The symbolism of Bad Bunny’s halftime show

[liberty]

The first thing to note is that the performance was entirely in Spanish, except for the phrase “God Bless America,” and even that was reframed to mean the Americas, not the United States. To some viewers, that shift felt like a distortion of the original meaning.

It could also be interpreted as a kind of cultural declaration of war: Look at all these flags; we outnumber you; we will conquer you. The entire show was in Spanish, with no subtitles for English speakers, in a country that is predominantly English‑speaking. To some, that felt as though the English‑speaking population was being sidelined or symbolically canceled.

Bad Bunny claimed the theme was unity across the Americas, but the Americas are not particularly united.

The actress Jill Zarin lost her job simply because she criticized the performance. Nothing she said was racist, but Bad Bunny’s supporters labeled it that way, and she was fired. Come on, how is that not outrageous; it is getting to the point where the word racist has almost no meaning anymore.

[Scooter]

[Joe Guy]

It cracks me up when people complain that they couldn't understand Bad Bunny's show because it was only in Spanish.

Did those same people complain last year when Kendrick Lamar only spoke Jive?......

The video is blocked from being embedded here but you can watch it if you click here

[liberty]

It cracks me up when people complain that they couldn't understand Bad Bunny's show because it was only in Spanish.

Did those same people complain last year when Kendrick Lamar only spoke Jive?......

The video is blocked from being embedded here but you can watch it if you click here

At least jive is a form of English that most Americans can understand, at least to some extent; but the bad performance was totally incomprehensible in terms of both the words and the message of the presentation, even though English speakers make up the vast majority of the country; they were totally ignored, not even given subtitles,

The Puerto Ricans desperately want freedom and independence; they want to be their own nation with their own culture, but they are afraid to take the leap. That is why, perhaps, it is time to end American colonialism and give Puerto Rico its freedom; many believe the island could reach greater heights if it were free to govern itself. Over the decades, tensions have occasionally erupted into violence, including the attack on the United States Congress, the bombings of American air bases in Puerto Rico, and the guerrilla incident in the 1970s in which several U.S. sailors were killed on a bus. Despite these events, the argument for independence remains rooted in the belief that Puerto Ricans deserve the right to determine their own future. They are a great people; let them go, and let them soar.

[Joe Guy]

At least jive is a form of English that most Americans can understand, at least to some extent; but the bad performance was totally incomprehensible in terms of both the words and the message of the presentation, even though English speakers make up the vast majority of the country; they were totally ignored, not even given subtitles.....

Did you watch the linked Kendrick Lamar video or did you watch it when he performed it?

Did you understand his message?

[Big RR]

The Puerto Ricans desperately want freedom and independence; they want to be their own nation with their own culture, but they are afraid to take the leap.

Have you ever even been to Puerto Rico; do you even know any Puerto Ricans. FWIW, most of those living on the island don't want independence (although paper towel throwing Trump has tried mightily to change that; the plebiscites have shown that over and over. But they realize that statehood is not really on their interest either; being the smallest and poorest state is not something to covet. But they do realize that there are distinct benefits to being American citizens, and most fully appreciate that. Sure, they would like some adjustments in their commonwealth circumstances, but isn't dissent the American way?

[datsunaholic]

But they realize that statehood is not really on their interest either; being the smallest and poorest state is not something to covet.

It wouldn't be the smallest by a long shot. The population of Puerto Rico is larger than 18 States (2025 est, it was larger in population than 20 States in the 2020 census). By land area, it's twice the size of Delaware and over 3X the size of Rhode Island.

[Big RR]

I didn't 4realize that about size; I stand corrected. It's population is only around 2.6 million as I recall, not great, but bigger than many of the least populous states.

[liberty]

I didn't 4realize that about size; I stand corrected. It's population is only around 2.6 million as I recall, not great, but bigger than many of the least populous states.

It should be clear that many Puerto Ricans do not want to become Americans in the cultural sense. English is America’s unifying language, and almost everyone in the mainland speaks it. English has been taught in Puerto Rican schools since 1948, yet today only about 50% of the population speaks English at all, and only about 5% speak it at home. That makes it clear they don’t truly want to assimilate as Americans. What they do want is American citizenship and the security that comes with it—like a little bird in a nest that doesn’t want to leave. At some point, it’s time to give them a nudge and let them soar.

