As the Women’s World Cup kicked off in Australia and New Zealand, the favorite to win and secure its third straight World Cup crown is the American side (USWNT), which has been lauded by the likes of Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama for promulgating social justice issues as well as scoring goals.
They've won medals, trophies, AND equal pay. My heroines!
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 21, 2023
Excited to root on our USWNT in this year's World Cup! pic.twitter.com/xyIGIgiQI4
True to character, the U.S. Women’s National Team triggered controversy even before the first whistle blew in Game 1 against Vietnam, when as the Star-Spangled Banner played, the majority of the players stood in silence and — as GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley lamented — did not sing the words along with the National Anthem music.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 22, 2023
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS AT THE 2023 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME 🙌 pic.twitter.com/czqIXr5zBT
Newsweek tallied up the anthem participation this way: “Most of the U.S. players were silent with their fists behind their backs. Only five players were standing and placed their hands over their hearts as the anthem played, while three sang along.”
Some observers reacted with rage that the national team players weren’t more effusive in showing their patriotism, with comments warning the USWNT’s sponsors should “get the Bud Light treatment” and others writing: “Thank you to the players who were respectful of America! To those who weren’t: go find another country to play for or get out of the sport.”
But in response to Haley stoking this fire on behalf of her campaign coffers, former Marine Ron Filipkowski explained that actually singing the anthem is not commensurate with respecting the country. In fact, U.S. Marines don’t sing, though they do — if in uniform — place a hand over their heart.
As far as not singing, Filipkowski points out that the team mainly did what he was taught to do during the playing of the National Anthem: “They stood silently, just like I was taught to do in the Marine Corps.”
Then he wonders if Haley would consider the Marines “unpatriotic.”
Of course, she is the first presidential candidate to seek traction on this. They stood silently, just like I was taught to do in the Marine Corps. I guess Marines are unpatriotic when we don’t sing the anthem. pic.twitter.com/4mIoRjc25R
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) July 23, 2023
The National Anthem, of course, has been a dividing line for many Americans in the culture wars. That line is probably best drawn by the case of former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick‘s taking a knee during performances of the anthem before NFL games.
Kaepernick’s action, which he undertook in protest against his experience of persistent racial injustice in American society, set off a firestorm that’s still burning in America.
Many Americans accused Kaepernick (and others who emulated him, like USWNT star Megan Rapinoe in 2016) of demeaning a nation in which he had been able, in many ways, to thrive. Others saw his act as a heroic exercise of free speech and his First Amendment rights, using his platform to bring attention to issues he was passionate about.
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