Authoritarianism is defined as the a principle of blind submission to authority, instead of individual freedom of thought and action. It denotes a political system that concentrates power in the hands of a leader or a small elite that is not constitutionally responsible to the people.
As we look at the increasingly acrid political environment that currently permeates our country, we find our countrymen embroiled in a foolish, wasteful dialectic – one that wants to redefine the Constitution of the United States on the fly.
According to The First Amendment of the Constitution, every American is born with the freedom of speech, which includes actions of protest. However, many in the conservative political circle, which includes right-wing Christians, seem to be in favor of decrees that tarnish and rust the rights of all.
On Tuesday, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a conservative Republican if you ever did see one, passed a decree that is designed to stifle political dissent under the guise of patriotism.
Henry McMaster on Twitter
I ask that all South Carolinians show the world our state’s resolute commitment to supporting our troops by standing for the national anthem wherever you watch the Super Bowl with your loved ones this Sunday. #IStand
“Standing for the national anthem recognizes and honors the sacrifice of generations of men and women who have chosen to serve in the United States Armed Forces,” McMaster said in a news release. “I ask that all South Carolinians show the world our state’s resolute commitment to supporting our troops by standing for the national anthem wherever you watch the Super Bowl with your loved ones this Sunday.”
The decree comes after a season in which the National Football League entered into an agreement with a concerned group of current and former players that would see the league invest in issues that affect institutional racism and the impoverished and disenfranchised in a positive manner.
At the height of the controversy, Donald Trump waded into the pool of discontent, further fouling the situation by calling payers who refused to stand for the anthem sons of bitches. He did so repeatedly, in fact.
One might say the only reason why Trump’s interference didnt totally blow up in the faces of the activist-minded players is that the NFL owners are filthy rich. Thus, they arent accustomed to anyone telling them what to do, including the president.
Trumps mission to shame league owners into capitulating with his demands actually galvanized them to outwardly oppose him on that issue.
Though the player protests havent even appeared on the radar of the mainstream media in months, the South Carolina governor is trying to use it to satiate his constituency, a constituency that has become increasingly disenfranchised by their elected officials.
McMaster gave Trump a spirited endorsement during a campaign rally in January 2016.
Despite what they continually trumpet to their base, the national anthem protests have zero to do with anti-patriotism or disrespecting the military. Its all about quashing the voice of the opposition, period.
