying that performing it at major sporting events is divisive in America, and it’s being shoved “down people’s throats.”
Speaking with comedian, actor, and musician Reggie Watts on “The Sage Steele Show,” Steele stated, “I never intended to stir the pot, but now I don’t care. … I don’t like this whole black national anthem thing.”
“What’s the black national anthem?” Watts responded.
“See?” Steele pointed out.
“What’s that?” Watts repeated.
“Well, it’s newer the last couple of years and it’s at the Super Bowl,” Steele explained. “And it’s been at a couple of major sporting events, and it’s ‘Lift Every Voice,’ and that’s sung now before the national anthem and it’s called the black national anthem.”
“It’s a blanthem,” Watts suggested.
“It’s a blanthem,” Steele agreed. She continued:
Let’s call it that. Hashtag blanthem. Maybe if it were that I would not think it were so ridiculous and divisive. … With the hashtag we’re good. Cool. To me, and again I’m sensitive, because I’ve been told — Dude, we’re one big melting pot. This is good. Why are we now choosing to separate again when we’ve been in a tough time here the past several years, to say, “This is only our anthem, but y’all better stand up. Get you’re a** up.” …I think we’re all Americans and it’s our anthem; and all the immigrants from across the world that have come here stand up for our anthem. They’re all Americans.
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“First of all, the fact that you didn’t even know,” she said to Watts. “What’s that? The black national anthem. Because it’s new and they’re shoving it down people’s throats. What are we doing?”
In April, Steele told Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro, “I think one of the biggest things that has made me so divisive and disliked and at least parts not all for sure, but parts of the black community is my conversation about being biracial. So if I’m asked and if I’m filling out a census … I’m going to check black and white, you know, my dad’s black, my mom is white.”
“I’m so proud of both. And for some reason that’s controversial,” she continued, adding that she would expect her family’s racial makeup to be celebrated by those who constantly push for more diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“And I just was always confused by that and like, why isn’t my family the actual perfect definition of diversity and tolerance and acceptance and inclusion?” Steele asked.
“Why is it bad that I love my mom as much as my dad and want to celebrate her as well? And when I was crushed for that a few times, I got ticked off. I’m like, enough. This is total B.S.,” she said. “And it’s actually complete hypocrisy, the opposite of what we are preaching of diversity and tolerance and acceptance.”
Zach Jewell contributed to this article.