An interesting take on the "military porn" that has invaded the sports world

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I've always thought the conflation of sports, the military, the anthem and patriotism was pretty weird. Strange rituals. They don't really get into the "outrage" over kneeling NFL players, but I think it's all related. Mindless patriotism and blind devotion are dangerous-especially when they are used to manipulate public opinion. (that's my take) Here's an interesting perspective from a couple of veterans.

Veterans Speak Out Against The Militarization Of Sports

While researching my book “The Heritage,” I was struck by the enormous effect the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have had on sports — how they look, how they’re packaged and how they’re sold. Before 9/11, giant flags and flyovers were reserved for the Super Bowl. Today, they are commonplace. Even the players wear camouflage jerseys. The military is omnipresent. And it’s by design.

The public accepts this as supporting the troops, but one group of individuals — the veterans themselves — is more skeptical. One voice stood out: William Astore's.

"They bring out a humongous flag," he says. "Military jets fly overhead, sometimes it’s a B-2 stealth bomber, sometimes it’s fighter jets."

"I think, at first, there’s a sort of thrilling feeling," Astore says. "I’m like all the other fans: a big plane goes overhead — ‘Wow!’ That's kind of awe inspiring. But at the same time, to me, it’s not something that I see should be flying over a sports stadium before a baseball game or a football game. You know, these are weapons of death. They may be required, but they certainly shouldn't be celebrated and applauded."

http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/07/20/military-sports-astore-francona

[gratuitous]

1. We do have a state religion

It's called the High Church of Redemptive Violence.

[DBoon]

2. the all-powerful military state like to demonstrate that it can kill at whim

nt

[Yavin4]

3. Once, I took the BART train from SF to Oakland to watch a baseball game. At one point, the train...

goes on an elevated track. As the train was heading to the stadium, you can look down and see block after block after block of total urban blight. A vast wasteland of economic decay, a completely de-industrialized city with no hope, no long term future. Complete bleakness.

The game was on Memorial day weekend. At the start, fighter jets flew over the stadium in a "patriotic" display, and I thought to myself, what are we protecting? The wasteland that surrounds the stadium? It already looks like it was invaded and conquered by a foreign enemy.

The experience was a remarkable display of where our priorities as a nation lie over the past 50 years.