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Having a “magnet” to direct one’s life to a desired direction is a concept that exists regardless of the goal. A person that values family will succeed as much as someone that values money. Setting up goals and ideals in a lifestyle, therefore is the only way to get the desired outcome.
“Country, God, and Family” used to be a lifestyle celebrated by all. The focus on life’s more objectively important people and things was a cultural center for society. People’s general desire to go to work or school or anywhere was for the sake of bettering the above goals. Regardless of one’s politics or beliefs about the world, the important belief in patriotism to one’s country was an important magnet to a country. As a cultural shift has taken effect in the United States, the shift away from “Country, G-d, and Family” to “self-centerism” has taken the country down a dangerous path.
Since 2016, sports players have used the national anthem to protest the United States. Colin Kaepernick, a former football player started the practice to protest the “racism” in America. A mediocre black player that throughout his NFL career made over 43 million dollars, used his privileged position to promote anti-American sentiments. Since then, many players throughout the sporting world have similarly used their privileged spotlight to protest America. The politicization of having pride in one’s country, despite one’s politics, has redefined the cultural magnet of society. Standing up, and holding one’s hand on their heart, while mouthing the words of the national anthem was once a moment to promote unity, despite the normal division of the day. Privileged sports stars have now taken one of the last unifying moments for the United States and have selfishly redefined it to self-promote their interests.
Recently, the American Women’s Soccer team in a match against the Vietnam team refused to show the conventional respect and pride during the American national anthem. Following their pattern with their pasts protests where in 2021 they all kneel disrespectfully during the anthem, this year they similarly refused to show proper respect during the national anthem. Their protests against what they called “gender inequality” or against the “Trump administration” led them to relabel a unifying moment for a selfish moment in the spotlight. Privileged brats making millions of dollars at the expense of taking away the nation’s moment of unity is truly an astonishing take. It is also astonishing to hear that the Women’s Soccer Team organization is exempted from paying federal income taxes as it is a national team representing America in the sporting world.
Why, however, should politicians continue to reward anti-American privilege garbage, when the team can’t seriously be considered to have represented America when it protests the ideas of America itself? Furthermore, all non-profit, tax-exempted organizations are subjected to what is called the Johnson Amendment which bars such organizations from political activity. If such activity is acted on nevertheless, the organization’s tax-exempted status could be revoked. The Women’s Soccer Team would for sure agree that their activities are political in nature, why then should they not pay federal taxes like anyone else?
Supporting a nation, especially on the world stage irrespective of the setting is vital to disseminate what a country stands for and represents. While it may be true that sports players have the right to protest the country they represent, that does not mean therefore that the country has to support them back. Supporting privileged players like Colin Kaepernick or the Women’s Soccer Team should demand a certain degree of respect for the nation they represent, despite their grievances with the political situation. The national country’s patriotic duties need to remain strong, despite people’s politics. The nation, especially in these divisive times, needs to mend the moments of unity to promote a sense of respect for our fellow countrymen.
