General Discussion

SheilaT

(23,156 posts) Sun Feb 7, 2016, 07:35 PM Feb 2016

When did the Superbowl become an exercise in enforced patriotism? [View all]

I haven't watched one in about 15 years, and I caught part of the beginning ceremonies, and I'm frankly horrified.

I've been muttering for years that if a foreign power wanted to invade us, they'd do it during a Superbowl. A patient enemy would wait for the Washington Redskins (or whatever name they may have in the future)to be in, because the entire District of Columbia is totally shut down when they play -- I know from experience. And if the 'Skins were to win, it would be March, at least, before anyone would notice.

Seriously.

Oh, and there is a bit of sarcasm but mostly hyperbole in this post.

56 replies

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Highlight:

When did the Superbowl become an exercise in enforced patriotism? [View all] SheilaT Feb 2016 OP

9/11/2001 WhaTHellsgoingonhere Feb 2016 #1

Oh, dear lord. SheilaT Feb 2016 #3

Clancey got there first Fumesucker Feb 2016 #8

Also, even before that, there was Frankenheimer's Black Sunday WillowTree Feb 2016 #14

Yup. Pretty much it. DanTex Feb 2016 #5

Oh, God. STILL??? kath Feb 2016 #21

"Patriotism is the passion of fools and the most foolish of passions." Arthur Schopenhauer Tierra_y_Libertad Feb 2016 #2

Reminds me of the games in the Roman Coliseum. -none Feb 2016 #4

I stopped the stream for that bushwah bullshit. hifiguy Feb 2016 #6

It gets worse every year. I used to attend parties just to socialize and ignore the game. arcane1 Feb 2016 #7

I DVR it awoke_in_2003 Feb 2016 #53

"...an exercise in enforced patriotism..." Snobblevitch Feb 2016 #9

Yeah, good luck getting out alive when you dont stand davidn3600 Feb 2016 #11

I didn't stand and nobody is bothering me. Snobblevitch Feb 2016 #13

No, I'm home alone, lucky me, SheilaT Feb 2016 #15

What does Snobblevitch Feb 2016 #17

There is a strong sense of religion in the patriotism that's imposed in these things. SheilaT Feb 2016 #24

Who is 'enforcing' patriotism? Snobblevitch Feb 2016 #32

Agreed. ChairmanAgnostic Feb 2016 #35

it was choreographed like hopemountain Feb 2016 #29

There was a superb HBO Documentary on HBO some years ago malaise Feb 2016 #10

Sounds like something I'd like to watch. SheilaT Feb 2016 #16

This is it -- you might be able to find a torrent and/or stream RedFury Feb 2016 #18

Thank you. I hope I can find it. SheilaT Feb 2016 #25

Wow - you found it malaise Feb 2016 #30

It seems to be totally unavailable, even to buy on Amazon. SheilaT Feb 2016 #48

It's been done since WW2 davidn3600 Feb 2016 #12

If you are talking of sports in genereal yes nadinbrzezinski Feb 2016 #22

But nationalism and militarism are not the same thing malaise Feb 2016 #31

Yeah aswanson Feb 2016 #19

Oh, hell, it's always been this way hatrack Feb 2016 #20

This is not exclusive to the Superbowl nadinbrzezinski Feb 2016 #23

Super Bowl XXV Blue_Tires Feb 2016 #26

So.......you're not a sports fan....... WillowTree Feb 2016 #27

It's the sense of enforced patriotism that has me gobsmacked. SheilaT Feb 2016 #28

The Super Bowl is a 4 hour sporting event. Calista241 Feb 2016 #33

Nothing enforced about it leftynyc Feb 2016 #37

You don't have to do anything, even if you're personally attending the event. branford Feb 2016 #38

Bravo!! Exceptionally well said! WillowTree Feb 2016 #41

I have never been to any sporting event....... WillowTree Feb 2016 #40

No different from any other country hardluck Feb 2016 #50

On the plus side, Washington will never get to the Superbowl, so we're safe. Orrex Feb 2016 #34

Thankfully Dan Snyder is quite young, so it could be another four decades madinmaryland Feb 2016 #55

Since the NFL got paid by the military to hype it. Brickbat Feb 2016 #36

Then you would really hate NASCAR MindPilot Feb 2016 #39

Thanks for everyone's responses. SheilaT Feb 2016 #42

where have you been for the last 50 years? librechik Feb 2016 #43

It's that way for all the big pro sports in the country. -eom- HuckleB Feb 2016 #44

The Superbowl combines many things that I despise. I am a bad 'Murikin. Arugula Latte Feb 2016 #45

And the racist commercials and the ads referencing the civil war, WTF! Dont call me Shirley Feb 2016 #46

Pentagon pays for it. Octafish Feb 2016 #47

also who payed for the blue angels fly over? JanMichael Feb 2016 #49

Yep, since 9/11/2001. dchill Feb 2016 #51

I was at a party.. nearly everyone stood up with hand over heart mountain grammy Feb 2016 #52

If that wasn't at least an attempt to enforce SheilaT Feb 2016 #54

I thought it kind of weird.. I know all these people pretty well mountain grammy Feb 2016 #56