The Philadelphia 76ers apparently didn’t want any national anthem controversy on their opening night, but in the process, they might have started an even bigger controversy.
Singer Sevyn Streeter was supposed to sing the national anthem Wednesday night before the Sixers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but she claims the organization stopped her from doing so because she was wearing a shirt reading “We Matter” on the front.
Was suppose to sing the anthem at @sixers & @okcthunder game but mins b4 @sixers said I couldn't because I was wearing a "We Matter" jersey pic.twitter.com/wjoJN3rq0r
— Sevyn (@sevyn) October 27, 2016
Streeter’s makeup artist posted this video to Instagram, blasting the 76ers for the decision.
The Sixers later issued this statement:
“The Philadelphia 76ers organization encourages meaningful actions to drive social change. We use our games to bring people together, to build trust and to strengthen our communities. As we move from symbolic gestures to action, we will continue to leverage our platform to positively impact our community.”
Anthem-related protests are becoming more common in professional sports after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose not to stand during the anthem as a form of protest against social injustices, especially issues between the black community and police. In the preseason, an anthem singer went down on one knee toward the end of the song while also revealing a “Black Lives Matter” shirt.
“I also felt it was important to express the ongoing challenges and ongoing injustice we face as a black community within the United States of America — that’s very important to me,” Streeter told ESPN. “Yes, we live in the greatest country in the world, but there are issues that we cannot ignore. This can’t be ignored.”
The 76ers pulled Streeter’s performance minutes before she was set to sing, replacing her with a Sixers cheerleader.
