The New York Times is reporting that twenty-six children from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., will join Jennifer Hudson to sing at the Super Bowl to honor the 26 children and school staffers killed in a shooting massacre last month.
The children will be shown live singing “America the Beautiful” with Hudson before Alicia Keys performs the national anthem. USA Today reported that the N.F.L. confirmed the performance.
The Super Bowl is more than a game; it’s a national event. But is there a touch of exploitation in the move? Maybe even a hint of political commentary? Some readers at ProFootballTalk.com seemed to think so, although they may change their minds if they watch the children sing.
In the YouTube video below, Ingrid Michaelson led a children’s choir from Newtown in a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”