The NFL’s Hypocrisy
One thing getting lost in much of the coverage is the NFL’s history of hypocrisy. The National Football League has rules. A lot of rules, many specifically governing player conduct.
It was announced yesterday that the NFL won’t fine players or teams who skipped the national anthem during the weekend’s growing protests.
Why was it necessary to make that announcement? Because one of the NFL’s rules clearly states that during the anthem players are to be on the sidelines and “should stand at attention.”
The NFL has also not hesitated to shut down speech it opposes. For example, when Jake Plummer wanted to honor his friend American hero Pat Tillman, the NFL said, “No.”
When the Dallas Cowboys wanted to honor five slain Dallas police officers, the NFL said “No.” When Avery Williamson wanted to commemorate the 9/11 attacks, the NFL said “No.”
When Arizona and Georgia tried to defend religious liberty, the NFL said “No.” When Texas tried to keep men out of women’s bathrooms, the NFL said “No.”
Clearly, the NFL under Commissioner Goodell is an active combatant and ally of the left in the culture war against the values of millions of its most loyal fans. It has no problem bending its own rules to accommodate the left’s ideology.
Fans Respond
Social media has lit up the past few days with frustrated football fans burning NFL merchandise. One former Steelers fan posted a video in which he said, “My great uncle’s bones are lying in the bottom of Pearl Harbor.” He then burned his Steelers memorabilia.
Erich Nikischer has worked at New Era Field, home to the Buffalo Bills, for nearly 30 years. After several Bills players took a knee Sunday, Nikischer said, “I took off my shirt, threw my Bills hat on the ground, walked out.”
All of this brought back some memories. As a small boy, I stood with my father during the playing of the national anthem at a county fair. Two ingrates behind us were talking loudly during the music and my father asked them to show some respect. They ignored him.
That’s when Dad, Spike Bauer, a former Marine who fought in the Pacific during World War II, turned around and ended their conversation. In short order one of them was seeing stars, if not Stars and Stripes!
Of course, I am not advocating violence. If my father were alive today, people would say he had an “anger management issue.” But that incident happened not long after our country had lost more than 400,000 men in combat defending the world from fascism and tyranny.
My point is simply that patriotism, the love of one’s country, is a natural impulse. What is unnatural is our cultural elites celebrating the NFL’s disrespect for our nation.
