Photo goes viral of Kari Lake refusing to stand during Black national anthem before Super Bowl

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A photo of former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake attending Super Bowl LVII has gone viral, but for reasons you might not expect.

The former news anchor turned GOP firebrand was seen sitting during the controversial playing of the Black national anthem ahead of the game, which took place Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

A photo of her refusing to stand for the anthem was posted on social media and quickly sparked a frenzy of people praising her decision.

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"Never been easier to be a hero these days," wrote one user responding to the photo of Lake seated during the song.

Another Twitter user stated: "Good for her. No one should support this. It was created to divide the country."

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"I’m just here for THE National Anthem," Lake responded to one Twitter post about the photo.

The Black national anthem, called "Lift Every Voice and Sing," was played prior to the National Anthem ahead of the game, and sparked heated debate across social media.

According to the NAACP website, the song was written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900 as a poem that turned into a hymn.

Former GOP Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake sits during the playing of the Black national anthem ahead of Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023. (Benny Johnson)

It was played during the 2020 Super Bowl, and the league's 2020 season included the song during its Week 1 games. It was also reported prior to the league's 2021 season that the song would be played before all games.

Critics have protested its inclusion, pushing back on its elevation to the level of the National Anthem and ripping it as "segregation" and "racist."

The controversy surrounding the song has also expanded beyond the NFL. Earlier this year, one Florida elementary school upset parents by sending permission slips to parents for students to learn the song.

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"I'm against a 'black National Anthem' for the same reason I am against a 'white National Anthem,' a 'gay National Anthem,' a 'straight National Anthem,' a 'Jewish National Anthem,' a 'Christian National Anthem,' and so on," Lake told Fox News Digital in a statement Monday. 

"We are ONE NATION, under God. Francis Scott Key's words ring true for every single American Citizen regardless of their skin color. James Weldon Johnson's 'Lift Your Voice' is a beautiful song, but it is not our National Anthem," she continued.

Chris Stapleton performed the national anthem during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

Fox News' Greg Wehner contributed to this report.