Yesterday, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) – soccer, that is – lost its match to Sweden and was eliminated from the World Cup competition.
Good.
With few exceptions, the members of this team refused to either put their hands on their hearts or sing when the United States National Anthem was played.
If this were some generic team that was in a sports competition, I would not be very happy about the show of disrespect for their country, but I would see it as an issue of freedom; i.e. whether I liked it or not it was their right to do so, end of story.
But this is the United States National Team. They are there specifically to represent the United States. So when they disrespect the United States they subvert the reason they are on that team.
That is why I rooted for this bunch to lose. It is why I’m glad Sweden eliminated them. And I hope the players who disrespected the country they were there to represent never play on the USWNT again.