[Bicycle Bill]

It should be clear that many Puerto Ricans do not want to become Americans in the cultural sense. English is America’s unifying language, and almost everyone in the mainland speaks it. English has been taught in Puerto Rican schools since 1948, yet today only about 50% of the population speaks English at all, and only about 5% speak it at home. That makes it clear they don’t truly want to assimilate as Americans. What they do want is American citizenship and the security that comes with it—like a little bird in a nest that doesn’t want to leave. At some point, it’s time to give them a nudge and let them soar.

I'm sure that when your ancestor Genghis Khan conquered the steppes his 'people' spoke a multitude of languages.   Similar situations also were common to other great ancient empires such as the Romans, or the Ottoman, or even the various Chinese dynasties.   And coming into modern times, I'm sure that not every subject of Queen Vickie spoke Oxford English, either — and still don't, in King Chuck's commonwealth, either, any more than everyone who answered to Der Führer spoke Hochdeutsch.  So your pipe dream of forcing every member of a 300-nillion plus nation into the same pigeonhole of dressing alike, speaking the same language, and saying the same prayers to the same God has no foundation or basis in history.

Seriously — you know what I think is the REAL reason you — and people like you — want everyone to speak English?   It's because you're so insecure about yourself that whenever someone is speaking in a language you can't understand, you're afraid that they're talking shit about you.   Maybe they are...   maybe they're not.   But the fact that you can't understand them and don't know for sure drives you right up the fuckin' wall.

-"BB"-

[liberty]

It should be clear that many Puerto Ricans do not want to become Americans in the cultural sense. English is America’s unifying language, and almost everyone in the mainland speaks it. English has been taught in Puerto Rican schools since 1948, yet today only about 50% of the population speaks English at all, and only about 5% speak it at home. That makes it clear they don’t truly want to assimilate as Americans. What they do want is American citizenship and the security that comes with it—like a little bird in a nest that doesn’t want to leave. At some point, it’s time to give them a nudge and let them soar.

I'm sure that when your ancestor Genghis Khan conquered the steppes his 'people' spoke a multitude of languages.   Similar situations also were common to other great ancient empires such as the Romans, or the Ottoman, or even the various Chinese dynasties.   And coming into modern times, I'm sure that not every subject of Queen Vickie spoke Oxford English, either — and still don't, in King Chuck's commonwealth, either, any more than everyone who answered to Der Führer spoke Hochdeutsch.  So your pipe dream of forcing every member of a 300-nillion plus nation into the same pigeonhole of dressing alike, speaking the same language, and saying the same prayers to the same God has no foundation or basis in history.

Seriously — you know what I think is the REAL reason you — and people like you — want everyone to speak English?   It's because you're so insecure about yourself that whenever someone is speaking in a language you can't understand, you're afraid that they're talking shit about you.   Maybe they are...   maybe they're not.   But the fact that you can't understand them and don't know for sure drives you right up the fuckin' wall.

-"BB"-

Nope, not even close. Think deeper, analyze everything you know about me, and try again. Here’s a hint: what was the bombing range in Puerto Rico that the Puerto Ricans shut down because they know it contributed significantly to America’s defense?

[BoSoxGal]

There are over 350 languages spoken in the USA.

68 millions Americans speak something other than English as their first language, but only 8% of Americans are limited proficiency in English.

By the way, English is not and never has been the official language of USA - no matter how much MAGA wank and moan about it, and no matter how many limp mushroom EOs the orange Twatzi issues, there IS NO OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

[Scooter]

what was the bombing range in Puerto Rico that the Puerto Ricans shut down because they know it contributed significantly to America’s defense?

Is this something else you "remembered", like Canada was allied with the Soviet Union and Europeans don't eat corn?

‘I thought they’d kill us’: how the US navy devastated a tiny Puerto Rican island

[liberty]

There are over 350 languages spoken in the USA.

68 millions Americans speak something other than English as their first language, but only 8% of Americans are limited proficiency in English.

By the way, English is not and never has been the official language of USA - no mater how much MAGA wank and moan about it, and no matter how many limp mushroom EOs the orange Twatzi issues, there IS NO OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Sorry, that’s wrong. It isn’t true that only 8% of Americans speak only English. The real number is much higher, around 78%, and virtually everyone in the United States speaks English to some extent.

I agree that the United States has no official language, and that is true; however, English does function as a unifying language. Without a shared language, it becomes much harder for a common culture to form, and it would be difficult for a country to develop a cohesive national identity. The Soviet Union never achieved that kind of unity, in part because it lacked a single unifying language shared across all its republics.

[Joe Guy]

.....68 millions Americans speak something other than English as their first language, but only 8% of Americans are limited proficiency in English.

Sorry, that’s wrong. It isn’t true that only 8% of Americans speak only English. The real number is much higher, around 78%, and virtually everyone in the United States speaks English to some extent......

