(AP/Gregory Bull)
The Canadian classical quartet The Tenors apologized on Tuesday after a member changed the lyrics of the country's national anthem at the MLB All-Star game in San Diego while holding up a sign reading "all lives matter".In a statement posted to their Twitter account, The Tenors blamed the change on one singer, who during a solo portion of their rendition of O Canada swapped the lyrics "With glowing hearts we see thee rise," with "We're all brothers and sisters, all lives matter"."The other members of the group are shocked and embarrassed by the actions of Remigio Pereira, who changed the lyrics of our treasured anthem and used this coveted platform to serve his own political views," the group stated. "The Tenors are deeply sorry for the disrespectful and misguided lack of judgment by one member of the group, acting as a 'lone wolf' today."
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The new lyrics immediately elicited wide-spread outrage on Twitter, with some offended that they altered the lyrics, and others angry that they had decided to give voice to the oft-chanted counter-call to "Black lives matter."Video: Canadian quartet — Bill Cooney (@BillCooney)July 13, 2016
The Tenors said Pereira would not be performing with the group until further notice.
Canada, incidentally, is already in the midst of a debate about changing its national anthem. Member of Parliament Mauril Belanger, a long-time politician who is virtually universally acclaimed by his peers, has tried for years to remove gendered language in the anthem — namely, to remove the reference to "sons."Belanger was diagnosed with ALS this year, and his effort to reform the anthem has been fast-tracked.So, the Tenors. Yeeeeah. To quote Grover Monster, 'Oh, I am so embarrassed.' And to quote Canadians everywhere, 'I'm sorry.'
— Maya H. (@mambolica)July 13, 2016
MLB just changed the words of O Canada. Not Mauril Belanger's version… — Adam Dodek (@ADodek)July 13, 2016