I’m noticing a rather disturbing phenomenon of more conservative members of my circle of acquaintance. Now one is saying track athlete Gwen Barry’s not rising for the Bellamy Pledge and taking a knee caused her to lose.
Per another, “this family raised their daughter right, she’s standing up for her principles.” (loan teen athlete standing for the pledge among those taking a knee). This guy is musical director at a church, which makes this a little disturbing.
Is national patriotism a new religion? Aren’t we all from the same creator no matter how we think?
Has the American flag gone from a symbol of freedom to a deity who affects wins and losses? That is a disturbing thought.
How do those who see American athletes not respecting it as causing their losses explain the fact that many winners of the Boston Marathon are from African nations?
IMO It’s our Creator who endows or doesn’t endow from birth the natural talent to reach elite standing in sports as well as the opportunities to develop that talent. Many world class athletes have fled their nations of origin. Patriotism or lack thereof has nothing to do with it.
I think so as well you have people calling the flag racist others burning it your going to bring out those that cling to it according to Newton’s third law.
You don’t know what “woke” is? Take the left-wing’s wokeism, but apply it to the right-wing. If you aren’t in lock step with worshipping and hugging and kissing and loving the flag in the patriotic manner they choose, the right-wing’s Patriotic Woke Patrol tries to cancel you.
Oh there’s definitely nuttiness on both end of the spectrum. I truly believe either too far to the left or right is not good.
The right has definitely come out in this Olympic Games, though, even characterizing a “4’8’ 24 year old athlete whom it turns out withdrew citing a sad event in her family as “an embarrassment to the American people”.
Huh?!
She quietly withdrew, did not make a scene or violate any rules of the sport.
In this patriotic religion, is it written you compete until you crash? Is it a part of this religion to snidely put down the rest of the team by implying they can’t make it without one competitor, never mind there are four alternates?
Were these patriots previously interested in women’s gymnastics, and if so, when? They were pretty quiet about it until now.
This philosophy of wrap yourself in Old Glory, hug it, salute it, compete in it until you crash mentally & physically or you’re a disgrace to the American people and maybe should leave is rather disturbing.
Just because we salute our flag religiously, does not mean it’s our religion. I brush my teeth religiously. The American flag represents America’s citizens. Every one of us - as “diverse” as we are.
Our Olympic participants represents every one of us, not just their particular sport. They are America’s best. They represent Americas who also dream of winning the gold. To require that they show respect for our flag is only reasonable. They can’t harm what our flag stands for, they can only harm themselves.
If we are not grounded somewhere, we are like shifting sand.
