America the beautiful will stay beautiful because of the people's allegiance to one flag, the American flag, the red, white and blue. And the national anthem whether sung or played by music is all about the American flag. Some in politics, especially the GOP use the American flag to divide people along with the anti-everything crowd. Politics was at the fore front when Governor Jeff Landry attacked LSU's women's basketball team when they failed to take the floor of the gym when the national anthem was played before the NCAA playoff game.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey explained the reason why it took place which could be understood and was a reasonable answer. There was no intent of disrespect or motive of protest. Landry's attack on the team was followed up with a letter to Louisiana higher education leaders to mandate that student athletes be present at games as the national anthem is played or risk losing their athletic scholarships.
Landry's attack came amid a bill before the GOP controlled state legislature that would give him the power to select and control university board chairs that set agendas, a bill Landry supports. Landry, who served as Louisiana Attorney General knew for years that the LSU football team were never on the field when the national anthem is played and was silent all those years. Landry, Trump, the GOP and their right wingers are all phonies on the national anthem subject and the subject of Patriotism.
The United States has only one flag, the stars and stripes of America. Patriotism reflects how one lives his or her life. It is not patriotism when one supports another who tries to over turn a Presidential election, using a mob to do so, many of which carried a rebel flag. The same thing goes for those White Supremacist who carry the rebel flag in violent protest. The phonies have a record of enabling them.
Jeff Landry is a big Trump supporter along with the GOP. His legislation agenda mimics Trump and the GOP agenda in wanting control over the lives of the people and are willing to use the national anthem and the American flag to achieve their own purpose. Landry's out burst against the LSU women's basketball team is only the beginning.
Those who carry the rebel flag and those in support, do not represent what America stands for and are certainly no supporters of the national anthem or the American flag. They also do not represent American patriotism. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
