I find it ironic that John Donegan complains about identity politics in his recent opinion column (“A Bad Hare Day,” March 12). His review of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show veritably screams “I am an old white male.” Does he really have “to wonder about [Bad Bunny] giving the performance in Spanish”? Even the most cursory research should have alerted him that Mr. Bunny, who performs almost exclusively in Spanish, was the Top Male Artist on Spotify in 2025. Did he expect Mr. Bunny to peform in English just for him? (I have to mention here how much fun it is to write, “Mr. Bunny.”)
Mr. Donegan goes on to write that “[a] nation composed of distinct … cultural identities … will be easily exploited by opportunistic politicians.” Hmm, is he talking about any politician in particular? Because one orange-hued demagogue perfectly fits that description, in my opinion. Not so long ago (certainly in both our lifetimes), the “traditional ‘melting pot’ model” that Mr. Donegan celebrates was enforced in part by laws and codes that helped preserve the putative “culture and identity of the majority.” Jim Crow, redlining, racially based immigration quotas, and coverture are just a few examples.
It’s not “woke” to believe that our society is better off without these. To suggest otherwise smacks of cultural revanchism, and I’m putting that politely.
Kurt Kramer
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Spring Arts Annual 2026.
Not a single word about economics, so tired of identity politics papering over all American’s declining living standards.
I was at Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl. I am not fluent in Spanish. That did not matter. The entire show was a huge dance party in the stands, and not just a celebration of Puerto Rico, but all of America. Bringing out all of the American flags at the end was a nice touch as was the big screen displaying “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.” If you can’t enjoy that you are a monster.
Greg:
Bread and circuses, you are in the circuses phase. Our economy is collapsing, the dollar is being debased, our supply chains are breaking, gas is $8.00 a gallon. The fact that you could afford tickets to that game and didn’t have to work a second job, tells me, you have managed to insulate yourself from the issues I just pointed out. How much did this tickets cost? Americans don’t want “love,” they want gainful, well paid employment.
Ah, the legendary self-absorbed tunnel vision of youth! Validation from Spotify? Really? Mr Kramer may want to consider that the Superbowl is a national SPORTING event, not a concert venue. I realize that the distinction may have become fuzzier with the recent fixation on the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelsey romance, and the excruciating media attention focus devoted to it, but most of us still think of it as a football game first, and much more remotely as a spectacle celebrating mass culture.
My vantage as an “old white male” seems pretty widely shared, as Wikipedia reports that only 14% to 18% of the country speaks Spanish. But I am sure that all those Spotify fans are saying “I haven’t a clue what he is singing about but it must be pretty cool….”.
All of those rageaholic, far-right red conservatives turning the Super Bowl halftime show into a culture war because the performer speaks and performs in Spanish instead of English should do a close listen to their own “alternative Super Bowl halftime show” featuring Kid Rock performing his song, Bawitdaba, which was supposedly performed in English. His lyrics are:
Bawitdaba, da-bang, da-bang, diggy-diggy-diggy
Said the boogie, said up jump the boogie
Bawitdaba, da-bang, da-bang, diggy-diggy-diggy
Said the boogie, said up drop the boogie
Bawitdaba, da-bang, da-bang, diggy-diggy-diggy
Said the boogie, said up jump the boogie
Bawitdaba, da-bang, da-bang, diggy-diggy-diggy
If that’s English, I’ll stick to the beautiful Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian, and leave the ever-offended right to get jiggy with their “bawitdaba-diggy-diggy.”