Maggie Alphonsi has became the latest star to receive vile abuse on social media today after she openly shared her views on whether England’s anthem ‘Swing Low’ should be banned.
The RFU have launched a review into the ‘historical context’ of the song – which is regularly belted out by England supporters and has its lyrics written on the walls at Twickenham.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Alphonsi admitted that fans singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot does not ‘sit easy’ with her – but will not call for it to be banned.
However, she then. received some disgusting replies on Twitter. One user, who had no picture, tweeted: “Please remember that blacks represent 3% of the population
“No one dragged you here in chains So if you don’t like the way we are pack your bags and go Back to Africa preferably I suspect that it won’t be so lucrative for you all there ?”
This is disgusting and cannot be tolerated, especially when you look at how dignified her thoughts on the issue were.
“I remember singing it a lot when I was young, throughout my England career,” she told Sky Sports. ‘It wasn’t until someone told me about the song and its connections that I stopped singing it.
“It’s not my place to tell people to stop singing it, because you have to educate people and let them make that decision.
“The song does not sit easy with me when I hear it, because I now know the connections with it. But I also know that people singing it today are not singing it to offend.”
SWING LOW FACTS
1. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” was written by Wallace Willis after his emancipation. About the railroad which helped slaves escape to freedom.
2. Oklahoma State Senator Judy Eason McIntyre from Tulsa proposed a bill nominating “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” as the Oklahoma State official gospel song in 2011. The bill into law on May 5, 2011, at a ceremony at the Oklahoma Cowboy Hall of Fame; making the song the official Oklahoma State Gospel Song.
3. It was performed at Woodstock in 1969