The U.S. used to be one of the most patriotic countries.  Now, only 38% of Americans indicate that patriotism is “very important,” and that drops to 36% of Americans between the ages of 18-29.  Still, you’d think any USWNT player, who is privileged to represent her country in international tournaments, would be in the patriotic group.  A reflection of which is proudly singing the national anthem before matches at the Women’s World Cup, or by putting their hands over their hearts if they’re tone deaf.

Undeservedly, members of the UNWNT get paid as much as members of the UNMNT.  So, when they don the national uniform, you’d think they’d show some gratitude by singing our national anthem. Instead, some U.S. players standing in the cauldron of Women’s World Cup soccer venues are ingrates.

For once, their lips are sealed. One just wishes they would also shut up off the field, but we should not gnash teeth at their disrespect.  Perhaps it even shows just how tolerant a society we are to overpay such disaffected ball-kickers and ball-busters.

It’s heartening when players put their hands on their heart and bellow the national anthem at international sporting events, but they should not be shamed into doing so. If Megan Rapinoe and incongruously disaffected teammates choose to disrespect our anthem, that’s more a reflection on them than the country that overpays them.  Players might be forbidden, or at least discouraged, from kneeling at international events, but coercing them into singing the national anthem wreaks of the authoritarianism our shining nation shuns.

Actually, it becomes a bit disconcerting when all players on an international team belt out their anthem with overwrought emotion.  That might symbolize authoritarian compliance, which is probably why players on the China team sing enthusiastically. Teams from Vietnam, Holland, the Philippines, and others, all sing in unison. 

Rather than a gluey glob of amorphous automatons, we are more creative, tolerant, and individualistic.  In fact, the U.S. is the number one nation for immigrants, so others can sing and cry all they want about their homelands, but it is here most want to come.  To the extent we can quell the demented Dems, we remain the last great hope of Earth. 

Mexican players are even more notorious for singing their national anthem with more militancy than many countries, but it is their fans, and those to the south, who are traipsing up here -- in caravans with the tricolor defiantly crossing our open border. 

In contrast to their suffocating group consciousness, U.S. co-captain Alex Morgan displayed some American individuality by not following Rapinoe’s defiance.  Morgan, who is much lovelier than bedraggled Rapinoe, respectfully placed her hand over her heart while our anthem played.  Not only exhibiting a more pleasing disposition, Morgan is a better player who made the top 25 players to watch list.  So, to the extent little girls need a female soccer player as a patriotic role model, Morgan is a little more suitable.

Unfortunately, Megan Rapinoe is a real nasty piece of work.  Frankly, I’d rather she not desecrate our anthem by pretending to sing, as she’s just not worthy.  It would be fake, whereas she has the freedom to show her true colors, which are clearly not red, white, and blue.  That’s her choice in America, but the consequence may be that she spirals from woke leftist maniac  to full-blown depressive neurotic wondering why happiness eluded her.

One way to judge America is by the enemies she has made. Singing our anthem stirs the soul, but, at least for now, the bully Rapinoe has chosen the dark side.  She and her disaffected cabal are not really worthy of singing the greatest national anthem, having chosen to foment, then wallow in, anti-American discontent.

Image: Jamie Smed