Celebrating U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s Loss: An American Tradition

Poetic Justice: Megan Rapinoe’s Humiliating Defeat

Next to the dictionary definition of “poetic justice” should be a picture of Megan Rapinoe’s humiliated little face ⁣after ​whiffing ⁣a penalty kick that helped seal the fate of the U.S. women’s soccer team.

In ⁣a​ shootout that ended the game 5-4, ‍Sweden defeated the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), sending them packing ⁢from the World Cup. Of course, ⁣the ​blue-and-yellow-clad fans and players were ecstatic. But the next most excited⁣ observers were actually Americans — specifically the ones who, you know, like America.

Rapinoe’s fan club — which ⁣includes corporate‌ media, LGBT advocates, and the stans in the ‌ White ⁣House, among others — has been busy heaping praise on the team and pointing⁢ the finger at those unpatriotic conservatives who aren’t devastated ⁣by the loss ⁣and took things “a⁢ step too far.” But here’s⁤ the thing: If you don’t claim allegiance to⁤ America when you win, don’t expect Americans to give a‌ hoot when you lose.

A Lack of Patriotism

Save⁣ for the few⁤ patriotic players⁣ who will hopefully rebuild ⁤the USWNT’s legacy and ⁣define its attitude in the future, the women’s team is a proud ⁢collection ⁣of ingrates who have been defined by their disdain for the very ‍country that emblazons their jerseys.‌ Their‍ lack of patriotism is so overt it’s​ become a theme throughout this⁢ World​ Cup. ‌When ​the anthems of other countries play, the opposing teams zealously belt out the words in unmistakable allegiance. Each time‍ the “Star-Spangled ⁤Banner” plays before match-ups, ​most of the U.S. athletes follow the lead of their blue-haired ring ‍leader and refuse ​to sing along or ​place their hands over their hearts⁤ in quiet defiance of the country that gave them everything.

Less quiet has⁢ been Megan‌ “Walking ⁢Protest” Rapinoe’s years-long and ​outspoken hatred⁢ of America and its values. In 2019, she declared,‍ “I’ll probably never put my‍ hand over my heart.⁢ “I’ll probably never sing the national⁣ anthem again.” Stunning and brave.

Not only was she one of the⁤ first athletes ​to embrace anthem kneeling alongside Colin Kaepernick, but she also is a loud LGBT ⁤activist and‌ proponent of letting men who claim⁣ to be ⁣women dominate female sports. Real female ‌leaders‌ find ways to boost the girls that follow in their footsteps, ⁤but not⁤ Rapinoe. She’d rather throw​ them to⁤ the testosterone-jacked wolves.

It’s easier to welcome ⁣men into women’s spaces, I suppose, when ⁣you’ve already got your trophies and millions and have one foot out the door. Rapinoe’s fairer-sex forbears blazed an epic trail for their American female progeny to walk. But the soccer star’s legacy? Doing her darndest to turn ‌every future⁣ women’s World Cup into a battle⁢ of ⁢the‌ bulge.

Not ​everyone is into soccer — or Olympic ice dancing​ or synchronized swimming or BMX biking — but you’d‌ best believe that when U.S. athletes are representing the ⁣greatest country on⁤ Earth on the world stage,​ every ‍good American pulls for ⁢a “W” or a gold. It shouldn’t be⁤ pleasurable for spectators to watch⁢ the USWNT​ make a historically​ early exit.

But as Fox and Friends co-host Will Cain ⁣ tweeted, “[T]his team came to be defined by arrogant celebrity activists who went⁢ out of their way to ‍exhibit shame in the US, begin the ⁣process of destroying their own sport (advocating for men to play women’s sports) and curry victimization‍ with false narratives about equal⁣ pay. Nobody made it harder to root for them than the USWNT.”

The U.S. Women’s National Team has only two jobs: Score‍ goals​ to win ⁢games, and proudly represent the great US of A. They haven’t ⁤been delivering on the latter, and they just blew the former.‌ So yeah, ‍not having to endure another anti-American ​anthem ‍schtick from ⁤a losing team is something to clap about.

USWNT diehards and dedicated leftists can spin ‌all day to make⁢ conservatives the bad guys here, but Rapinoe’s detractors didn’t fire the first shot in this dumb culture war. That’s on her and her self-satisfied teammates.⁤ Perhaps this pathetic​ display in ⁣front of the whole freaking world ‍will be ​a lesson to the up-and-comers​ who think emulating petty social‍ justice ‌warriors‍ is a good idea.

Play stupid political‌ games, win​ stupid political prizes.

Kylee Griswold⁤ is the editorial director ⁣of ‍The Federalist. She previously worked as the copy editor ⁤for the Washington Examiner magazine and as‍ an editor and​ producer at ‌National Geographic. She holds a ​B.S. in ​Communication Arts/Speech and‌ an⁤ A.S. in Criminal Justice and writes on topics including feminism and gender issues, religion, and the media. Follow her‍ on Twitter ‍ @kyleezempel.