Opinion: America's Athletes Again Prepare to Split the Country

I think athletes are getting the wrong message. Mainstream media and Twitter may show strong support for taking a knee during the national anthem. Which means we may again see the country divided when teams begin play. Of course, begin play is the key. Some of the leagues are still negotiating changes with union members concerned about coronavirus.

I believe players may be of the impression a growing number of Americans support taking a knee. Some members of the US Women’s National Soccer Team favor dropping the anthem, altogether. This was briefly floated by some writers three years ago. One national writer argued the French didn’t play their anthem at sporting events but a French immigrant in Blaine County said otherwise.

On a positive, hockey players don’t appear nearly as disrespectful of the Star Spangled Banner and most are foreign born.

If this starts when baseball and football resume, expect President Trump’s flagging poll numbers to improve. He’s already capitalizing on the idiotic efforts to disband police forces.

Toss in another round of Anti-American sentiment from wealthy and celebrity athletes and Trump has another wedge issue before Election Day. The celebrities and media can wail all they want, it doesn’t win them converts among their countrymen still stirred by images of the flag.

Driving home two weeks ago I was listening to Rush Limbaugh. He explained too many people now wrongly think Twitter is the conscience of the nation. I’ve got a Twitter account and I post things there related to my program. Social media was considered a necessity at my last radio station. On the other hand, I rarely look at Twitter. It’s like watching the fruit roll by on a slot machine. As for Facebook and LinkedIn, with thousands of connections I’m rarely reading the pages posted by other people.

While Facebook may have tens of millions of domestic users, I just don’t find it very interesting beyond the feed its algorithm provides me for news. Also, I can’t recall when anything I’ve seen on social media changed my opinion or core beliefs.

On a positive, hockey players don’t appear nearly as disrespectful of the Star Spangled Banner and most are foreign born. Maybe they see something we don’t.