Orange County PBA post about alternative ‘All-American’ halftime show draws backlash
Critics call the social media post divisive amid immigration tensions; others say it was simply promoting an alternative broadcast
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An Orange County police union is facing backlash over a social media post promoting an alternative “All-American” halftime show during the Super Bowl.
The Facebook post, shared by the Orange County Deputy Sheriffs PBA, highlighted a broadcast that aired as an alternative to the Super Bowl halftime performance by Bad Bunny.
“It is tone-deaf and truly irresponsible,” said Democratic Orange County Legislator Genesis Ramos.
Ramos said the wording of the post — specifically the use of “All-American” — carries racial and ethnic implications.
“Them pointing to this ‘All American Halftime Show’ as if to say an artist of Latino or Puerto Rican descent is any less American… Puerto Ricans are United States citizens,” Ramos said.
Ramos noted that roughly one in five Orange County residents is Latino and argued the post is divisive at a time of rising political tensions over immigration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
“There’s already a lot of distrust between police agencies and different groups of people, and this kind of post really reinforces that harm — especially since it has nothing to do with public safety and policing,” she added.
The show referenced in the post aired on the TBN network and featured branding from Turning Point USA, a national conservative nonprofit organization.
The post has generated hundreds of comments on the PBA’s Facebook page, with users weighing in on both sides of the debate.
Not everyone views the post as offensive.
“I think people are entitled to their opinion about what show they wanted to watch. I think they were just letting people know there was an alternative,” said William Rupp of Middletown.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office told News 12 that the PBA operates as a separate entity and referred questions to the union.
Ramos and other Democratic lawmakers are asking for the post to be taken down and for an apology to be issued.
News 12 has reached out to the Orange County Deputy Sheriffs PBA for comment, but has not yet received a response.
