Welcome to Radio VDARE and I’m your host Virginia Dare.
On the very day of the Super Bowl, an NFL player, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson, was killed in a drunk driving accident, allegedly by an illegal immigrant. The alleged killer, one Manuel Orrego-Savala, is a twice-deported illegal who was using a phony name to remain in the country. He also attempted to flee the scene. He had a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit.
It’s worth noting that all the combined powers of our society, from the media, to the government, to finance, are all in alliance to make sure the likes of Orrego-Savala can remain safely in the United States. Not a day goes by without media sob stories about illegals being deported. Not a night goes by without late night comedians mocking Americans who are concerned about crimes committed by illegal immigrants. And Senator John McCain, a man who is on the brink of death, just today introduced a bill which offers amnesty for illegal immigrants while not providing any funding for border security [McCain, Coons push bipartisan immigration deal despite WH rejection, by Tal Kopan and Kaitlin Collins, CNN, February 5, 2018].
Speaking of late night comedians, Jimmie Kimmel, who is still trying to be forgiven for hosting a friendly interview with Donald Trump during the campaign, made a cringe worthy skit after the Super Bowl pretending to be Bob Dylan and singing a faux protest song. Besides the usual insults against the president, he also praised the NFL players who are taking a knee to in support of the right of black criminals to attack police officers. He condemned President Trump for daring to criticize these spoiled athletes who can’t be bothered to make even a token show of respect for the national anthem.
Of course, it’s doubtful any NFL players will “take a knee” to protest our suicidal open borders policies, even when they led directly to the death of one of their fellow athletes at the hands of someone who shouldn’t even be in the country. Indeed, if any NFL player did “take a knee,” they would instantly be fired and disgraced in the eyes of the media. Whatever Mr. Jackson’s teammates think about his death, they will have to keep their opinions to themselves.
Unfortunately, this country has a far-left political orthodoxy which everyone who has a position susceptible to media surveillance must subscribe to if they do not wish to be fired. Whether or not they agree with it is irrelevant. As Theodore Dalrymple said not too long ago, political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. By having to saying things you disagree with, you are being not just intimidated but humiliated by uttering statements you know to be lies.
And the party line seems to grow more complex and expansive by the day. During the Super Bowl, I couldn’t help but notice that there seemed to be political ramifications if you expressed support for the New England Patriots. Although New England is one of the most progressive regions of the country, the Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft and its iconic quarterback Tom Brady are both Trump fans. Therefore, a Patriots victory was somehow construed as a victory for Trump, and therefore, a victory for racism [How the blue-state New England Patriots became an avatar for Trump, by Callum Borchers, Washington Post, February 4, 2018].
Of course, the Eagles won and Philadelphia was instantly consumed by riots [Super Bowl: Looting and rioting rock victorious Philadelphia, BBC, February 5, 2018].
An article from 2014 ironically identified the Eagles as the “whitest team in the NFL,” though this may no longer be true. [Eagles almost as white as they are black, by Nick Fierro, The Morning Call, September 25, 2014]
What is most striking about all this is how disconnected from reality sports has become. Players no longer have any loyalty or connection to the localities they ostensibly represent. The political connotations of sporting events are largely invented by the media, or by professional grievance mongers looking for another opportunity to rent seek. And when there is a genuine human tragedy created by bad policies, as in the death of Mr. Jackson, there is almost no media discussion or debate. Instead, we argue about who had the best commercial.
At their best, sports are a celebration of human greatness. Even at their worst, they are supposed to be an escape from a difficult society. Today, we have what appears to be the worst of both worlds. You can’t escape from politics at the Super Bowl, and you have to walk on eggshells even when discussing football. Rather than giving us something inspiring, sports today seems to give us nothing but depravity. And the death of the player doesn’t even prompt discussion, let alone policy changes.
I can’t help but wonder how much longer this can go on. Fewer people are tuning in and I can’t imagine people are still enjoying this the same way they did years ago. It’s not surprising that at a time when even our federal government is failing us, our sports leagues are too. And the only question is how much longer these declining institutions can be propped up via marketing and nostalgia.
I’m Virginia Dare and we’ll talk again soon.
