Another international championship competition, another story about privileged American athletes who refuse to show respect for the United States. Many players on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team (USWNST) did not sing the national anthem when it was played before the team played Vietnam. The World Cup competition is being held in New Zealand.

We’ve seen this show before – the USWNST wins a spot in World Cup competition and then the team embarrasses at least half of America for their behavior while overseas. It’s obnoxious enough for the far-left progressive members of the team to make political points at home, it’s worse when they do it overseas. They are too young and naive to understand the meaning of leaving politics at the water’s edge. Progressives don’t care about that kind of thing. Democrats from Joe Biden on down the line go overseas and freely criticize their opponents in a lame attempt to puff themselves up.

The reason we leave politics at the water’s edge – or used to do that – is because it is a sign of national strength to show a united front. Leftists don’t care about that anymore. This attitude seeps into other areas, including sports competitions. We’ve seen athletes make statements by kneeling during the national anthem. Some refuse to leave the locker room until the national anthem is finished playing.

Professional athletes, like entertainers, fail to understand that we see through these gestures. The people doing these protests are in it to call attention to themselves. They cash in on the attention and look at themselves as brave heroes for speaking up. The problem with that is this is a deeply divided country and about half of the country will probably not agree with the other half on any given issue. Americans are tired of having politics thrown into every aspect of their lives, including entertainment like sports. Sports are used as a distraction, a time to forget about everyday nuisances and stress, and just relax and focus on a game. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so. Sports bring millions of eyes and political activists take advantage of that. The problem with that strategy is that they have shrunk their audiences because of their aggressive political activism.

Most of the U.S. Women’s soccer players refused to sing our great national anthem.

What. A. Disgrace. pic.twitter.com/G8CJc22BMJ

— 3sidedstory 🇺🇲 (@3sidedstory) July 22, 2023

I counted five team members who placed their hands over their hearts. A few sang, or mouthed the words.

Fans are tired of it all.

“Can someone teach [the United States Women’s Soccer team] the words to the ‘Star Spangled Banner’?” Their silence was deafening,” one person quipped.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was pardoned by former President Donald Trump after he was convicted on eight felonies in 2010, including tax fraud and lying to White House officials, called the display “an international embarrassment [sic].”

“No one should be allowed to wear the American flag, and represent the U.S. if they don’t believe in it,” he wrote. “Most of them don’t even know the words.

This is not how the Vietnamese team handled it when their country’s national anthem was played.

The entire opposing team appeared to passionately sing as Vietnam’s national anthem “Tiến Quân Ca,” or “Song of a Marching Army” was played. The players seemed to sing in unison, and all eleven athletes held their right hands over their hearts.

Here’s the thing. I don’t care if an American sings the national anthem when it is played or not. But at least stand and place your hand over your heart as a show of respect. Just pretend to be respectful if you have to, but do it. Especially when overseas. The world is watching.

Six of the 11 American soccer players who stood on the field stood with their hands to their sides or behind their backs as the anthem played. I don’t see Megan Rapinoe on the field with them. Three of them mouthed the words – Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, and Lindsey Horan. You can see a coach singing and lots of people in the stands doing so, too.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS AT THE 2023 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME 🙌 pic.twitter.com/czqIXr5zBT

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 22, 2023

I’m fine with Rapinoe not being on the field with the team. Let her kneel off-camera.

Rapinoe is playing in her final World Cup. Earlier this month, Rapinoe said she will retire from professional soccer at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.

She has also been outspoken on a long list of social issues throughout her career including, LGBTQ+ rights, racial inequality, voter rights and gender and pay equity.

In the weeks leading up 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Rapinoe stated that she would “never put my hand over my heart” during the playing of the national anthem.

“I’ll probably never sing the national anthem again,” she said at the time.

The American team defeated Vietnam 3-0.

Rapinoe is one who has cashed in on her political activism. Joe and Jill Biden think she’s great. She has been to the White House as their guest more than once. Biden presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022. That is what the photo with the headline above shows.

It’s Game Day for Team USA!

We are all cheering you on, @USWNT. 💕 pic.twitter.com/1ypZqf61Nk

— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) July 21, 2023

Way to go @USWNT, we are all so proud of you!

On to game 2! 🇺🇸 ⚽️ ♥️ https://t.co/Y3LLNhhaTO

— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) July 22, 2023

The women are free to behave as jerks if they want to because they are Americans. The country that is so heavily criticized by some on the team isn’t perfect but it is the most perfect in the world. This is Rapinoe’s last year with the team, she is retiring. There is no denying she is a talented player. Your mileage may vary when it comes to her politics and political expression.