For those who don’t know, I love America. So when I see someone disrespecting America it makes me very angry. First off,  just so this post is related to sports in some way, I will tell a short tale that angered me very much. I was attending a Westborough soccer game about a month ago and while the national anthem was playing four kids sitting in front of me did not stand. Not only did they not stand, but they talked through the whole thing. Really? REALLY?

Now I cannot and will not speculate what these people’s origins are but that does not matter, you stand during any nations national anthem. If I was in a country that was not my own I would still, out of respect, do what was accepted during that country’s national anthem.

Now along with this topic of disrespecting America comes those people who choose to sit during our morning Pledge Allegiance. You have no idea how angry that makes me. Go ahead and have your own political views, be that elitist you’re trying to be, but again show some respect! You live in the world’s greatest country, the home of the free, and you decide to ignore the Pledge. It takes under a minute each morning to stand and hold your hand to your heart and look at our flag, you don’t even have to say it. Now the opposing argument by some who choose not to stand, is that there are issues with what the government is doing so in opposition you don’t stand.

So what if you don’t like what the government is doing? Then don’t say the Pledge for the government, say it for the soldiers who are protecting this country. In my eyes if you are sitting during the pledge or national anthem you are directly disrespecting the soldiers who are protecting YOU. And to those people who are going to say, “well I’m against the war”, I say ok well you can be against the war, but still support those anonymous men and women who are keeping us all safe.

It really bothers me when I see any of this, especially because I have a brother who is in the United States Marines and hearing people say I don’t support the troops because I don’t support the war is so aggravating. My brother has a beautiful four month old daughter who he has to leave for ten months starting in May because he will be going to Afghanistan to fight for our county and to protect the people of America.

So I will leave you all with this. To all you people who say you don’t support the troops, put yourself in his shoes. Imagine if you were a soldier leaving your baby and wife of less than one month behind to go protect millions of people you don’t know. Now how would you feel if people said they don’t support you?