For decades, through economic uncertainty, foreign wars, and civil strife at home, the game of football has given Americans a break from the chaos and united us, even if temporarily. And the championship game of all games — the Super Bowl — has been the biggest unifier of them all. Now more than ever, a divided America needs a unifying spark.

On behalf of the silent majority of Americans, I’m urging Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner, and the team owners to reformat the pre-game activities for the performance of only one anthem at this year’s Super Bowl — the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and forego performing the “Black National Anthem,”  “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”