Brandi Carlile’s announcement that she’ll dedicate her Super Bowl 60 performance of America the Beautiful to queer and marginalized communities is the latest example of celebrities turning one of America’s most unifying traditions into a progressive soapbox. Fresh off the NFL’s parade of anthem-kneelers and blacked-out logos during player arrests, Carlile—a Grammy-winning artist known for her outspoken LGBTQ+ advocacy—framed the dedication as a tribute to those fighting for their place in the American dream. But let’s call it what it is: a blatant politicization of a pre-game ritual meant to celebrate national pride, not push intersectional agendas on a captive audience of 100 million viewers.
This move isn’t just tone-deaf; it’s a symptom of the cultural rot threatening the very foundations of the freedoms we hold dear, including the Second Amendment. Carlile’s spotlight on marginalized groups conveniently ignores armed citizens who protect their own communities from real threats—think law-abiding gun owners in rural America or urban self-defense heroes who don’t wait for government saviors. By elevating identity politics over shared patriotism, she’s signaling to the 2A community that the left’s coalition of the aggrieved sees traditional defenders of liberty as oppressors, not allies. We’ve seen this playbook before: the same voices decrying systemic violence from police and guns cheer when Antifa riots go unchecked, all while disarming the very people who keep chaos at bay.
The implications for gun rights advocates are clear—stay vigilant. As the NFL chases woke dollars and alienates its heartland fanbase (viewership dipped 10% last year amid similar stunts), this dedication could accelerate the cultural divide, priming the pump for renewed assaults on our rights. 2A supporters should counter by amplifying stories of armed heroes from flyover communities, reminding America that true marginalization comes from helplessness, not pronouns. Boycott the spectacle if it sours your stomach, but never let these divas redefine what makes this country beautiful: unapologetic freedom for all.
