Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Think Trump Is Losing The NFL vs Flag Fight? Ask Mike Dukakis.
My social media timeline is filled with “smart” people attacking Trump over his current fight with athletes protesting the American flag and the national anthem. Much of the criticism includes eye-rolling over notion that showing disrespect to the flag is a big deal. It’s clear many people in the mainstream media think the notion that the flag should be respected is silly.
If that’s you, former Democratic nominee for president Michael Dukakis has two words for you: “Flag factory.”
In New Jersey on Tuesday, the vice-president sought to keep Old Glory at the forefront of his campaign with a tour of an American flag factory. He told employees of Aninn & Co. here: “The flags you make fly over an America that today is stronger and more prosperous than at any time in its proud history.”
While some critics disdain the pledge issue, it appears to have hurt Governor Dukakis, particularly with the kind of middle-American voters who backed Ronald Reagan in 1980 and ’84.
During his first term as governor of Massachusetts, Mr. Dukakis – after receiving an advisory opinion from the state’s highest court – vetoed a bill that would have required teachers to lead their classes in the pledge each day. The legislature overrode the veto overwhelmingly, but the state’s attorney general ruled that the law was unenforceable.
In his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, Mr. Bush seized on the issue:
“Should public school teachers be required to lead our children in the Pledge of Allegiance? My opponent says no – but I say yes.”
At one point, Dukakis led George H. W. Bush by 17 points. He lost by seven.
Fast-forward to today: According to a new survey, the #1 reason fans tuned out the NFL last year was…protests why wealthy athletes against the national anthem and American flag.
So if this is the fight the Left is going to pick against Trump: Good luck with that.
Published in Sports
My favorite Tweet about this is some leftie who suggested it would be a great thing for people to show solidarity with Colin K by taking a knee in Trump’s presence. Which would actually make the President look like royalty. Not symbolism I’d go for, but….
Didn’t this whole thing show signs of going away? Why is it back? Apologies if my lack of attention caused me to get sentence 1 wrong.
The entire Steelers team stayed in locker room. I told my kids the NFL will not be watched in our house and we will not buy our children NFL paraphernalia. Good thing I am a college football fan! In all seriousness I think this is going to backfire on the NFL.
I know Steeler fans are super involved with their team, but I’m not sure how involved I’d be in the game if my team didn’t show for the anthem.
It is back because Trump stirred the pot. Which was a great move on his part. His opponents could not resist the impulse to beclown themselves by opposing Trump by supporting flag protests. And protesting the flag upsets normal Americans a great deal more than Trump’s tweeting bothers them.
My brother, who is a die-hard football fan, has decided to stop watching NFL games so long as teams are showing disrespect to the flag. He is not alone.
You want more Trump? Disrepect the flag to show your opposition to Trump.
Seawriter
Best I can tell, overpaid athletes and super rich NFL owners hate me because I voted for Trump.
Screw ’em.
Trump’s next tweet:
Boiled liver: most disgusting food ever. Only fools eat it and like it. Not eating it – one thing vegans get right.
Imagine the reactions.
You will get anti-Trump vegans chowing down on boiled liver just to spite Trump.
Seawriter
Today was the day I decided it is no longer acceptable to just ignore the NFL, but the day I may actively join and/or begin a movement to destroy it. To find out that the entirety of two NFL teams knelt during the national anthem prior to a game in LONDON was too much. It’s time to stomp on the neck of the NFL, snuff its life out, and bury it in a shallow grave.
I grew up in Houston as an Oiler fan, so I hate the Steelers, but if I didn’t, I would now.
One Steelers player came out for the anthem.
https://twitter.com/CalebJHull/status/912000070882557952
And a lot of this applies to Hollywood, too. Log on to Twitter to hear from your favorite actors and you discover they’re spewing invective against America and the President.
Hmmm. Maybe you won’t go see that new movie after all. Almost makes me wish I was a moviegoer so I could boycott a few of them. But yeah, the drop at the box office might not be all about how modern movies stink. It could very well be the result of Hollywood telling Americans that they don’t like us.
They hate us.
Yes, they do. Washington hates us. The media hates us. The entertainment industry (which includes pro sports) hates us. Academia hates us. Pretty much everyone on the coasts hates us.
And then they have the chutzpah to wonder why we return the sentiment.
70%>30%=Winning
What I find most galling about the NFL and Roger Goodell is the hypocrisy and double standard, and I’m surprised that neither Trump nor any other conservative politicians and pundits, afaik, have pointed this out.
After two minority policeman in New York, and five officers in Dallas were murdered, the Dallas Cowboys wanted to hold a tribute. Iirc, Goodell and the NFL prohibited it because the NFL is apolitical. That is, unless you’re a leftist. More people should be pointing this out.
I believe much of the NFL owners’ response is a function of their conscious or unconscious practice of the religion of Neo-Marxism/Post-Modernism, which requires that everything must be interpreted via its trinity- Race, gender and class. The idea that the US is permanently and pervasively racist (despite being the only majority-white country to elect a president of African descent) is one of its basic tenets.
There was another turning point issue in that 1988 campaign that parallels the racial aspect that Michael is playing footsie with himself, right?
Remember the Democrats first bellowing against making Willie Horton an issue, and then basing the last two weeks of the Dukakis campaign on the racism of the Willie Horton issue?
Remember Lloyd Bentsen as the tribune of racial justice on the Sunday shows before the election.
And let’s remember that Barack Obama is the Pele of racial footsie.
Here’s Alejandro Villanueva outside the tunnel. I guess he’s the poster boy for divisiveness in the leftist Orwellian meme world:
Here’s a link to a memorable podcast interview of Villaneuva by Domenech on the Federalist Radio Hour.
Some owners less than others. I’ll bet you that Jerry Jones is telling his Cowboys right now, “If any of you fellas want to not stand for America’s National Anthem, you can go put your wealthy butts in your Escalade and drive yourselves home. We’re America’s Team and none of you had better forget it!”
Great pic!
Just a few minutes ago on Sunday Night Football, that smarmy SJW lowlife Chris Collinsworth called on President Trump to apologize. Nuts to that. If anyone should apologize, it’s all of those two bit ingrate pro athletes (and their slavish media acolytes) who make more money in a year than most Americans will ever see in their lives, but mock and despise the nation that has given them everything. They can all go straight to hell.
Collinsworth is trash. Back when I used to watch Sunday Night Football (prior to this weekend) I usually kept the sound muted or very low so I didn’t have to listed to his nonsense.
When he can down the escalator I never suspected I’d be supporting Donald Trump and the Dallas Cowboys within 2 years.
Strange century.
Amazing world these days, isn’t it?
However, the Cowboys are playing tonight. Let’s see what they choose to do. They’ve had 30 or so hours (since the London game) to see the backlash from the Fans for this stupid “protest” and they have a decision to make. If they still decide to “protest” our Police, then they’re doomed.
Nobody is more hard-core American than Texans. The Cowboys had better think HARD about this.