Carrie Underwood has quickly become a lightning rod on the Internet after "liking" an anti-masking video.
The video prompting the outrage is of conservative podcaster Matt Walsh at a recent Nashville School Board meeting. In his speech, Matt argued against children wearing face masks in school, calling it "child abuse."
After the Twitter-verse noticed that the country singer "liked" the tweet, social media lit up from both ends of the spectrum. Fellow country singer and unapologetic conservative John Rich tweeted, "I say @carrieunderwood can like whatever tweet she wants to like. Who are 'they' to shout her down? Watch out, she's a tough Okie gal:) You see what's going on here? It's 'freedom of speech unless you disagree with the mob.'"
A slew of people with similar mindsets applauded Carrie and implored her not to apologize, with many urging her to double down on her thoughts.
On the other side of the aisle, just as many social media users claimed they would now boycott her music for her apparently anti-mask belief, which comes as the Delta variant is raging in the United States.
GLAAD political consultant Jeremy Hooper tweeted, "It's not just that Carrie Underwood liked an anti-mask tweet. It's that Carrie Underwood liked an anti-mask tweet from Matt Walsh, one of those most negligently histrionic voices on the topic of protecting kids from COVID."
Interestingly, there were many fans in the middle who wondered if Carrie (or someone with access to her Twitter) liked the video on accident.
While the former "American Idol" winner apparently has thoughts on children masking up, she seems to personally adhere to masking recommendations from the Center for Disease Control. Throughout the pandemic, the "Jesus Take The Wheel" singer has shared several images in a face mask, including one from December.
She also donned a mask while buying her new album last fall.
In April 2020, in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, she took part in a social media challenge encouraging people to stay home.
Carrie has yet to respond to the praise or criticism.