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Conservativesi have been having conniptions regarding athletes who choose not to stand with their hands over their hearts for the United States' national anthem.
Though, recently, these qualms of outrage have gotten more and more ridiculous, to the point conservative pundits are seeing so-called infractions where none exist.
Like the United States Women's National Soccer Team.
Thank you, Pete! pic.twitter.com/BL7kgHbLfg— U.S. Soccer WNT (@U.S. Soccer WNT) 1625519288
A false claim about the US team took hold of the internet on Monday, after conservative social media accounts began reporting the team "turned their backs" on 98-year-old Pete DuPre, who sang the US national anthem for the game.
This "controversy" about the US Women's National Team was entirely fabricated by right-wing figures. Some of the players turned to face the flag during the anthem (it's located at one end of the stadium), while others looked forward like the veteran who was performing it. (1/3)pic.twitter.com/H0tFVpYZb5— Daniel Dale (@Daniel Dale) 1625579534
After running the baseless claim in a headline, Breitbart News ran an "update" that framed this as a he-said, she-said kind of thing -- "US women's soccer team denies claim" rather than "our story about the US women's soccer team was bad." (2/3)pic.twitter.com/zv7J2kFe6I— Daniel Dale (@Daniel Dale) 1625579675
Fox News also went with this "denies" framing.\n\nTo their credit, some on the right -- even some who don't have the best accuracy record, like Ryan Saavedra -- made a genuine attempt to correct the phony narrative.pic.twitter.com/KEmPAlRsJr— Daniel Dale (@Daniel Dale) 1625579796
A look closer at the purported incident shows that the players who were being slammed for turning their backs were in fact hailing an American Flag on the other side of the field, located next to the scoreboard at the University of Connecticut's Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
Several team members had their hands over their hearts while looking at the flag.
They do it because they know their followers aren't smart enough to question it.— HeywoodJ (@HeywoodJ) 1625580157
It\u2019s part of their narrative. Designed to pull us apart, to foment hate and division. But we deserve better. Thanks for telling the truth.— Jade Jurek (@Jade Jurek) 1625581554
Fascinating how fixated the right is on making sure everyone shows unquestioning religious deference to a cloth and song, but zero respect for the laws & values enshrined in the Declaration & Constitution. It\u2019s blind obedience, not thoughtful reverence that matters to them.— Founders\u2019 Follower (@Founders\u2019 Follower) 1625581733
The real controversy is the idea that these women have no right to turn their back during the national anthem, or kneel, or whatever peaceful protest one prefers to use to bring visibility to the problematic inequities that this great but imperfect nation continues to face.— Will Aron (@Will Aron) 1625584954
And they know it is and they don't care. They are not good faith actors.— The System (@The System) 1625579660
Several members of the team also commented on the original "conspiracy" tweeted by the Post Millennial.
We turned because we faced the flag https://twitter.com/tpostmillennial/status/1412190923987947520\u00a0\u2026— Carli Lloyd (@Carli Lloyd) 1625538249
To be clear, no one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPr\u00e9 during tonight's anthem. Some USWNT players were simply looking at the flag on a pole in one end of the stadium. The players all love Pete, thanked him individually after the game and signed a ball for him.— U.S. Soccer Comms (@U.S. Soccer Comms) 1625537684
Umm\u2026I was at the game. The players faced the flag. This is a disgraceful post.pic.twitter.com/hNDV9pGM64— Michael Egan (@Michael Egan) 1625540835
Looking toward the flag, not turning backs on Pete.https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1412190923987947520\u00a0\u2026— Maena Ochieng (@Maena Ochieng) 1625615499
Or they were facing the flag?? #USWNThttps://twitter.com/tpostmillennial/status/1412190923987947520\u00a0\u2026— Alex Reynaga (@Alex Reynaga) 1625544618
Ultimately, the team won against their opposition, Mexico, 4-0.
The National Women's Team are set to play in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.