Sunday, September 24, 2017

Political Football

                “Trump goes to war with NFL, NBA” read the headline on the front page of the Minneapolis StarTribune. There you have it, precisely worded and completely free of bias.
                I don’t believe the president has flown B1 bombers over the league’s offices yet, or even opened up with small arms fire, but, hey, the mainstream media simply reports the truth, fair and balanced, right?
                So, who fired the first shot? Well, the banner headline was above an article written by Adam Kilgore and Abby Phillip of the Washington Post. The first sentence of that article states: “President Donald Trump has turned professional sports into a political battleground, directing full-throated ire toward black athletes who have spoken out against him and prompting a sharp rebuttal from the NFL and prominent sports figures.” This statement is simply false, wrong on two levels. Fake news.
                First, President Trump did not turn professional sports into a political battleground, a relative few professional athletes did, by refusing to stand for the national anthem. Period. Irrefutable. This has been occurring for going on two years now. Trump was just responding to their actions. Secondly, he did not direct his ire specifically at “black athletes.” Period. Irrefutable. He directed his ire at those athletes refusing to stand for the anthem, whether they be black, white, yellow, red, brown…or fuchsia with green hair and a rod sticking out of their ass.
                Let me be clear: this may have been a dumb (although minor) mistake on the part of the president, an “unforced error” as it were. I don’t know that he should have weighed in on the matter, and have never been a big fan of some of his tweets.
                However, listen to Roger Goodell’s response to the president’s remarks: “Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities.”  Yes, especially when they aren’t incarcerated. How incredibly arrogant on the part of the NFL commissioner. To paraphrase Winston Churchill: there, but for the grace of God…goes God. This pompous ass thinks his league is “pulling the country together.” In reality, he- and the league- need to pull their act together.
                Let’s completely reverse Goodell’s sentiments, and craft a logical, well-prioritized statement addressing the issue:
                “Divisive actions like that of these players refusing to stand for our national anthem demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the flag, our great nation and all of those who have served her, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good they represent in our country and around the world, as evidenced by American military cemeteries in France, England, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Tunisia, to name a few.”
                Memo to Goodell: the average NFL fan makes 40, 50, 60 grand a year. Do you really think he or she wants to watch players with 40, 50, 60 million dollar contracts whine and protest about the injustice in this land? Does this make sense to you, pinhead? 
                Do the players have a right to protest? Maybe so, but then, obviously, others have the right to counter-protest without being labeled “divisive.” Trump himself never said they “didn’t have the right” to protest. In fact, no one’s contesting that, which is one reason why it’s so pointless and destructive. He simply said that he wishes some owner would fire one or more of those protesting. Yet, I’ve heard some ask, “What other workers in what other jobs can have their rights taken away?” Well, let’s see. Can you drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes on the job in your workplace? No? Why not, they are both legal products? Can you show up whenever you want to? The left has an endless supply of infantile “arguments.”
                And what of the reason for these protests? In point of fact, almost all blacks murdered are killed by other blacks. But no one seems to care about this truism, least of all other blacks. Yet, the infinitesimally small percentage of blacks shot by police officers- in the line of duty- is cause for protests, righteous outrage, and violence.
                Colin Kaepernick wore socks with policemen depicted as pigs, during an NFL game last year. Leftists can wear apparel with appeals for violence, can openly sell shirts stating: “All White People Are Racist,” but kids are expelled from school for sporting a “Make America Great Again Hat,” and adults are assaulted for the same “offense.” (Thus proving their point).
                So, we’ve come to this: wealthy, pampered, spoiled brats “virtue emoting,” thereby putting tremendous pressure on their teammates, who may love and/or respect their country, but also want to stand with their teammates…all of their teammates. You know, like all-for-one and one-for-all. The military creed. Leave no one behind. But, no, these misguided morons have to foster division, tension, chaos. The American motto of E Plurubus Unum…out of many, one…is being reversed…E Unum Plurubus…out of one, many. Everything is now viewed through a prism of identity politics. It is the ruination of the American Dream.
                Coincidentally, I just saw a new study showing that bi-sexual Polish-Americans born on a Thursday in October (The BPABTO community) don’t do as well economically as other groups. This can only be attributed to bias and bigotry. The deck is stacked against them in this society. They have no chance. I hope and trust they will protest this clear abuse long and hard.
                We are witnessing the unravelling of the very fabric of the United States. The country is about to come apart at the seams. There are far too many seams. All of her principles, all of her tenets, are under attack. Disunion and divisiveness rule the day.  This is all part of the left’s plan. It is their wet dream. Screw tradition. Eff the traditional family, traditional marriage, religion, even gender and the understanding of what it means to be male or female. The left insists there are more “varieties” of gender than Heinz has…of food products.
                Let’s just get rid of borders, language and culture and see what happens. This is why the left has forcibly taken over our culture, wants open borders, and lobbies against English being recognized as the sole official language of the United States.
                These trite anthem protests are spreading to baseball and other sports now, and trickling down to youth leagues, as if the kids could fully comprehend their actions.  What could be the long-term harm? So, let’s screw the anthem. Let’s pass a law forbidding the playing of the xenophobic tune at all sporting events, at all levels, spelling bees, truck rallies, and anywhere else it may be proffered. “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America,” too. God? How Gauche! Let’s ban the Pledge of Allegiance. Let’s get rid of “Old Glory” itself. Hell, let’s ban the wearing of red, white and blue apparel or accessories!
                Are you feeling it now? Let’s trash tradition in all its forms! Forget saying “hello,” “how are you?” “please,” or “goodbye.” Don’t offer to give up your seat to an elderly or handicapped person. Nor a pregnant woman. And let’s wear no damn clothes at all.
                I have long been a fan of NFL football. But, like many others, I now am considering “fundamentally changing” my opinion. The NFL’s Television ratings and attendance have sharply declined in the past year. The league- and the country- are both in need of a successful “Hail Mary.”
                Roger… Roger?

                Over and out.
               
               



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