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Being more superficially patriotic than liberals and progressives is a hallmark of most conservatives' identity. It's often the chief basis on which they criticize the left's cultural or legislative efforts.
But that whole thing kind of falls apart when you seem not to know the national anthem from the Pledge of Allegiance.
Case in point?
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott, who recently decried the lack of patriotism of some NFL players because of their habit of kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance at NFL games, a thing that has never happened even one time.
Oops!
Sen. Rick Scott: "We're living in a nation where these woke, rich, pampered football players are kneeling for the Pledge of Allegiance."pic.twitter.com/bsRbCo0PYq— The Hill (@The Hill) 1624136460
Scott's gaffe came during a speech he gave over the weekend to the Faith & Freedom Coalition, whatever that is, in which he decried the supposedly treasonous mentality of today's professional football players.
"We're living in a nation where these woke, rich, pampered football players are kneeling for the Pledge. The Pledge of Allegiance!"
No NFL player has ever knelt during the Pledge of Allegiance at a football game, because the Pledge of Allegiance is not read at football games.
Rather, some NFL players, in a movement begun by former San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick in 2016, kneel during the national anthem at football games in symbolic protest against racial and social injustice in the United States. For many, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a fitting symbol of these problems, especially when the song's since-excised lyrics celebrating chattel slavery are considered.
Scott seemed not to notice his gaffe--one that would surely create a firestorm if a Democrat made the same error--and simply continued on with his speech about liberals ruining America.
"We're gonna fight against this woke mob and these radical Democrats who are trying to absolutely destroy this country and the values that we grew up with."
But the internet never forgets, of course, and Twitter wasn't about to let Scott off the hook for falling short of his own patriotic standard.
We\u2019re also living in a nation where patriot-cosplaying rich doofuses don\u2019t know the difference between the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem because everything they do is just performative nonsense.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1406409210582081536\u00a0\u2026— Rex Huppke (@Rex Huppke) 1624205974
Fun Fact: No football player has taken a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance, because they don\u2019t recite that at football games.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1406356362385371143\u00a0\u2026— Derek Litvak (@Derek Litvak) 1624202758
.@SenRickScott:\n1. Do you know the difference between the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance?\n2. Do you realize that the 1st Amendment to the Constitution is still on the books (no thanks to you) and that freedom of expression is what is means to live in a free society?— \u1d0a\u026a\u1d0d \u1d04. (@\u1d0a\u026a\u1d0d \u1d04.) 1624137062
This guy let A SITTING PRESIDENT WALK ON TREASON \u2014 A LITERAL ATTACK ON THE NATION\u2019S CAPITOL TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT\u2014 and he has the gall to wrap himself in the American flag his party\u2019s supporters beat US cops with on their way to trying to stop the peaceful transfer of power— Luke Zaleski (@Luke Zaleski) 1624139510
As opposed to carrying the flag while ransacking their own nation's Capitolpic.twitter.com/lJ0a1G4Lan— Stylus S. (@Stylus S.) 1624190689
We\u2019re living in a nation where an insurrection took place on Jan 6th and you still don\u2019t have the guts to do anything about it.— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani \ud83d\udd28 (@Rep. Anna V. Eskamani \ud83d\udd28) 1624284473
I\u2019ve covered 415 NFL games. The next one at which the Pledge of Allegiance is recited before kickoff will be the first.— Andrew Mason (@Andrew Mason) 1624235345
We live in a nation where a maligned CEO can be forced to resign from his organization after being fined 1.7 billion by the DOJ for defrauding Medicare and then said ex CEO can be a US Senator. Net worth 255 million\u2026..pic.twitter.com/DcZmujQjAR— Jason Meyer (@Jason Meyer) 1624139899
This is ESPECIALLY toxic because many African American Football Players *ARE* in fact Rich *DESPITE* growing up in a system designed *BY WEALTHY REPUBLIQANS* to almost GUARNTEE their failure!\n\nOh - and it's the National Anthem, D***Head!https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1406356362385371143\u00a0\u2026— Mark Judson For Congress - Scorched Earth Dem 2022 (@Mark Judson For Congress - Scorched Earth Dem 2022) 1624238629
Hopefully Senator Scott can get his patriotism in order before his next speech.