Conservatives Slam Gaga’s NYC Pride Performance
Lady Gaga came out of hibernation to make a special appearance and kick off New York City's Gay Pride last weekend, singing her unique version of the National Anthem. Some conservatives and right wing publications are not pleased with the singer's LGBT-friendly take on the "Star Spangled Banner," however.
Gaga gave an energizing speech and a thrilling rendition of the National Anthem at Gay Pride Parade's Kick-Off Rally in New York City Friday night, changing the song's lyrics from "O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave" to "O say does that star-spangled flag of pride yet wave," and "home of the brave" to "home of the gay," which apparently ticked off the ultra-right.
The conservative news site Breitbart.com reported the story and wrote, "Singer Lady Gaga used this week's Supreme Court decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act as an excuse to tweak 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"
Twitchy.com, a conservative Twitter curation site founded by Michelle Malkin, a conservative blogger and pundit, aggregated a number of Twitter users who found Gaga's National Anthem interpretation "disrespectful," saying "many were outraged."
"I have lost all respect for Lady Gaga changing the National Anthem and putting, "Home of the gay." You disgust me," one user wrote.
".@ladygaga your lack of respect for our National Anthem is disgusting and disgraceful. Exactly what I expect from America hating Liberals," another said.
Former Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) also took offense and lashed out against Mother Monster on his Facebook account, demanding the singer to apologize for her rendition.
"Having served in the US Army for 22 years alongside some very brave men and women, I find Lady Gaga's defiling of our National Anthem reprehensible," West wrote. "We are the land of the free because America has always been the home of the brave from Lexington and Concord to Kandahar. This young lady should be taken to Ft. McHenry and given a history lesson as to why Francis Scott Key wrote those words incredible words.
"In this week where we remember the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and the 237th anniversary of our Independence is further evidence of the level of ignorance and disrespect some have for our national character," he continued. "She and all those who cheered her abomination should be ashamed and apologize to every serving and retired member of our Armed Services. But perhaps I ask too much..."
Despite the right's typical bashing, audience members cheered Gaga during her speech and hollered when she sang the changed lyrics.
"You saved me, my friends in the LGBT community, time and time again. And I saw God for the first real time in all of you," the singer said during her speech, according to the New York Daily News. She also lauded the Supreme Court's ruling striking down the Defense of Marriage Act and sharply criticized the anti-gay attacks that recently plagued New York City.
"The violence that has taken place towards LGBTs in the past months is unacceptable here and anywhere," she said.
Watch a clip of Lady Gaga at NYC Pride below: