by Jeffery Rendall

Wake up any particular morning and glance out the window. Do you notice anything different from the day before?

Changes in weather or the seasons don’t count. Chances are you’ll see things appear pretty much the same – and if you’ve lived in one place long enough that’s true from year to year as well. Time slips by unobtrusively, so much so we don’t easily recognize all the transformations going on around us.

Sometimes the changes are quite noticeable, however. Fox News host Laura Ingraham disturbed the liberal hornet’s nest last week with one such keen observation.

Rick Moran of PJ Media reported, “It’s really too bad we can’t have a civil debate about anything anymore because Laura Ingraham’s observation that the ‘American we know and love doesn’t exist anymore’ in some parts of the country is a ripe topic for serious discussion. The Fox News host’s remarks were triggered by idiotic comments from nitwit Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez…

“Ingraham acknowledged that Ocasio-Cortez was right ‘in a general sense,’ but was missing the point about what’s been changing in America:

“[Ingraham said:] ’In some parts of the country it does seem like the America we know and love doesn’t exist anymore. Massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people. And they’re changes that none of us ever voted for and most of us don’t like. Now much of this is related to both illegal and, in some cases, legal immigration that of course progressives love,’ she added.”

In the balance of his article Moran relayed several of the unsympathetic comments Ingraham’s remarks generated, which to put it mildly, were not too kind. The left’s politically correct thought police instantly assumed Ingraham’s words exposed her as a racist who complains about too many “brown” specks poisoning the pale white soup that used to be America.

Moran then discussed his own thoughts on the matter, suggesting demographic change has always been part of America’s past but today’s newcomers (legal and otherwise) don’t necessarily come here with the same intentions to assimilate. Fair enough. There’s a lot of truth in Moran’s arguments, as there was in Ingraham’s as well.

By mentioning “in some cases, legal immigration,” I believe Ingraham was not referring to a desire to restrict the number of non-whites entering this country. She was likely alluding to the very same legal immigration system that’s allowed a number of Muslim would-be terrorists to settle in America with the government’s official sanction (for a thorough treatment check out ConservativeHQ.com editor George Rasley’s treatments on the subject). Or maybe she was discussing Barack Obama’s refugee welcoming programs that have literally transformed cities.

Anyone who refutes it hasn’t paid attention to news from Minnesota, Michigan and other states where large enclaves of Muslim former refugees have been set up – and these people aren’t assimilating either. Deny it if you will. (For the record I believe the U.S. government should do everything within its power to aid persecuted Christians – for them it’s a matter of life and death, not being caught in the middle of some ancient sectarian war.)

Despite day-to-day apparent sameness, America is different than it was before. Some of it’s due to the most recent waves of immigrants (legal and illegal) but it’s also the cultural changes pushed hard by the left. These days Americans can’t even come to agreement on simple patriotic gestures like the pledge of allegiance, religious displays at holiday time or more recently, standing for the national anthem.

Last season’s NFL flag protests caused more than a disturbance in the land of the free, so much so the league itself came out with a new rule (devised earlier this year) requiring players to stand respectfully during the pregame playing of the national anthem — or remain in the locker room. It seems some players didn’t receive the message or are openly defying the NFL’s new edict.

ESPN News Services reported last Friday, “Player demonstrations took place during the national anthem at several early NFL preseason games Thursday night. In Miami, Kenny Stills and two other Dolphins players protested during the anthem before their 26-24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Receivers Stills and Albert Wilson kneeled behind teammates lined up standing along the sideline. Defensive end Robert Quinn stood and raised his right fist, as he did during the anthem last season while with the Los Angeles Rams. There were no apparent demonstrations by the Buccaneers.

“’As a black man in this world, I’ve got an obligation to raise awareness,’ Quinn said. ‘If no one wants to live in unity, that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in.’”

Unity with what Robert? Awareness of what Robert? That black communities have a strained relationship with local police forces? Tell me, who is not aware of it these days?

Besides, what has community relations got to do with the American flag? Does one social disagreement mean the rest of what the flag represents is not worth honoring? Can you “partially” protest the flag? These guys make no sense. You’re an idiot to listen to them.

With the reemergence of the protests the real question becomes what the NFL intends to do about the actions of a few. Unfortunately, after all this time, the league’s options appear limited:

It (the NFL) can either hit the outliers where it hurts – in the wallet – with fines that actually would mean something to these spoiled and pampered professional ball players, suspend them for each infraction of the rules (first time, one game, second time, two games, third time, three games, etc.) or kick them out of the league entirely, which admittedly would engender a furious response from the left, the likes of which may never have been seen before in this country.

Or, in the alternative, league management could play to the kneelers’ enormous egos and provide them a special “protest zone” for disgruntle-ds prior to the start of each game. Sounds kind of cool, doesn’t it? Maybe they could roll some kind of contrived stage to the center of the field and install a special podium for each protester to kneel or squat or sit or do whatever the heck he wants to do to make his point, since really all they’re hoping to do is “raise awareness” — or something like that — anyway.

If you’ve seen “The Hunger Games” picture the scene where the tributes enter the Cornucopia – the NFL could concoct a rostrum like that and it would be perfect! The flag protesters would be the focus of the universe and then maybe after the anthem concludes all could rush at cardboard cutouts of Donald Trump. Think of the entertainment value! A new marketing idea!

What better way to raise the ignorant God-loving, “deplorables” flag waving fan’s “awareness” than making a spectacle of the whole thing? If these guys insist on insulting the entire fan base time after time, let’s allow them a place right in the middle of the melee to do it. Isn’t that what they really want anyway?

Further, why doesn’t a leftist billionaire put up the money to fund a “Colin Kaepernick for Congress” campaign? If a socialist Muslim woman can be elected in a heavily Democrat district, why not beg someone like Maxine Waters to retire and encourage Kaepernick to take over her seat?

Granted this is only the beginning of the NFL preseason but I can’t help but think the league has already shot itself in the foot (a month before the regular season even starts). If management allows protesters to get away with breaking the new “must stand” policy without repercussions enraged and disappointed fans will revolt. Last year’s jersey and ticket burnings will look like child’s play in comparison.

For its part the league issued a statement addressing the most recent protests. From the same ESPN report, “’There has been no change in the NFL’s policy regarding the national anthem,’ league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement issued Thursday night. ‘The anthem will continue to be played before every game, and all player and non-player personnel on the field at that time are expected to stand during the presentation of the flag and performance of the anthem. Personnel who do not wish to do so can choose to remain in the locker room.’”

There were a number of protests throughout the league and those taking part gave no indication they were one and done with everything off their chest. Again, it’s only a few individuals we’re talking about, but it only takes one or two to send the media and culture into a frenzy.

In addition to the utter stupidity involved with basically sabotaging and wrecking their own livelihoods (and the future prospects of all aspiring football players) these token few rule-breaking deviants are supplying the perfect forum for President Trump to fan the flames of the culture war.

The NFL season coincides with America’s political season, right? How about giving the president a weekly reason to tweet his support for standing for the national anthem and saluting the flag? LeBron James and every other brain-dulled sports superstar can keep talking all they want – it’s just playing into their “enemy’s” hands.

Think it won’t make a difference? In last week’s Ohio special election there was evidence the Trump-supporting “Reagan Democrats” didn’t bother turning out for Republican Troy Balderson, leading to a razor-thin victory for the GOP candidate in a district that went for Trump by ten points in 2016.

If the football players think they’re “raising awareness” they may be right – but it’s not the kind of “awareness” they’re hoping for. The last thing Democrats need this fall is a reason for the slumbering America-revering GOP base to become agitated. If I were “Chucky” Schumer and Nancy Pelosi I’d get busy making calls to whomever leads this gaggle of flag protesting losers and order them to tone it down – or the “blue wave” will definitely turn into a flat calm.

It shouldn’t be forgotten Democrats still don’t have an issue platform to sell voters. Trump-hate may be enough to sway districts a few points but a “blue wave” would require a good deal more kinetic energy to form. If the “wave” slams up against the images of NFL players kneeling, locking arms, raising fists or “speaking out” then it will certainly rouse the heretofore apathetic.

Emotion is funny that way. There’s nothing like changes in culture to drive politics. We should all be talking about it, but no one’s moving the conversation.

David French wrote at National Review, “Discussion of American cultural conflicts has to take place alongside, not instead of, pivotal conversations and debates about race. Indeed, the legacy of American racism (including the sad prevalence of outright racists in the GOP) is one reason why white conservatives struggle to form alliances with black voters who are actually more culturally and religiously similar to their rural and exurban white neighbors than to their white progressive allies.

“This is but one short piece. Other pieces can be written about the role race undeniably plays in our politics and culture. But it’s important to understand that when conservatives confront a political coalition that seems to be cheering the decline of ‘whiteness,’ they often experience it as an attack on ‘white people the Left doesn’t like.’

“As for the rest? They roll on, enjoying the same power and the same privilege. They’ve sacrificed little and stand to gain a lot: nothing short of victory in the great white culture war.”

French’s is a fascinating treatment on the subject, well worth a full read if you have time. The pasty white male leadership of the NFL represents the urban white liberal elites who look down on the “other” whites in the country, the rural Trump-voting small-town dwellers who work with their hands and couldn’t care less about never having gone to college. Problem: these folks basically constitute the league’s fan base, the people who actually care about which team wins.

The white NFL elites think it’s okay for the non-white players to trample on the beliefs of the “other” whites because they share the same contempt for the military, church, Chick-fil-A, NASCAR, “Last Man Standing” and other institutions of so-called “white America.” It’s cool to be a white “redneck” basher – it gets you invited to all the right parties. Hillary Clinton’s social circle, right? Want tickets to a taping of Stephen Colbert’s show?

So yes, America does look different today and many of us are upset about it. The changes resulted from a devolution of culture where it’s no longer considered mandatory by the elites to express regular reverence for God, tradition and country. If we’re truly better off for it, can someone explain how?

Reprinted with permission from ConservativeHQ.com