This is Dumb!

It was bad enough when divisive politics afflicted movie stars and television personalities but then we are accustomed to Hollywood glitterati jetsetting off to a conference on the environment or climate change, spewing tons of carbon from their private jets while lecturing us on how we have to change our lifestyles to save the planet. But now it is getting serious. Now we can’t even watch a NFL football game without having to make a decision about whether the team or the player is sufficiently politically correct or incorrect.

President Trump is telling his supporters to boycott the NFL until the owners start firing protesting players. So I guess that means that left-wing Democrats and progressives will be scooping up discounted season tickets to show their support for the protestors. Of course, this means that the tailgate parties will have to change. Out with beer and BBQ, in with watercress sandwiches and chardonnay.

Do you know what you are really doing? Everyone is making this fuss about what Donald Trump said or did. And that is exactly what he wants (I was going to make a comment about Br’er Rabbit but most of you wouldn’t know what I was talking about). He is the center of attention. Everybody is focused on him instead of the game. This is exactly what he did during the presidential campaign. He would do something outrageous and that was all that anybody could talk about. He didn’t dominate the news - he was the news.

Most of the outraged people don’t even know who Colin Kaepernick is or why he sat down during the national anthem. The original issue is irrelevant because now the issue is Trump. All the rage and fury on both side just feeds his enormous ego. I don’t think he even cares if you like him or not, as long as your every waking thought is about him.

You could say that I am part of this foolish herd because I am writing another essay about President Trump. But I’m not. I am writing this about you. You are the one letting this person dominate your life and thoughts. Ruining friendships and breaking apart families. This isn’t even about politics. Left/right – who cares? This is all about Trump.

The American flag and the national anthem are supposed to be symbols of unity but they are now mere tools used for the feeding of President Trump’s ego. He doesn’t care if you rage against him. He doesn’t care if you are a supporter or opponent. He doesn’t care if you hate him or adore him. Every time you post an outrageous comment or dumb joke you are just giving him more of what he wants.

So after I post this essay I am not going to think about Donald Trump for the rest of the day. Anytime a Trump thought tries to edge into my consciousness I will say out my mantra and clear my head. Every time somebody posts about him I will say my mantra again. Repeating and repeating until I can think of something else – anything else. And tonight I am going to watch the Cowboys play football and I don’t care who stands, sits or kneels. And if the announcers start to talk about it I will hit the mute button and watch the game in silence.