I Pledge Allegiance to Football

Kneeling during the national anthem at a football game is unpatriotic? Disgraceful? Something to punish? Let’s keep things in perspective. This is taking place at a football game, a blood sport drenched in alcohol, rivalry and gigantic excitement over nothing. This isn’t Veteran’s Day or Arlington Cemetery.

But, sure, it’s a nice moment for us to reflect together on our national good fortune and our shared duty of good citizenship. If some people want to use those solemn couple of minutes before the fightin’ starts to show respect in a certain, customary symbolic way for a country founded on the promise of equality of all, that’s great. If others want to use those minutes to actually do something to achieve that promise, that’s great, too.

Is one more patriotic than the other? I think so. Is one more wonderful than the other?  Good lord, yes.

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