So Now, the NFL's a Distraction?

Published on 24-Sep-2017 by J Square Humboldt

Football - NFL    NFL Daily Opinion

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So Now, the NFL's a Distraction?

By definition, a leader's role is to bring others together.

By fact, that really isn't happening in the USA these days.

Some are fine with this. Some aren't. We're seeing that every damn day, too.

The issue du jour is patriotism, whether different perspectives of it can be socially acceptable, or whether it's just become a series of rigid rituals, kinda like the opening moments of a TV series.

The problem with rituals is their origins are usually obscured over time, and they run the risk of becoming shallow vessels.

That's unfortunate, because those beginnings weave complex webs.

In 1892, a socialist magazine writer wrote the Pledge of Allegiance and suggested this salute to go along with it:

bellamy salute

When the American Congress noticed it was becoming popular for a radical new government in Germany, it changed the salute to hand-over-heart.

The Star Spangled Banner's third verse made clear that Francis Scott Key -- a slave holder -- resented the British drive to end slavery in the USA.

It's no surprise that when African-Americans read or hear it, one might understand why they may harbor resentments of their own that such lyrics could become part of the national anthem.

And yet, even they should explore the historical context. Black freemen were American defenders at Ft McHenry, too. During World War I -- before it was selected as the national anthem -- the song's third verse was eliminated from its sheet music.

Thus, in both cases, America's leaders took positive action to remove a distraction from national discourse.

Now, here we are again. This time, it's an entire sports league being moved from divertissement to the center of a totally needless controversy.

This is all crazy.

None of the athletes who are protesting advocate violence. However, they're serving a purpose.

It could be argued that the President wouldn't mind a distraction or two occupying the headlines over other issues.

 

As virtually any sports fan knows, the NFL has issues of its own much more serious than who stands and who kneels:

 

It's a tough situation to watch and not be torn.

With everything for which the NFL richly deserves criticism, it winds up getting the boot stuck in over something that it rightly has been allowing as a matter of personal choice. On both sides.

The sleight of hand that is presidential distraction just drips with irony.

 

And frankly, in the end, it'll probably pack even less of a punch than that.

That day can't come soon enough.