Former NFL player and Republican Utah congressional candidate Burgess Owens tweeted Friday that “there is no ‘black national anthem'” and the idea reminds him of segregation.
Former NFL player Burgess Owens testifies during a hearing on slavery reparations held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties on June 19, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
“There is no ‘black national anthem’. Why does it feel like the country is trying to segregate again sometimes?” Burgess asked his Twitter followers.
There is no “black national anthem”. Why does it feel like the country is trying to segregate again sometimes?
— Burgess Owens (@BurgessOwens) July 3, 2020
The NFL is reportedly planning to present the song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” at every league stadium before the national anthem is played or performed. The piece has been called the “black national anthem.” (RELATED: Former NFL Star Burgess Owens Wins Utah Congressional Primary)
Owens has been critical of other political displays before NFL games.
The Super Bowl XV champion told the Daily Caller last March that he has refused to watch an NFL game since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee during the playing of the “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Colin Kaepernick #7 and Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel in protest during the national anthem prior to playing the Los Angeles Rams in their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on September 12, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Owens also came to the defense of NFL quarterback Drew Brees after Brees originally said it was wrong to disrespect the American flag by kneeling. Owens called those critics “bullies and cowards and Marxists” while he was a guest on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” (RELATED: Burgess Owens Lays Out The Lesson America Should Have Learned From Trump’s Impeachment)
Brees quickly recanted his criticism and apologized for his comments. Owens was adamant that the star quarterback had a right to speak his mind about his patriotism, citing Brees as a “good man” who “gives back to his community.”
“What you’re seeing here is exactly why President [Donald] Trump will be reelected once again,” Owens told Carlson. “Americans don’t like bullies. They don’t like people who demand that we disrespect our flag, our country.”
Although he said he was “disappointed of course” that Brees backed down from his statement, Owens insisted that “Drew’s part right now is to make sure he does what he can to unify that part of the country.”