Mike Pence and his wife Karen attended the Colts/49ers game Sunday, but left before the game started after being *super* offended by some players’ decision to kneel during the National Anthem.
At a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience…
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
…now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us…
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
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
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
First of all, that is too much ask. Because it’s asking players to give up their right to free speech and peaceful protest.
The political theatre on display here is both over the top and totally predictable. Does anyone think Mike Pence didn’t go to this game for the sole purpose of leaving and tweeting about? There’s no way he didn’t know players would kneel, meaning he went through all this just to feign shock and outrage.
Trump came out and proudly admitted that yes, it was planned. By him.
In addition to being a disgusting, disingenuous publicity stunt, it was also a total waste of resources. Because this isn’t just some guy going to a football game. When the Vice President goes to a football game, a lot of effort and taxpayers’ money goes into that.
Perhaps the most upsetting part of this is that Pence and Trump are choosing to perpetuate the false narrative that these players’ protests have anything at all to do with the flag or the military. They are protesting police brutality and the murder of black Americans. Pence seems smart enough to understand that. Trump believes whatever Fox News tells him, so maybe he really does think this is somehow about the troops. Even if he does believe it, that doesn’t make it true. It makes him willfully ignorant.
Also, it’s a small point compared to the attempt to paint football players as unpatriotic villains while redirecting conversations away from police profiling and brutality, but can we please take a moment to acknowledge that the Pences couldn’t even be bothered to take a new selfie? They just slapped a filter on this one from 2014.
What a load of fake news.
(image: Shutterstock)
Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
