Tomorrow, Turning Point USA will air “The All American Halftime Show”, a retaliative performance against Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show. 

The unofficial performance headlines country artists Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett. And according to TPUSA, these are what “all American” people are supposed to look like.

Ironically, Turning Point USA, a non-profit organization that describes itself as restoring “American values like patriotism,” dismissed Bad Bunny and millions of Puerto Ricans as American citizens. To conservatives alike, it appears that Puerto Ricans are less American because of cultural differences.

The alternative halftime show’s name alone displayed how unpatriotic the organization is. And presenting the performance as “all American” suggested that the Puerto Rican rapper is not “all” or full American, despite rights guaranteed by birth and law.

This rhetoric is problematic because it creates second-class citizenship. By framing Bad Bunny as not ‘full American’, these conservative groups are minimizing U.S. citizens from various cultural backgrounds since they do not fit a preferred demographic — effectively segregating Americans.

Considering the exclusionary intentions of Turning Point USA, this has to be one of the most unpatriotic things you could do on national television.

What exactly does it mean to create an “All American” halftime show when the official Super Bowl headliner is already a born‑and‑raised American?

If the problem is culture or citizenship, conservatives and TPUSA followers can drop that, Bad Bunny really can’t get more American than he is. Obviously, something else about the Puerto Rican rapper disturbs them. It seems though if you’re not white and don’t speak enough English, then you don’t qualify as a true American.

Adding to the problem, some conservatives are unfamiliar with the fact that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. As embarrassing as it is, there are public figures who have gone online to talk about Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance while making uneducated remarks.

Even if Bad Bunny weren’t an American, it would never be a problem for an NFL halftime show. The live event is meant to entertain millions and Bad Bunny is an international star, he has more fans than the unofficial headliners combined. TPUSA is so focused on an exclusionary rhetoric that it overlooks broader support for Bad Bunny headlining at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Regardless, it’s alarming to see a national organization building a culture obsessed with policing who is — or isn’t — a ‘real American.’ TPUSA is clearly not supporting the American people they claim to support. And if this keeps up, minimizing U.S. citizens from different cultures on a national level will be normalized, further segregating the American people.