The Philadelphia 76ers opened their 2016-2017 season at home Wednesday night and caused a bit of a stir before the game even started by informing singer Sevyn Streeter she would not be performing the national anthem. Streeter was caught off guard and said she was not allowed to sing the anthem because she was wearing a shirt that read “We Matter.”
Looking to avoid a possible controversy on opening night, the Sixers still managed to generate headlines for all the wrong reasons.
On Friday, the Sixers issued a statement to address the incident, in which the team publicly apologized to Streeter and admitted they made the wrong decision.
Statement from 76ers on the Sevyn Streeter's anthem situation pic.twitter.com/7WZZAzCtG5
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) October 28, 2016
Admitting the team made the wrong decision is refreshing, but it is a shame this became more of an issue than it ever needed to be in the first place. Or, perhaps this will ultimately be good for the cause in the larger picture, as this once again brought light to an issue of social awareness in our communities and will now potentially lend more attention to Streeter’s message in the future, should she choose to accept the invitation from the Sixers.
Next time Sixers, just trust the process. We’re all adults here and can handle a national anthem singer wearing a shirt that reads “We matter.”
