It seems to me you are intellectually flopping like a fish on hot, dry pavement. Some of your posts have been insightful and substantive, so I know you have a brain. I hope to see it in action again some time soon when you are finished with your emotional masterbation.
That is fine what you just said, but why do athletes owe blind allegiance to the President? This is not North Korea.
Does their sport draw as large an audience throughout the year as the men, yes or no? Does their sport get the same advertising dollars throughout the year as the men, yes or no? If yes, then they should be paid the same, if not, then no. They're in the entertainment business and you get paid on what you can draw in. Simple.
Who gives a crap, honestly. If they weren't paid enough (through salary and endorsements) they wouldn't play. End of story.
Put that way, athletes do not owe the President blind allegiance. However, not standing in support of one’s own country seems logically inconsistent when you are representing your country in a sport. Obviously the ability to publicly make such statements does attest to the greatness of our system, but I, for one, am left with a bad taste in my mouth. I feel this behavior actually cheapens the protester and our country by making the protester looking like a ungrateful and spoiled brat who seems to consider the expression of her political ideals as being more important than the primary reason fans come to watch the game: To have fun and get away from their increasingly over-politicized daily lives.
It was only one player by the way, for the final all 10 starters and bench were standing and singing the national anthem so it is a little bit of hyperbole to throw the whole team under the bus for that. You guys are all over reacting and calling them dykes and that they hate their country and their President.