Why Won't The US Women's Soccer Team Properly Serenade Nikki Haley?
Talk about moving the goal posts.
A few years ago, the Right was up in arms over professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem as a protest against police brutality. Now they are upset about the US women's national soccer team standing during the national anthem but not singing it, which has never actually been a thing anyone is expected to do aside from whoever has been selected to sing the national anthem at a sports game.
Personally, I am of the opinion that “The Star-Spangled Banner” is a ridiculously difficult song to sing well and that practically anyone who is not Aretha Franklin or Whitney Houston should avoid it at all costs. But that is neither here nor there. Some soccer ladies didn’t sing and the conservatives got mad about it and spent all weekend whining about it on social media, as they are wont to do.
“I am and always have been a patriot of US sports,” one person calling themselves GreenLantern wrote on Twitter (or now “X,” we guess). “I loved watching the 1980 Men’s U.S. Hockey Team beat Russia. That being said, I won’t shed a tear if the US Women’s Soccer Team gets their ass handed to them. It’s time they learned what (Brittney) Griner did. Humility.”
“I stopped rooting for the US women’s team years ago,” HeavenBound.org tweeted. “Gone are the days of real US Women players I could root for like Michelle Akers. If you kneel for the our National Anthem or push the lgbtq cult, you’re not my team anymore. I hope you lose, USA!”
So they love the US, so long as no lesbians are playing soccer. Got it!
“Thank you to the players who were respectful of America!” tweeted some lady named Lisa Raymond. “To those who weren't: go find another country to play for or get out of the sport. Time for the U.S. women's soccer team to have their #BudLight moment. Time for sponsors to stop funding them & pull out.”
They’re all just so patriotic! Like this guy, who certainly was not strawberry-strawberrying himself through the anthem, for which he definitely knew all the lyrics.
Not to mention the soldiers singing their hearts out next to him.
Several patriots seemed to forget what year it is or that they are supposed to love Russia and Putin now and suggested that the team members should move to Russia.
“They should be playing for Russia. But who watches women's soccer?”
“Time to shut down USA Women’s soccer. Let them go play for France or Russia.”
“No one cares about the anti-American women's soccer team, let them go play for Russia...”
“The US Women's Soccer team members who do not respect USA need to removed. Go find a country that will tolerate your disrespect. I suggest China, Russia....”
“Seeing how the US women's soccer team doesn't want to sing or place their hand over their heart during The NATIONAL ANTHEM, maybe they should not get paid. I am so over these political brats. As far as I am concerned, go live in Russia.”
One of those complaining was Nikki Haley, who is trying real hard to get her MAGA on in hopes of giving herself more than a one percent shot at winning the Republican presidential primary.
“The US women’s soccer team is living the American Dream,” Haley tweeted. “They were born in the freest, fairest country in the world that has rewarded their hard work. They should remember that blessing & the men & women (like my husband) proudly defending it next time the national anthem plays.”
Wait — the entire US Women’s soccer team was born in Switzerland? Because according to the data, Switzerland is actually the freest country on earth. The United States, actually, does not even crack the top 10. As far as the “fairest” country goes, there are no ratings for that, but if we’re talking about social mobility, Denmark is actually number one. The US doesn’t crack the top 10 for that one, either. It’s also a little weird to go around calling your country the “freest” and the “fairest” when your party is out here outlawing abortion and drag shows and trying to ban books all over the place.
Ultimately, this is not about the United States of America being disrespected. These people do that all the time. Hell, they trashed the shit out of the Capitol building. This, like everything else they do, is about them feeling disrespected.
Conservatives have just spent the last year or so screaming about how LGBTQ+ people are groomers, demanding they be treated as second-class citizens, pushing for and enacting laws meant to prevent children from finding out LGBTQ+ people even exist, and calling anything that does mention that they exist “hardcore pornography.” So when they see the women’s soccer team — which includes one married couple and is led by an out-and-proud lesbian — not singing the national anthem, they think, “They are doing this because they think we are horrible and they are embarrassed to share a country with us.”
And they’re not wrong. At least about the fact that we think they are horrible and are embarrassed to share a country with them.
A large part of the Right’s anger is that they do not feel they have the social power to which they believe they are entitled. The truest demonstration of this power, as far as they are concerned, is treating people like shit and having them still be hungry for your approval. Like a Heather.
This is why they are obsessed with people “bending the knee” to them and with the idea of “owning the libs.” They want a presidential candidate who will help them force the Left and the US women’s soccer team to “bend the knee” to them, and Nikki Haley wants to prove she is the woman for the job.
Unfortunately for Haley, they don’t like her much more than they like us.
Weirdly enough, when I go to work I don't have to sing the anthem or pledge to the flag or any of that shit.
That is what these women are doing. Working.
"We are the freest country on earth. Now sing the fucking anthem!"