Liberal hero and CBS’s Late Show host Stephen Colbert brought his fans to a fever pitch on Wednesday’s show as he proclaimed that it’s “not that offensive” 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sits during the National Anthem to protest supposed oppression of minorities by police officers because the whole reason it’s played at sporting events isn’t patriotism but instead a “marketing” gimmick.
Naturally, Colbert tried to use history to bolster his case, but forgot an important fact such as The Star-Spangled Banner receiving the distinction by the U.S. government in 1931 plus lacked any self-awareness in how liberal corporatism back LGBT groups and their demands instead of religious freedom is indeed marketing.
Like most liberals, Colbert set the scene regarding the Kaepernick controversy and dragged Donald Trump’s response into the mix before making clear that he “love[s] the National Anthem” to the point that he knows the harmonies and showcases why he “love[s] America.”
He went onto rule, however, that “one of the things I love about America is everyone has the right to protest things they're upset about, including protesting other people's protests” as enshrined “in the secret map on the back of the Constitution, also on the front, in the words.”
Turning to build his case that this is much to do about nothing, Colbert turned back the clock to the post-World War I era when the Cubs had The Star-Spangled Banner played in the seventh inning stretch during the 1918 World Series to enthuse an otherwise bleak crowd.
“Now, the Cubs realized instantly they had a hit and for the next two games, they had the band play The Star-Spangled Banner to enthusiastic crowds and the crowds went up from 19,000 to 27,000. They played the anthem at every game, and the Cubs continued it to lose. Traditions that have continued to this day,” he joked.
<<< Please consider helping NewsBusters financially with your tax-deductible contribution today >>>
Connecting it back to Kaepernick, Colbert chose not to mention that The Star-Spangled Banner became our official anthem over a decade later and thus became more appropriate to consistently play at events, but instead chalk it up to not being a patriotic move at sporting events but to a (sinister) “marketing” decision.
Closing by trying to draw a comical (yet still false) equivalency, Colbert deemed it “not that offensive to sit...out” the National Anthem because “if it is offensive, it should also be offensive not to buy a mattress on President's Day.”
Whether it’s religious freedom, traditional marriage, or The Star-Spangled Banner, liberals and their allies in the media appear to be hellbent on tearing one institution down after another in the name of, in their books, decency, equality, and justice but never realize that many on their side in the form of big corporations kowtowing to the Human Rights Campaign are mostly likely just going along in the name of business.
The relevant portions of the transcript from CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on August 31 can be found below.
CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
August 31, 2016
11:50 p.m. EasternSTEPHEN COLBERT: Of course, the big story in sports continues to be 49ers quarterback Colin Kapernick and his refusal to stand during the National Anthem. Now, Kap says he is “not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” A bold stance or, technically, a bold sits. [LAUGHTER] But the 49ers are playing their last preseason game tomorrow night in San Diego and all eyes will be on Kapernick because anything is more interesting than watching a preseason game. [LAUGHTER] Now, Kapernick's protest has caused a firestorm of controversy. A lot of people are upset with him, including, well, you know who.
DONALD TRUMP: I think it's a terrible thing and, you know, he’ll — maybe he should find a country that works better for him
COLBERT: Well said. If a country doesn't work for you, find one that does. That's why Trump's factories are all located in China. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Now, I want to be clear — now, I want to be clear. I, Stephen Colbert, love the National Anthem. I stand up when I hear it. I know the harmony to the National Anthem. It's easy — it’s easily in my top three songs about ramparts. I also love America and one of the things I love about America is everyone has the right to protest things they're upset about, including protesting other people's protests. That's all covered in the secret map on the back of the Constitution, also on the front, in the words. [LAUGHTER] So, constitutionally, Kapernick protesting and people being upset with him protesting is a win-win — two words the 49ers will not be hearing a lot this season. [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] But this controversy has made me wonder how the National Anthem and sporting events got connected in the first place. Well, interesting story. Turns out, it goes back to a very strange time in American history when the Cubs were in the World Series. It was 1918. World War I was just ending, and the Cubs were the series — they were opening the series at home against Babe Ruth and the Red Sox. They expected a raucous crowd, but instead, the papers reported that the game “was perhaps the quietest on record.” It was so quiet, you could hear Babe Ruth thinking about alcohol. However, there was one moment when the crowd came alive — the seventh-inning stretch, when the musicians fired up The Star-Spangled Banner. That's right, The Star-Spangled Banner was the original jock jam. [LAUGHTER] It's hard to understand now, but remember at the time, the most popular form of entertainment was finding out which of your cousins had Spanish flu. Now, the Cubs realized instantly they had a hit and for the next two games, they had the band play The Star-Spangled Banner to enthusiastic crowds and the crowds went up from 19,000 to 27,000. They played the anthem at every game, and the Cubs continued it to lose. Traditions that have continued to this day. The story proves that playing the National Anthem at games is the most American thing of all: Marketing. So maybe it's not that offensive to sit it out or if it is offensive, it should also be offensive not to buy a mattress on President's Day. “Because if you think you can find a better deal on a Sealy posture-pedic, go back Russia, you commie!”