Although I believe English is your first language, you're displaying symptoms of someone with limited proficiency in English....

[MajGenl.Meade]

Bugger. Joe beat me to it by seconds.

She wrote: "only 8% of Americans are limited proficiency in English". This means that 8% of the US population struggle to use the English language.

He replied: "Sorry, that’s wrong. It isn’t true that only 8% of Americans speak only English".

At least one American cannot read or comprehend English and that would be lib. Or he is once again flat- out telling porkies about what another poster has written and which we (the 92%) can read and understand proficiently.

We can also use the interwebs and check data . . . also a novel idea for Captain Mendacity (look it up, lib).

Approximately 8% to 9% of the United States population (aged 5 and older) is considered to have Limited English Proficiency (LEP). This translates to more than 25 million individuals who speak English "less than very well".

Definition: LEP refers to individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English.

Trends: The number of LEP residents has grown by over 80% since 1990.

Primary Languages: The majority of LEP individuals speak Spanish (roughly 63%–65%), followed by Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Tagalog.

Demographics: While many are immigrants, a significant portion are native-born, and about 9% of the LEP population are children aged 5–15.

[ex-khobar Andy]

Nope, not even close. Think deeper, analyze everything you know about me, and try again. Here’s a hint: what was the bombing range in Puerto Rico that the Puerto Ricans shut down because they know it contributed significantly to America’s defense?

You're talking about Vieques Island, lib. That "the Puerto Ricans shut down because they know it contributed significantly to America’s defense" is not even close to the truth. Some friends of mine were involved in the environmental surveys which led to the range being closed 20+ years ago. Vieques, which is off the eastern end of the main PR Island, has some of the most stunning wildlife areas and beaches of the whole Gulf and Caribbean area, and no-one has denied that this may at least be partially due to its use as a bombing range. Tourism and housing do not mix well with bombing areas. The US has long touted itself as being against the sort of colonialism exhibited by the European powers (Britain. Portugal, Spain, Netherlands etc) but what is PR if not a colony? Certainly not in name but to all intents and purposes, it is. The Navy withdrew from Vieques because it was obvious that it would be an enormous contributor to PR tourism (despite a huge UXB problem) and because there were other alternatives.

As a SCUBA diver and environmentalist, one of my favorite T-shirts has always been: Come down with VD! (Vieques Divers). I've never been there but it's on my bucket list.

[liberty]

There are over 350 languages spoken in the USA.

68 millions Americans speak something other than English as their first language, but only 8% of Americans are limited proficiency in English.

Now that I have read it again, it appears I did make a mistake. I misinterpreted what was written. I make mistakes from time to time and I do not make excuses for them. I try to understand why the mistake happened. However, since I am not a lawyer, a journalist, or an English teacher, I do not worry too much about it, although I do try to learn from it. Looking at the post, it could have been written more clearly.

The sentence would have been more easily understood if it had been written like this: Sixty eight million Americans speak something other than English as their first language, but only 8 percent of those individuals have limited proficiency in English.

In effective communications. It is the duty of the sender to know his audience and construct his message so that it is clearly received. Perhaps lawyers have a different way of going about it. Perhaps they have different priorities.

[Scooter]

So much for that summa cum laude associate's degree from the University of East Butt Crack.

[BoSoxGal]

All I can say is that I have been listening to Debí Tirar Más Fotos, album of the year, on a loop in my car for the last week. I have very little understanding of what the words are saying, but the music is great and the vocals are very nice and I feel upbeat listening to it and have started a little savings fund for a visit to Puerto Rico because I want to soak in more of this island vibe.

This whole ‘controversy’ has given me a new perspective for what it’s like for all the non English speaking people on the planet who nevertheless fell in love with Elvis and the Beatles and all the global phenomenon musicians who sang in English only.

Americans are so incredibly utterly self centered, by the way.

I can’t find the video to share with you, but the most uplifting reel I saw this week about the SuperBowl halftime show was a compilation of people in their own living rooms reacting to the halftime show - they were all brown people from the Americas, from at least a dozen of the 35 nations that make up the Americas. I don’t know if they were in their living rooms in those nations or if they are all resident in the USA - but the sheer joy expressed because they heard a positive shoutout to their homeland in the ending of the program when Benito did the parade of the Americas - it was glorious and made me weep.

I am so incredibly glad that I was born or made the way I am, and that I cannot fathom the bigotry and hatred that caused so many people to lose their minds over what was a beautiful, joyful expression of love for one’s fellow human beings.