There is a lot of talk around the NFL these days about the national anthem. Those unfamiliar with the story can get caught up here (or skip this post, I guess).
I don't have much to say on the topic, I'm afraid. I don't have a good feel for the issues underlying the controversy. In these cases, the best I can do is pay close attention and try to think clearly for myself. Sometimes, I notice things I file away to think about in more detail later.
Such a moment came during a recent trip to Fenway Park. The national anthem was played about ten minutes before the first pitch but, you see, I missed it. I was too busy peeing. (Hopefully, this revelation doesn't offend anyone.)
In my defense, so were a lot of other people. After I emerged from the full restroom, I decided against standing in line for a beer because these lines, too, were full. I would guess most of those in line had been there for several minutes and one national anthem.
All these people waiting for a hot dog, a beer, or a urinal shared one thing in common: no interest whatsoever in the national anthem. I have no idea what this means.
It's the same whenever I watch football on TV. Sometimes the networks show the national anthem and sometimes they don't. No one seems outraged. If anyone out there is demanding the networks include these performances consistently in their coverage, I'm unaware of it. Again, I have no idea what this means.
I don't know much about America right now or its 'fractured' political climate. I just know America, right now, is not the best it can be. I think it is hard to be your best when you lose track of who you are, though, and maybe this is a big part of the equation.
What is America supposed to be? If it is the land of opportunity, well, there are a lot of people literally dying to get into the country who might agree. But the number of impoverished is shockingly high for a country owning so much.
Is America the global leader in education and healthcare? I suppose the top universities and countless number of world-class hospitals support this view. But our schools do not produce the best students and our medical care is not the most affordable.
Is America a country committed to liberty and justice for all? I don't see much outright evidence to the contrary. And yet, when simple measures like education levels, health outcomes, and incarceration rates are broken down along racial lines, a contrary story emerges.
When I look at other countries, I see places doing things better than we do. It feels like we are losing a game and there is no evidence of an imminent return to the lead. Some counter here and point out how no one country is better than the USA at all of these things. In aggregate, perhaps all the things America does make it better than any other single country. This is a good point. But I still think America has a lot to work on before becoming its best possible self. There is just too much to work on for me to conclude otherwise.
The path to such a place is never clear. It didn't stop people from trying, some two plus centuries ago, to establish a place better than the alternatives. They did it by focusing on allowing individuals to become the best selves they could be. Maybe, the idea went, a country of free and equal people, all pursuing some standard of happiness, could one day together form a country good enough to justify the war required to create it.
A country abiding by those principles shouldn't have much room for one group of people telling another to stand instead of kneel. But there wouldn't be much ground to kneel on without the sacrifices from the military and their families.
I don't have a great feel for this situation. It feels complicated and the answer seems unlikely to be one thing or the other. I understand just enough about what is going on to provide a comment or two if needed, I suppose.
But why would I need to, you know? I wouldn't really know where to begin.
I guess some of the players are protesting police brutality...
Q: Am I against police brutality?
A: Yes, I am against police brutality.
Those protesting the protests are citing disrespect for military personnel...
Q: Am I against supporting our troops?
A: No, I happen to favor supporting our troops.
The debate is being framed as one or the other, but...
Q: Do you think it is possible to be against police brutality AND support our troops simultaneously?
A: I think it is possible to do both of these things at the same time.
I'm happy to clarify my stance on these issues, of course, but what have I really said here? And what do I do now that I'm back on my (albeit oversimplified) square one?
I guess my real question is: who is answering differently to these questions?
Until I know for sure, I'll just have to continue paying more attention and keep working on clarifying my thinking.
