The left turned anthem protests into an opportunity to display anti-Trump sentiment: Varney
Most liberals don't much care for football: Too masculine, too brutal. Well the left has jumped on the anthem protests and turned them into an opportunity to display their anti-Trump sentiment.
Just look at what happened in Congress. Two House members took the knee. Democrats Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, and Sheila Jackson Leigh of Texas, both explicitly made their kneeling an anti-Trump demonstration. Al Green, Democrat, Texas, went further—he said the president's comments on the NFL were "indecent." He's moving for impeachment.
Football used to be a sport that unites. All races, all political points of view, all religions, coming together to play a thrilling and very American game. Not now—the left is using identity politics to encourage division, pushing its agenda.
And the game itself is suffering. Those who love the sport are turning away. TV ratings for the first three weeks of the season are down 11%. Interesting: pre-game ratings are up, so people are tuning in before the anthem protests, but turn off when the protests begin!
What we're seeing is a referendum on President Trump and his view of America. But we don't get to vote. The left demonstrates, the media spins, the NFL retreats and great American football takes a hit.
Last word: it’s not over. If ratings keep falling and sponsors take money off the players' table, team owners and the NFL will have to change course. Then maybe we can get back to watching football, not politics.