Pence Fumbles His Big Play

Photo credit: CNN

In what was already one of the most divisive issues in decades, the latest chapter in the NFL take-a-knee protest hasn’t just added any plain, old fuel to the fire, but some of the premium, high-grade jet variety or maybe even weapons-grade uranium (probably from either Iran or North Korea). Mr. Pence’s presence at the October 8th Colts game, albeit short, was most definitely memorable, galvanizing many citizens’ views on the protest movement, both those in favor of the players involved exercising their fundamental Constitutional rights and those who vitriolically oppose the protest as being a slap in the face to members of the military and disrespectful to the flag and patently un-American.

In what was a farcically transparent example of political grandstanding, Pence and his wife (good thing she was there, otherwise Mr. Pence wouldn’t have been able to be in a stadium with cheerleaders—I know, this was a cheap shot, but it was awfully low-hanging fruit), showed up for a mere few minutes, traveling on the taxpayers’ dime, knowingly going to leave as soon as members of the 49ers and possibly the Colts would take a knee during the National Anthem. Post-exit Tweets from Mr. Trump, Mr. Pence and members of the media pool verified that this was the plan all along. (Or was it? Monday Tweets from Mr. Trump try to backtrack on the marching orders handed to Mr. Pence in case of observing protest.)

Pence, in all of his smug self-righteousness, released the following statement:

“I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem. At a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience, now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don’t think it’s too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem. I stand with President Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem.”

Let’s throw a flag on that statement. Five yards for encroachment upon our First Amendment rights, #2, Pence.

Let me get this straight, Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence find that kneeling NFL personnel disrespect our soldiers, flag and anthem and seek to shame or force them to stand, but during the course of the same weekend, they say nada regarding a Richard Spencer-led tiki torch march in Charlottesville? I’ll bet there were some really great people there. No sons-a-bitches, I’m sure.

The Trump Administration and its adherents can’t accept taking a knee during the anthem as a tolerable peaceful protest for the simple reason that if they did, they would have to admit that there is actually racial inequality. You know, the real reason that NFL players are protesting. And since there can’t be such inequality in this most-egalitarian of societies, then the protesters are nothing more than thugs and rabble, bent on disrupting the whitewashed status quo. How dare they use a platform like the National Anthem at an NFL game to play politics?

I really think that if we were to rally around those things that should unite us, as Mr. Pence demands per his statement, he and the Trump Administration would quickly change their tune. If we all would wake up and realize the slow-motion coupe that has been taking place for the past few decades at the behest and funding of the ultra-wealthy, we may be a bit more united, but not in the sheep-to-the-slaughter way that Mr. Trump, Mr. Pence, the Koch Brothers, the Devos’, et al, wish.

If we would only realize that the daily episodes of political theater that play out across our social media feeds and TVs are all about dividing us, keeping us hyperventilating and pitting groups against each other, the quicker we would see why. The regulations that are keeping the super-wealthy, the banks, and corporations from running roughshod over our lives are being rolled back at break-neck speed while we sit around and argue about whatever we are led by the nose to argue about. It is what is happening. There is no denying it. All in the name of “freedom.” Not your freedom, not my freedom, but the freedom of those in charge to usurp even more power and control, to widen the gap in inequality in wealth and income, to silence the voice of the people. Here’s a list, if you’re interested.

If our “democracy” is so fragile that it can’t handle a small group of people peacefully protesting the violation of basic civil and human rights for a group of their brothers and sisters, then the principles of the Constitution are worthless. If more homage is being given to the symbols of those precepts than the actual ideals themselves, it devolves into cult-like idol worship. If you protest that kneeling during the National Anthem as disrespectful to those whom have served in the armed services, you forget the oath that they took to support and defend the Constitution when enlisting. If you claim that those protesting are unpatriotic and hate the United States, perhaps you are projecting your own deep-seated hatred of the freedoms afforded to all citizens via the Constitution.