I heard it through the grapevine that Gladys Knight will
sing the national
anthem at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta on February 3rd. Gladys
(and her “Pips”) performed such classic songs as “What’s Going On,” “I Can’t
Help Myself,” and “That’s What Friends Are For.” Incredibly, the iconic
74-year-old African-American singer has taken some flack for agreeing to sing
the anthem.
In a statement obtained by TMZ
Sports she said that she will not stand down despite the backlash she’s
received. She noted: “I understand that [Colin] Kaepernick is protesting two
things and they are police violence and injustice. It is unfortunate that our
national anthem has been dragged into this debate when the distinctive senses
of the national anthem and fighting for justice should each stand alone. I am
here today and on Sunday, February 3rd, to give the anthem back its
voice, to stand for that historic choice of words, the way it unites us when we
hear it and to free it from the same prejudices and struggles I have fought
long and hard for all my life.” She added: “I have been in the forefront of
this battle longer than most of those voicing their opinions to win the right
to sing our country’s anthem on a stage as large as the Super Bowl LIII. No
matter who chooses to deflect with this narrative and continue to mix these two
in the same message, it is not so and cannot be made so by anyone speaking it.
I pray that this national anthem will bring us all together in a way never
before witnessed and we can move forward and untangle these truths which mean
so much to all of us.”
One truth is easy to untangle-- and
hard to ignore: Gladys Knight is one classy human being.
We should all be glad Gladys agreed
to take this Midnight Train to
Georgia.
No comments:
Post a Comment