The U.S. Soccer Federation completely guzzled the fieldside kool-aid this week, bowing down to hyper left org Black Lives Matter in making it A-OK for its players to disrespect the American flag at every chance they see fit.
According to NPR.com, the U.S. Soccer Federation “has repealed the league's three-year-old ban on kneeling during the national anthem, amid nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice sparked by the killing of George Floyd.” The Federation was the latest in the unending line of individuals, artists, and corporate entities that have publicly pledged support to left-wing “anti-racist” organization BLM.
In a statement on Wednesday, USSF commented on their repeal of a three-year-long ban on kneeling before the flag. “It has become clear that this policy was wrong and detracted from the important message of Black Lives Matter," it stated.
Re-allowing kneeling during the anthem and presentation of the country’s colors once again gives U.S. soccer players the ability to “fight all forms of racism, discrimination, and inequality," they added.
The previous league statute, “Policy 604-1,” mandated that all league players “stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented."
The now-defunct rule was established in 2017, five months after U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team star Megan Rapinoe knelt before the flag in solidarity with then-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his police brutality protest.
After the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin and the ensuing global Black Lives Matter call to end “systemic racism” and police brutality with radical policy proposals like “defunding the police,” the U.S. Women’s Soccer team endorsed the movement and pressured the U.S. Soccer Federation to do so as well.
A social media post from the USWNT published on June 8, stated, “we believe the Federation should immediately repeal the ‘Anthem policy,’ publish a statement acknowledging the statement was wrong when it was adopted, and issue an apology to our Black players and supporters.”
The USWNT statement added that unless the U.S. Soccer Federation does these things, they “will continue to perpetuate the misconceptions and fear” that “black People in America have not been and continue to not be afforded the same opportunities and freedoms as white people and that police brutality and systemic racism exist in this country.”
Though statistics show that institutional racism and police brutality committed specifically against African Americans are myths (and not to mention that there is no evidence that Chauvin was racially-motivated), they're so entrenched in the public narrative that companies do not dare call Black Lives Matter’s bluff. As such, the USWNT’s letter, a statement from the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team, and undoubtedly millions of BLM-supporting U.S. soccer fans convinced the Federation to repeal their policy.
In an apology letter published Wednesday, the Federation claimed: “We apologize to our players – especially our Black players – staff, fans, and all who support eradicating racism.”
Well, now they can contribute to defunding the police, instead of looking at the facts and refusing such ridiculous proposals that destroy law and order and disrespect our flag.
