Former ESPN Host Says Nat’l Anthem is ‘Mandatory Patriotism’

There are no shortage of opinions about the playing of the National Anthem at American sporting events, and a cavalcade of new thoughts on the subject just keep piling on.

The latest poking of the bear comes after Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban attempted to simply stop playing the anthem before games – something that he was later forced to rescind on account of some rule within the NBA itself.

Now, outspoken liberal and former ESPN host Jemele Hill is weighing in, and taking some ugly shots at the anthem in the meantime.

“Playing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sporting events has become an empty gesture of patriotism,” Hill wrote with her first few words.

The left-wing activist praised Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban for his reported attempt to put a halt to the playing of the anthem. A source close to Cuban said that the decision to stop playing the anthem was made because not everyone feels “represented” by the national anthem.

While the NBA quickly disabused Cuban of his notion of ending the song, Jemele Hill still thinks the idea of canceling the national anthem is the right move for professional sports.

As far as Hill is concerned, “the Mavericks should have held their ground” and continued to impose their ban on the anthem.

But that wasn’t all:

“When the Mavericks stopped playing the national anthem, [NBA commissioner Adam] Silver should have been similarly accommodating—and taken advantage of the opportunity to lift the league’s anthem rule. Whatever the NBA decided was going to outrage someone. But mandatory patriotism doesn’t give Americans reason for pride; it only highlights the country’s failures,” Hill exclaimed.

So it seems that our sports world will once again be inundated with politics and drivel in 2021.