Texas
Related: About this forumRepublicans are Running Out of Sports to Watch
Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott made headlines when he reneged on throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers home opener. Citing the MLBs decision to move its summer All-Star Game from Atlanta in response to Georgias new voter law, the Republican went a step further by announcing a personal boycott of baseball. It is shameful that Americas pastime is not only being influenced by partisan political politics, but also perpetuating false political narratives, he wrote in an open letter to Rangers president Mike Leibman, adding that the state wouldnt seek to host or participate in future events held by the league.
Like many of Abbotts public statements, these declarations amount to little more than posturing in the name of peddling falsehoods. But when you step back and view them within the larger national narrative, they align with the widespread culture war that GOP lawmakers continue to wage in hopes of distracting voters from their attacks on democracy. Even more, they speak to the fact that, for all their talk of cancel culture, its clear that conservatives are the standard-bearers of the phenomenon they claim to so vehemently oppose.
Whats most fascinating about the governors decision, though, is that it continues Republicans targeting of professional sports. In less than a year, the GOP has lashed out against almost every major U.S. sport, starting with the NBA last summer. After a player-led campaign turned the leagues Orlando bubble into the biggest political platform in the history of American athletics, conservatives like insurrectionist man of the people Josh Hawley cried foulimploring NBA commissioner Adam Silver to include Back the Blue in its messaging around social justice. ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowskis response to the senators request put it best: F*ck you.
In the months since, the GOP has deployed similar tactics against the WNBA (including former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who owned the Atlanta Dream before the teams players helped push her out of the franchise) and the NFL over similar player protests. They even went after NASCAR after it banned the Confederate flag from its racetracks last July. Let me reiterate: Republicans called for their voters to boycott NASCAR.
Read more: https://texassignal.com/republicans-are-running-out-of-sports-to-watch/
sop
(10,090 posts)pandr32
(11,548 posts)The former guy's favorite.
TexasTowelie
(111,894 posts)pandr32
(11,548 posts)I think guys like Trump like to watch the women play
idziak4ever1234
(1,257 posts)TexasTowelie
(111,894 posts)If you can sit down with a beer and watch it on TV then it qualifies.
NoMoreRepugs
(9,363 posts)TexasTowelie
(111,894 posts)keithbvadu2
(36,640 posts)They still have HS girls' basketball.
Middle school girls' soccer.
Gym Jordan and Dennis Hastert have boys' wrestling.