Big television events have outsized cultural power: they create shared memories, launch songs, and sometimes spark controversy. For many Americans the Super Bowl halftime slot should feel, above all, unifying — a short stretch where people from different backgrounds pause, watch, and cheer together.

This year, the NFL picked a singer who is dividing the country. Bad Bunny will refuse to sing in English, insulting Americans by saying we should learn Spanish. He is an outspoken critic of the President and has advocated for illegal immigration. Now, patriots are fighting back.

From Breitbart:

A petition has been launched calling on the NFL to replace Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny with country star George Strait for the Super Bowl halftime show.

Launched this week, the Change.org petition has garnered more than 5,100 signatures as of this writing, with the organizer’s arguing that George Strait will unite America while Bad Bunny will perform a “political stunt.”

Americans are calling on the NFL to replace Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny with country legend George Strait for the 2026 halftime show. The Change.org campaign had racked up more than 5,100 signatures. Patriots believe Strait would “unite America” while labeling Bad Bunny’s presence on the stage a potential “political stunt.”

Breitbart reported the petition’s core claim that the Super Bowl’s halftime should “remain family-friendly” and “honor American culture,” arguing George Strait better embodies those values. The site also noted prior public statements from Bad Bunny criticizing U.S. immigration enforcement and expressing concern about performing in the mainland United States because of potential ICE raids — comments the rapper has since softened in statements after his selection.

Why This Matters to the Conversation

From a conservative viewpoint, this isn’t merely about musical taste. It’s about the role of national institutions and media in shaping public life. The Super Bowl is funded and consumed by millions of Americans; the halftime show sits where the country’s entertainment, commerce, and civic imagination intersect. When organizers select an artist who has publicly taken stances that sound more like partisan provocation than simple entertainment, critics worry the line between celebration and sermon gets blurred.

George Strait, for many, represents a continuity of American musical tradition — songs about home, family, and the small-town values that resonate with a large swath of the viewing public. Asking the NFL to consider him is a request to center performers whose work can be enjoyed without prompting a political conversation. For those who believe national broadcasts should steer clear of activism, the petition is a logical plea: keep spectacle and politics in separate stadiums.

The Broader Cultural Case

This debate also exposes how platforms reward controversy. Artists who push political boundaries often gain media attention precisely because their statements cause headlines; that attention translates to ratings. Conservatives argue that institutions like the NFL should resist the calculus that prioritizes shock value over broad appeal. Instead, the league could lean into acts that draw viewers together rather than divide them along cultural lines.

It’s also worth remembering why halftime shows became the ratings juggernaut they are. As historical accounts note, the modern halftime spectacle was reinvented in the early 1990s to keep eyeballs glued to the set — a commercial move that turned halftime into a cultural stage. If commercial logic now prizes controversy, institutions will naturally keep choosing it. But audiences — and their organizers — still have a say. Petitions, viewership choices, and advertiser preferences all feed back into what kinds of performances are booked.

Key Takeaways:

• Petition urges NFL to replace Bad Bunny with George Strait for a more “family-friendly” show.

• Critics say Bad Bunny’s past political comments make him divisive.

• Debate centers on whether the Super Bowl should unite viewers or push edgy politics.

Source: Breitbart