 I’m old enough to remember when Americans could watch sports without worrying about politics. In fact, turning on the game with a few buddies was a way to escape from the doldrums of the everyday grind, whether it was unwinding after a long day at work or spending the weekend alongside fellow fans who bonded over one thing and one thing only: their support for the local squad. Alas, that is not the case anymore. Whether it’s Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris or Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy throwing in his hat for Trump, it seems that the line between politics and culture has been blurred to the point that every celebrity or sports figure must declare their political allegiances if they are to remain relevant in the postmodern age. Either players take a knee during the National Anthem or they stand–there is no in between. But how did we get here? When did it start? Let’s rewind for a moment and identify exactly when this transition occurred. Andrew Breitbart famously said, “Politics is downstream of culture.” At the time, the celebrity-President Obama was poised to begin his second term. As Breitbart put it on the stage at CPAC in 2012, “this is not your mom’s democratic party.” After attending a Super Bowl party with a bunch of far-lefties, Breitbart declared during the same speech, “there’s no such thing as a moderate Democrat.” Obama had become the leader of the new Democratic party, and under his leadership the party took a radical turn towards identity politics and critical theory that deemed all the grand narratives upon which America was founded to be worthy only of critique. Anyone who refused to accept that America was inherently evil, or that race was not the most essential aspect of American identity was cast aside. Unfortunately for the Democrats, Americans are not as dumb as they thought, and this hard turn towards identitarian politics proved to be a grave mistake. (Piece continues below) The Truth About The Coming Food Crisis
This might be your only warning. According to official reports, dangerous global events have reached America, putting the entire nation in harm's way. Despite this imminent crisis, mainstream media remains silent. And our own government ignores dire warnings of industry experts like fourth-generation American farmers who warn: “Food shortages are coming.” As a result of this crisis, survival food is more important than ever. If you don't take action or if you stockpile the wrong foods, you could be setting your family up to go hungry in a time of crisis. Well, no need to worry anymore. Obviously, waiting for the government to give me a handout in a disaster just wasn't an option for me. And I was completely turned off by the crazy high cost of survival food sold by some companies. That's why I ordered and got my very own stockpile of these best-selling Survival Food Kits. When you secure your own food stockpile, you will have the peace of mind and security knowing that when a crisis hits... You will be able to calmly reassure your family that they're safe and they will have plenty to eat. When a crisis hits, the masses begin to panic, and grocery stores are wiped out.It quickly becomes every man for himself. Don't make the mistake of waiting until it is too late. Stock up now on these survival food kits while you can. Since then, Breitbart passed away and Steve Bannon took over the publication that bore Breitbart’s name. Bannon was Trump’s chief strategist and he architected the 2016 campaign around the idea that America’s values needed resuscitation if we were to Make America Great Again. At first, this message was scorned by Neo-Con Republicans and Neo-Liberal Democrats alike. It seemed the entirety of America’s media establishment–from DC to Hollywood– dismissed Trump’s ideas on building a wall to secure the southern border, and implementing tariffs to revivify the dignity of the American worker. As it turned out, they were wrong and Trump was right. The American people have been told that Trump was the disease but now it appears that he may actually be the cure. Fast forward to the present day, and it’s clear that the Democrats have, indeed, suffered the consequences of this hard left turn. For the first time, Trump won the popular vote. MAGA is no longer a counter culture fighting against a dogmatic political and media establishment that controls the narrative. MAGA is mainstream. A regime can only pull the wool over the eyes of its constituents for so long before they realize that the wolf has been hiding in sheep's clothing all along. If America is such a terrible place, then why did millions make the perilous decision to cross oceans and jungles to come to the United States over the last four years? If the southern border was not in crisis, then why did hundreds millions of migrants overwhelm resources of Democrat-run cities around the country? If the Democrat party was supposed to be the party of free speech, of world peace, and of the American worker, then why were they implementing policies to undermine these principles at every turn? Alas, this brings us back to the present predicament that Breitbart predicted all the way back in 2012, with one caveat: politics and culture have crossed streams. One’s political leanings have become more fundamental than one’s favorite team, or the race into which they were born. Rather than lamenting this tectonic shift, I view it as an opportunity for… Hope and Change! I am not asking for celebrities or sports stars to stop sharing their political views. In America, one’s voting practices shouldn’t be the most fundamental aspect of their identity. This is no surprise considering our families, our local communities, and our small towns have been abandoned in favor of the national struggle over Red vs. Blue. But it wasn’t always this way, and it doesn’t have to be this way moving forward. If the night is darkest before dawn, then we have arrived at a new dawn. The paradigm is no longer shifting, it has shifted. It’s high time that Democrats realize they have missed the train. Whether a celebrity or a sports figure, those who supported Kamala Harris must realize that supporting America does not make you a racist or a misogynist or a Nazi. Quite the contrary, those who supported censorship of political opposition and mobilized private companies to shut down advocates of Trump or of scientific scrutiny, were the real fascists after all. If Dave Portnoy and Taylor Swift can endorse different candidates but still get along (see video above), then we can all follow suit. I’m no fan of the Eagles or the Chiefs, but as we plop down on a couch to watch the game tonight let’s not forget: America is the greatest country on earth, and together we can make it even more great! PolitiBrawl Book Recommendation: How the Jester Became King: Dave Portnoy and the Unauthorized Real Story of Barstool SportsDave Portnoy’s unpredictable rise to fame and fortune didn’t happen overnight. And as Barstool’s Kevin Clancy explained, “It’ll never happen again.” From handing out newspapers alone in a dirty subway station, to selling his digital media company for half a billion dollars, and then buying it back for $1, Portnoy’s 20-year, controversy-filled Barstool Sports adventure is one you have to read to believe.
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Sunday, February 9, 2025
Why have American sports become so political?
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