The early exit of the U.S. Women’s National Team from the 2023 World Cup led to some predictable taunts from conservative critics who’ve long clashed with the outspoken athletes. Even former president Donald Trump interrupted his taunting of the judge, jury and prosecutor in his latest indictment to assert that the team had lost because they failed to sing along to the National Anthem.
Wonder if Kenny Smith knew that Lord and Taylor's did open their doors every day with a recording of the Star Spangled Banner?
What I really wanted to share is this fascinating 2015 joint oversight report by Senators Jeff Flake and John McCain on "Paid Patriotism" (with a great cover) -- highlighting the $6.8 million in taxpayers' money that the Department of Defense has spent on sports marketing contracts since fiscal year 2012. - as usual, follow the money!!https://static.politico.com/98/a4/d61b3cae45f0a7b79256cf1da1e0/flake-report.45am.pdf
Oh, I have to add -- singing the Star-Spangled Banner at a Mets-Orioles game in Camden Yards was actually the only time the song was meaningful at game - because the events it summarizes happened just about 2 miles or so from where I was standing!
I was a semi-wee lad during WW II and as I remember the theaters began their showings during that time with the anthem. People stood and sang. Popcorn was spilled. My "rememberer" isn't that great today, however.
I remember a time when concessions workers would not stop what they were doing during the anthem. And that time wasn't pre-9/11. But I moved to Houston last year to find that everything stops during the anthem. Maybe it's the performative patriotism in TX, but it's creepy. I keep eating.
Wonder if Kenny Smith knew that Lord and Taylor's did open their doors every day with a recording of the Star Spangled Banner?
What I really wanted to share is this fascinating 2015 joint oversight report by Senators Jeff Flake and John McCain on "Paid Patriotism" (with a great cover) -- highlighting the $6.8 million in taxpayers' money that the Department of Defense has spent on sports marketing contracts since fiscal year 2012. - as usual, follow the money!!https://static.politico.com/98/a4/d61b3cae45f0a7b79256cf1da1e0/flake-report.45am.pdf
Excellent addition, thanks!
Like The Simpsons decades later, Catch-22 did everything first. It's the Great Loyalty Oath Crusade.
Oh, I have to add -- singing the Star-Spangled Banner at a Mets-Orioles game in Camden Yards was actually the only time the song was meaningful at game - because the events it summarizes happened just about 2 miles or so from where I was standing!
Maybe right wingers wouldn't hate Hollywood so much if they played the Star-Spangled banner before movies
I was a semi-wee lad during WW II and as I remember the theaters began their showings during that time with the anthem. People stood and sang. Popcorn was spilled. My "rememberer" isn't that great today, however.
I remember a time when concessions workers would not stop what they were doing during the anthem. And that time wasn't pre-9/11. But I moved to Houston last year to find that everything stops during the anthem. Maybe it's the performative patriotism in TX, but it's creepy. I keep eating.
Another important "Up and anthem" story was Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf being suspended by the NBA in 1996 for refusing to stand for the national anthem https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/03/25/patriot-games-mahmoud-abdul-rauf-caused-an-uproar-when-he-sat-out-the-national-anthem
Also, a very interesting set of interviews of random people giving their reactions. The arguments ain't changed much: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew9G-qYP8Uo