Morgan Wallen, the acclaimed country music star, faced backlash on Twitter after he paid tribute to the late Pat Tillman, a fallen soldier, during his two successive concerts in Phoenix, Arizona, held at Chase Field on July 19th and 20th.
The report from Sportskeeda stated that Wallen chose to honor Tillman, an ex-Arizona Cardinals player who left his NFL career to serve as an Army Ranger following the 9/11 attacks.
Wallen shared a post where he was seen donning Tillman’s jersey, a gesture meant to pay respects to an American hero. However, this move was met with hostility on Twitter. Many Twitter users criticized Wallen for this act.
Much criticism ensued when a Twitter user posted multiple photos of Wallen performing in Tillman’s jersey. Comments ranged from claiming that Tillman would have disapproved of Wallen to others expressing disdain for the country singer.
Many users added to the criticism of Wallen, with comments seemingly fueled by personal insecurities and, potentially, an underlying sense of jealousy towards Wallen’s success and talent.
However, at least one user came to Wallen’s defense amidst the multitude of opposing voices. This user pointed out that Wallen wearing Tillman’s jersey would support Tillman’s family financially, besides keeping his legacy alive for the younger generations to remember and learn about.
The main point here isn’t whether Tillman would have liked Wallen, which Sportskeeda and anonymous Twitter users were debating. The crux of the matter is that Wallen took the time and effort to respect and honor Tillman’s service to his country and his enduring legacy, an act of reverence that outweighs any negativity thrown his way.
Pat Tillman, who played professional football for the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League, took the bold step of leaving his triumphant sports career to join the United States Army in May 2002 following the devastating September 11 attacks. His deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his subsequent unfortunate death by friendly fire, captured the nation’s attention and made headlines across the country.
