Trump again demonstrates that he has no idea how to value anything.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/920776302231244800
He thinks singing a patriotic song is what “real pride in our country” is all about. That’s a ridiculous thing to think.
I’m sure it’s an expression of pride for many people – but it has to be freely chosen to be genuinely that, surely. Trump’s bullying about it just turns it into a meaningless exercise at best and a punishment at worst. Anyway it’s not an expression of pride for all of us – for many it’s just an empty ritual, and for some it’s an insult. We’re allowed to think both of those thoughts and we’re allowed to refuse to sing the damn thing, at least as far as the government is concerned.
Real pride in one’s country has to be thicker and more meaningful than singing a song at a sports game. It has more to do with holding that country to high standards than with observing empty rituals. Flags and songs are symbols, and right now all the patriotic ones symbolize is the sullen brooding presence of the worst man in the world.
Comments
5 responses to “Sing “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” instead”
Foshaug’s Law of National Pride:
Insistence on national pride is inversely proportional to efforts to make sure national pride is justified.
FLoNP is well founded.
Also: Hey Ho, Hey Ho.
Jesus christ, singing the anthem daily for workmates? The jingoism over there is just… wow. I’m not sure I’d be able to hide my impatience.
If they made me sing it before work, I guess I would but I would never escape the feeling that I was living the Hunger Games.
If they made me sing it before work, it wouldn’t last long. One run through with my singing abilities (which are somewhere around absolute zero) and they would be begging me to stop…especially when I tried to hit those ridiculous high notes.