With everybody talking about Bad Bunny’s halftime show and all the controversy and drama surrounding it, his message is being undermined and ignored. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl wasn’t just performance; it was a vision of what America could become. A celebration of culture, identity and unity that America should be working towards.
It was rooted in believe that “love is more powerful than hate,” that love and connection brings people together despite their differences. In contrast to this thematic show, Turning Point USA wants to say something entirely different. Their show was fear of change, and discomfort with diversity. The difference between these two shows us exactly what state America is in right now.
Bad Bunny used one of the largest stages in the world to redefine what it means to be American. Throughout the entire performance he focused on togetherness and shared humanity. He held a football reading “Together, we are America,” while recognizing countries across North, Central and South America. His message challenged the idea that America only belongs to one culture, identity, or language. He represents that America is a collective space shaped by the history, tradition, and people residing in it.
The performance celebrated Puerto Rican culture, with the stage reflecting everyday life and highlighting heritage, pride, and resilience. Through music, dance and symbolism, Bad Bunny showed that culture isn’t something to hide or assimilate, but to share and be proud of. His performance centered identity as a source of strength and power rather than something to divide over. To express love over hate, rather than conflicting with anger. It expresses joy, celebration, and connection. Unity is an active choice and making the decision to embrace one another is what should be done instead of fearing our differences.
The most meaningful aspect of the show, and the center of conversation was the use of Spanish. Most, if not all of the show was sung in Spanish. Many viewers did not understand the language, but the emotional power of the music is clear. Music doesn’t have to be something you understand, it communicates through rhythm, movement, and feeling. To not understand the message of unity, pride, and belonging in the song is just being ignorant. The performance demonstrated that connection does not depend on language barriers, but on the shared human experience.
His show also featured one of the most influential American artists, Lady Gaga. Her collaboration with Bad Bunny symbolized cultural unity, representing different backgrounds coming together through art. It showed that American identity grows stronger through collaboration, not separation.
Bad Bunny’s message is seen as a continuation of the conversation started by Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show the year before Lamar exposed the tensions and injustices within America; he held the country responsible for its division. Where Lamar revealed the problem, Bad Bunny proposed the solution. Suggesting unity, empathy, and love across cultural boundaries. Together their performances reflected steps towards progress, recognizing conflict and choosing connection in response.
In contrast Turning Point USA’s alternative “All American” halftime show sends a defensive reaction to the vision of unity from Bad Bunny’s performance. By promoting this all-American show, they suggest that the American identity must be protected from cultural difference. Which raises the important question: who gets to define what counts as American?
When culture is narrowly defined it excludes the diversity that has shaped this nation since the beginning.
To preserve a singular version of the American identity reflects fear of change. It frames cultural diversity, different languages, and new expressions of identity as threats rather than contributions are reinforcing separation. It does not promote unity, but creates a space defined by one culture alone. By repeating the pattern of exclusion, it would only be repeating harmful history.
