Decided to go to a sporting event. I did my due diligence and arrived on time for the game as to avoid the screeching nightmare of people standing for the Star Spangled Banner.

However, there was no escape from imperial chuavanism because I happened to find myself at a game that celebrated US Millitary personnel the entire time, complete with pre-recorded videos of players droning on about the “sacrifice” the military makes to ensure our freedoms. Someone from each branch threw a ceremonial first pitch and got the ball signed by a player. This event was literally sponsored by Boeing, proudly. I saw from videos played on the jumbo screen that people in Boeing collared shirts were the ones that spread out the massive US flag that was present during the anthem.

Every baseball game sings God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch so i went to the bathroom to avoid that of course. But between every inning there was some gooftroop being honored for their service with the backdrop of Boeing iconography littered around the ballpark. They even had a fucking enlistment ceremony where several people swore allegiance to the US military.

Obviously, this isnt new. There is no discovery here. The Empire is who we thought it was, make no mistake. But it is always chilling to hear the cheers for the American death cult, all brought to you by the military-congressional-industrial-complex.

Wow would it be nice if a few more people would just boo at this shit like they boo 27 year olds that cant throw a strike. Like damn I might cry tears of joy if 25+ thousand people would ruin the national anthem by just booing the shit out of it. Or if these military personnel and their families could be humiliated on their special day. They are part of the problem and they deserve to receive vitriol and malice. Fuck their service and fuck their valor. They dont deserve an autographed ball they deserve one that says “baby killer.”

    • CountryBreakfastOP
      14·
      2 years ago

      Considering the alcoholic sports fans (and the fact that the home team got crushed) I agree that it is a threatening situation for people that want to boo the anthem or something. Its why I dont often go to sporting events. There have been times I have not stood or not taken off my hat and people have prodded me to cooperate. There is no way to predict exactly how people would react. Also geography makes a big impact. Its much more expected to comply in the south or rural midwest than the west coast I believe.

        • hazel
          17·
          2 years ago

          yes, and some schools will punish children for refusing

          • Abraman
            8·
            2 years ago

            This is actually against the law, you have a legal right to not do the pledge if you so choose (not that americans know or care 😹)

        • CountryBreakfastOP
          11·
          2 years ago

          Its true for me when I was in elementary through high school. Before and after 911. But after i think it was certainly more fervent and more expected.

            • CountryBreakfastOP
              10·
              2 years ago

              Hmmm well I went to a private Christian school, and my family has a military background so my experience is probably a bit more extreme.

              One thing that might be interesting is that when i was 15 and 16 I went to these youth leadership conferences in Washington DC. We got to hear directly from the intelligence community and the military. There were a few decent things such as interacting with immigration lawyers who are usually doing some good work.

              I got to go to the Pentagon where we were lead in discussion about topics like women in combat by military officers. We were taught how the military interacts with Hollywood straight from the mouth of military officers. I also went to the NRA headquarters where we got a full tour and expose on (settler/bourgeoisie) gun rights and their organization as a whole.

              We also did a mock congress and wrote bills and passed laws. The vast majority of the kids there were very much rich kids. Its very strange looking back on it, especially because I was perfectly reactionary. I remember a debate broke out about the war in Iraq between the students there and it was literally lead by another officer. Im leaving a lot out because it was a long time ago and I had especially shitty politics at the time but its pretty crazy that I had that experience.

    • Abraman
      12·
      2 years ago

      They still play take me out to the ballgame at Mariners games so it might be a regional thing

      Edit: or maybe it was the imperial army celebration day special :D

  • PolandIsAStateOfMind
    191·
    2 years ago

    Lol i’ve seen less chauvinism during military parades. In Poland of all places.

  • Abraman
    17·
    2 years ago

    I love trying to view this stuff from the perspective of an outsider because this is so normalized for me as an American, but when you really think about it its genuinely horrifying

    • VictimOfReligion
      15·
      2 years ago

      Non gringo here. Ahem. It’s like if your country was rulled by Jehovah’s Witnesses, or some other religious cult, where the Messiah was the US instead of the magic Jewish boy.

      You’re fucked there. I would run away.

      • CountryBreakfastOP
        10·
        2 years ago

        It would be nice to get out but there is no hiding from the empire. There is a lot going on here that is very consequencial so best I can do is make myself of service to what is going on here. Its looking bleak tho but we should expect some amount of developed resistance in certain spheres that could be instrumental in challenging imperialism in tandem with whats going on abroad.

        • VictimOfReligion
          4·
          2 years ago

          Sorry for feeling overwhelmed, comrade. You are more brave that I could ever be.

          • CountryBreakfastOP
            6·
            2 years ago

            I think there is a certain bravery in getting out as well. Absolutely no shade towards comrades and others that decide to leave. We all have reasons for doing what we do.

      • Abraman
        62·
        2 years ago

        Very defeatist to run away instead of staying to fight for change. My parents are cool and didnt raise me that way anyways, but when you grow up surrounded by the hyperpatriotism and chauvinism from everyone outside your home you never really question why things are the way they are, u know? Just glad I have the capacity to look at it from a disconnected and materialist point of view

          • Abraman
            4·
            2 years ago

            Sorry, didnt mean to call you defeatist if you had run away, I just think that should be priority 2 rather than priority 1 lol

            • VictimOfReligion
              3·
              2 years ago

              I’m not a US citizen that ran away, just a religion victim that did, lol. My power is to only make people realize what is there and little more, since I am kinda handicapped in more than one sense, so I do as I can haha

  • Water Bowl Slime
    16·
    2 years ago

    Stuff like this makes me wonder what kind of person I would have become if I weren’t such a queer nerd

  • DankZedong A
    16·
    2 years ago

    Imagine doing this during a football (soccer) match in Europe. I think some fanbases might actually start a riot because of it. Mental.

    • redshiftedbrazilian
      3·
      2 years ago

      Here in Brasil there are fans organized in groups called “Torcida organizada”, that goes to the games religiously. But these are actual organizations, sometimes having ties with the club and they deal with the politics of the games constantly

      Some of these are actually really based and you can see them in protests, mostly left wing as far as I know, so if something like OP describe were to happen here I think these guys would also riot lol