M.A.P (Movement Associated Press) - "Megan Rapinoe holds up her flag with a smile" Dear Pinoe, You are one of the best players to ever play the game. And one of the most colorful personalities in the history of the world. You have always been a favorite, for so many, including me. But let's consider the approach for how you are protesting. You have the right to protest, and I feel for minorities and gay athletes, I really do. People are people. We should all get equal freedoms and equal opportunities (along with equal treatment from superiors in uniform), and it's a good thing you are showing your passion on this. In life, however, there are optimal ways to show your protest. There are right ways, there are better ways, and then there are less than stellar ways to show protest, for any protest, no matter the level of protest. Personally, I don't think you should be disciplined. But I do think you should consider switching up your game here in how you are protesting. I think it would draw more attention, and I think it would allow you to restore your visual love for America in front of the whole nation. They will then get the fact that you were only making a statement, and were not trying to eternally hate on our nation, our flag, or our anthem. There is no doubt about it, everybody has a right to express themselves. That is what is so great about this great nation. But there are ways to get your point across, and then there are ways that are distracting to others, including your own teammates, coaches, and everyone affiliated with the national team. I don’t think it’s necessarily a good thing to be a distraction to your team. I don’t think it’s good to use the team as thee platform, your platform, for carrying out your message. I just don't fully agree with that. There are other creative ways in which you can do that, and you are a very creative person. I wish you would figure that out without doing it as a distraction toward your team, and certainly during our nation's best lyrics, our beloved national anthem. The race problems we have in this country are still problems. There is still a lot of wrong out there. Progress has been made over the past 50+ years, since Martin Luther King preached his dream, but not enough progress has been made. But the way you are protesting, it's not the optimal way of doing it. Two wrongs don't make a right. It never has, and it never will. And I think it just creates more divisiveness, more division. The way you are protesting could only contribute (even in a small way) toward this nation being called DSA (Divided States of America) instead of USA (United States of America). I think there’s always a better way. A more creative way. You could have held a press conference off the field. You could have even acted like you were retiring or announce that you have the HIV virus to draw attention, and then pull a fast one by saying, "no I was only kidding, but while I have your attention, this is how I feel about the problems we have in this nation". That may not be the optimal way of protesting either, but you know what, it wouldn't have been any worse than the approach you are choosing now, to be quite frank about this entire situation. But you are innovative. Express your feelings. Find a creative way to do it. People will show up. You have a powerful voice as it is, use it. I think everybody has that right, and I certainly respect that. But I just think that this just creates more division. And that’s why I hate to see the backlash that you are receiving from this whole scenario, and any possible discipline, because I know in your heart that you mean well. You have good intentions here, with everything that you are doing. But how things are received by the mass public ultimately trumps how it is often initially intended. That's just how it works. And doing it during the most sacred ritual in this nation, our flag, our anthem, it's just not the best approach. There's still a lot of good in this country, however, and we always have to remember that. This is earth, it is not heaven. There’s more good than bad in this country, and in this world. I think one of the greatest leaders this world has ever seen was Martin Luther King. I don’t know that there has ever been a better man or a better leader. He changed the world through love in the face of hate. He changed the world through peace in the face of violence. He changed the world through education in the face of ignorance, and he changed the world through faith & religion. And that is indeed politically incorrect. But that’s what he did, and it worked. But you are just as creative as Martin Luther King, or at the very least, you have the gifted touch of that in you. He used the power of voice and respect for all humanity to get his point across. He knew there was potential good in people. And he believed in this country. He didn't kneel during any anthem in anything that he believed in this land we call America the Beautiful. He believed that the flag would represent freedom, and the opportunity for vision, and for progression. The progression of love, the progression of respect, and the progression of togetherness. He had that dream. And we have made great progress since then. But not enough, because even just one racist in this world is too many. But without Martin Luther King, things would be a lot worse. So I ask you Ms. Rapinoe, channel your inner Martin Luther King from within. Because you have it in you. You have that level of creativity, that dream, that passion, and that heart & soul to make it happen. To continue progress in all the right directions, you have that good intention internally, but externally is how you need to communicate it with a more effective (and optimal) outcome. Please consider finding a more creative way than protesting during the national anthem. You will find more peace about it, and more receptiveness toward your message. Use this as a transition point to a newly constructed bridge, a new connected bridge toward your next platform to get your message across. Your teammates will also appreciate that. Take it from me, as someone that often goes to the extreme in making a point, and stepping over boundaries to make that point, by receiving backlash online toward my character, my persona, in the soccer world online. There is always a more creative way to get your message out there. And an approach that doesn't stomp on as many toes along the way. We all live, and we all learn. We all make progress. And that's what Dr. Martin Luther King wanted. Honestly, that's what we all want. At least everyone that has an ounce of good in them. Be all that you can be. And find the right balance between doing the most good, with empowering and inspiring people in this nation to be united with you, not divided from you. Division doesn't work in market share growth in the business world. Addition does. Change your style from division to addition. And you'll capture more % of the audience from your prime target market .... the entire United States of America, and its greatest assets, our people. People you may say? That's what we all are. And we can all be "moved". WWC_Movement (one of the craziest mofo soccer characters in the galaxy) And a promoter of Megan Rapinoe in having a good heart, a good soul, and good intentions, despite not choosing the optimal approach to getting her message out there.
Megan Rapinoe is now the face of our WNT, the sole reason being she disrespects our flag. I've been a fan of this team for many years, and have watched every game possible. But, I'm a veteran and a patriot, and for me her selfish actions are a deal-breaker. I'll be back when she is gone, not before.
I would be gone if Rapinoe were punished for her peaceful, legal, and mild protest in support of a better America. I've also been in the army. It was a few years ago, about as long ago as the Boston Tea Party -- which was a protest and doubtless was condemned by moss-backs as inappropriate, unpatriotic, and disrespectful.