Bad Bunny vs. American Fascism

Bad Bunny Performs at Superbowl LX on February 8th, Photo via the Rolling Stone

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On February 8th, when Bad Bunny performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, he was doing more than just entertaining an audience. He was performing an act of resistance—singing in Spanish at a time when U.S. immigration officials, at the direction of President Donald Trump, are actively targeting Latinx families and Spanish speakers. And even more, at a time when white supremacy and anti-immigration rhetoric are shameful pieces of the American tapestry. 

The far right was threatened by this resistance. Turning Point USA created their own Super Bowl halftime show to oppose that by Bad Bunny, which was live streamed to YouTube and other platforms. Named “The All-American Halftime Show,” it was meant to directly contradict what some constituents of the far-right saw as an un-American performance by Bad Bunny. There lies in this a crucial question: what exactly does it mean for something or someone to be considered “American” by the Right? 

Bad Bunny himself is an American citizen, as all Puerto Ricans have been since the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917, but repeatedly had his citizenship questioned by MAGA pundits in the months leading up to his performance. Popular social media videos show conservative podcaster Tomi Lahren saying— regarding Bad Bunny—that he is, “not an American artist.” She also points to his opinions on ICE as reasons for why he should not be permitted to perform at the Super Bowl, not acknowledging polls that show that close to two-thirds of Americans disagree with the actions of ICE to some degree. Jake Paul, the fairly washed up WWE star who once successfully garnered YouTube subscriptions by millions of middle school students, also stated that he was boycotting the halftime show on account of Bad Bunny being a “fake American citizen” and him “openly hating America.” The Fox News article covering Paul’s opinions also included a photo of him and Vice President Vance sitting together at the Olympic games. 

In both of these instances, Bad Bunny’s opposers were making the dangerous suggestion that one deserves to have their Americanness questioned if they dare question or disagree with the actions of their government. Bad Bunny’s disagreement with ICE’s actions acts as permission to conservative pundits to question his citizenship. In their eyes, the perfect American is quiet and submissive, failing to speak out when the government makes a decision that reprehensibly harms other people. Or better, the perfect American supports their government’s deplorable choices on the basis of protecting “true Americans.” 

Of course, talk of “true Americans” or “heritage Americans” is never complete without talk of white supremacists. In Arkansas, the Return to the Land housing development is restricted to people who are white and heterosexual. The community’s architects require potential community members to pass background checks that may include answering questions about their ancestral heritage and submitting photographs of their relatives. If a potential renter does not appear sufficiently white, leaders will fail to admit them, “among other things.” Since the late 20th century, many white supremacists have also used the 14 Words slogan, written out to be, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children,” as a rallying call. This slogan suggests, in-line with popular white supremacist views, that white people, and white Americans specifically, are doomed to go extinct. Overall, it incites fear and perpetuates hate. 

Turning Point USA’s halftime show was by no means as extreme as the above hatred shown by some hyper-right groups. However, the show did feature all white artists singing with country twangs amid a background of American flags. It was a demonstration of the idea that white, rural people who have pride in their government regardless of its humanity are the most American, while those who speak languages other than English and question government choices are less American. White, republican nationalism is set to harm us all, slowly allowing a fascist agenda to creep into place. Remember, in any fascist regime, the suppression of the opposition and extreme nationalism are two key steps in a longer procession towards government cruelty. 

This is no longer a country governed by the classically liberal idea that everyone deserves the right to pursue the “good life” à la John Rawls—whatever that means to them. Instead, it is a country currently being governed by the fascist principle that there is some exclusionary national identity which must be coveted, even if it comes at the expense of human dignity, justice, and individual rights. The far right will seemingly stop at nothing to implement their fascist agenda, meaning that it is more important than ever for the rest of us to overcorrect for their human failures. Practice community care, volunteer your time, and, if nothing else, turn up the Bad Bunny, and throw away your mom’s old Kid Rock CD from 2008. The future of American democracy depends on you. 

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This article was edited by Amethyst Stencik.