Music

The Tenors member changes 'O Canada' lyrics to include 'all lives matter'

by Jesse Locke

Remigio Pereira, a member of Victoria-based vocal quartet The Tenors, struck out at the MLB all-star game while changing the lyrics of the Canadian national anthem to include “all lives matter.” This reductive phrase is commonly viewed as a rejection of the Black Lives Matter movement, and has been used to trivialize issues of racism following the police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

A wave of anger could be heard throughout the crowd, seen on the faces of players and his fellow bandmates as Pereira used his solo portion of the anthem to sing the following lyrics: “We’re all brothers and sisters. All lives matter to the great.” To drive his point home, Pereira also held up a sign with the same three words on the front and “United We Stand” written on the back.

The group’s other members responded swiftly, stating that the “extremely selfish” actions of “lone wolf” Pereira left them “shocked and embarrassed” and that he “will not be performing with The Tenors until further notice.”

Reactions also spread throughout social media, ranging from righteous anger to disbelief and a rant from Don Cherry, who noted “Oh well, all the left wing weirdo’s in this country are happy.”

Pereira has since defended himself, stating that he was motivated by “love, peace, and harmony” and “the tragic loss of life” and had hoped to spread “a positive statement that would bring us ALL together.”

Sadly, it seems he may not have understood the implications of his actions at all. One look at Pereira’s Facebook page will reveal that he is a B.o.B. style flat-earth truther and conspiracy theorist who believes that NASA only exists to spread chemtrails. Click through the gallery above and wake up, sheeple…

[h/t CBC]