ESPN has become so overtly politically correct that one of its commentators blasted the owner of the NWSL’s Washington Spirit for not sending a congratulatory tweet after same-sex marriage was condoned by the Supreme Court.
As Newsbusters reports, on ESPN’s Around the Horn Thursday, commentator Kate Fagan was speaking about the Spirit playing the national anthem before its game with the Seattle Reign on Wednesday while the teams were still in the locker room so Megan Rapinoe of the Reign and any other possible cohorts could not kneel during the national anthem. Rapinoe had knelt last Sunday during the national anthem before the Seattle Reign’s 2-2 tie with the Chicago Red Stars.
Rapinoe, who is gay, had stated why she knelt for the anthem this way:
Rapinoe said she would kneel during the anthem for more matches.
The Spirit released a statement explaining why they played the anthem when they did:
In light of Seattle Reign and U.S. Women’s National Team member Megan Rapinoe’s public declaration that she intended to “take a knee” during the United States’ National Anthem tonight, we decided to play the anthem in our stadium ahead of schedule rather than subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent.
After the game, Rapinoe responded, “To be honest I didn’t hear (the anthem) and I wasn’t exactly sure why it wasn’t played but (expletive) unbelievable. Saddened by it. I think that it’s pretty clear what the message is that I’m trying to bring to light when I knelt in Chicago and what I’ve continued trying to talk about the last few days and what I intend to talk about and clearly with (Spirit owner Bill Lynch’s) actions, I think that that’s a necessary conversation.”
On Thursday, Fagan was asked, “Kate, what do you make of what the Washington Spirit did last night?”
Fagan responded, “I make that what the Spirit, and what Bill Lynch, the owner, did, who by the way was the only NWSL owner who did not put out a tweet or any sort of celebratory statement when marriage equality was passed. So, you get a sense of who is running that franchise.”
She added later, “We’ve simply all dug in our heels. And, in this case, actually gone to a place of censorship, not allowing an athlete the freedom of expression.”
“What Bill Lynch, the owner, did, who by the way was the only NWSL owner who did not put out a tweet or any sort of celebratory statement when marriage equality was passed …”
Kate Fagan
As Bruce Bookster of Newsbusters notes, “This isn’t about two sides of a debate not listening to each other. The owner of the Washington Spirit, whose full statement on why he decided to change the timing of the Anthem can be read here, clearly listened to Megan Rapinoe’s side. He listened to her side, then he rejected her side. He thinks it’s bad and lacking merit. Which is why he preempted her clown show protest. Now, if only all the NFL owners would do the same…”