Sports
Related: About this forumThe Problem With Mandatory Patriotism in Sports
Playing the The Star-Spangled Banner at sporting events has become an empty gesture of patriotismso empty that, when the NBAs Dallas Mavericks quietly began skipping the ritual, 13 preseason and regular-season games passed before anyone noticed.
On Tuesday, The Athletic reported that the Mavericks had abandoned the national anthem, making them the first team in the recent history of major professional sports to take such a stance. The next day, the National Basketball Association issued a statement declaring that every team must play the song, in accordance with league rules. Inevitably, the Mavericks reversed course.
But the Mavericks should have held their ground, because playing the anthem shouldnt be a pregame ritual in American sports. Not during a time when many peopleincluding many athletes of colorare deeply uncomfortable with how patriotic symbols have been weaponized to undermine and diminish the humanity of Black and brown Americans.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/why-pro-sports-should-skip-national-anthem/618027/?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4
rsdsharp
(9,197 posts)seeing people keeping their hats 🧢 on during it. I cant stand God Bless America, however. For some reason, that was required at sporting events for years after 9/11.
keithbvadu2
(36,906 posts)Trump disrespects National Anthem Mar a Lago
Karadeniz
(22,572 posts)Dave in VA
(2,039 posts)when the teams would not come onto the field until after the anthem was performed. Then they had to "out patriot" each other and display their national pride feathers. Wish they would go back to that and end the politics of the anthem.
VA_Jill
(9,995 posts)I have wanted to kneel or at least stay seated when the anthem is played at the women's basketball games at the local university (back when we were actually allowed to attend). Spousal unit won't let me because he's afraid I will get some nasty repercussions. So I protest by standing silently with my arms at my sides, head bowed. Last year at one game, at the close of the anthem I heard someone getting laboriously to their feet behind me, using the back of my seat for support. I didn't want to turn and stare, but I did take the opportunity to look out the corner of my eye as I straightened my jacket on the seat prior to sitting down. It was a white woman who was somewhere near my age. Dang.
Auggie
(31,186 posts)A fucking car show.