American Pride Thrives While Politics Try To Mute It

“What if national pride itself has become the most controversial idea in modern politics?” In a heated exchange sparked by Olympic hockey, this episode of The Rant Network explores how sports, patriotism, and political identity collide on both sides of the political divide, questioning why moments meant for unity so often turn into cultural or political flashpoints. The conversation contrasts athletic achievement with media narratives, examines discomfort around national symbols, and challenges listeners to consider whether pride in country can still exist without being filtered through ideology.

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Transcript

Pride, Flags, And Patriotism

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Yeah, this time yesterday, Stuart, the game was over. Alcohol was flowing in a lot of places in the US and Canada, uh, over the men's hockey game. And I gotta tell you, yesterday morning over coffee, I had to choke a little bit as much as Canada lost to the United States. Um as a hockey guy, I could tell you that Canada dominated the game, but the United States goaltender was way better and deserved the victory. And congratulations to the US men as well as the US women who also played a fantastic tournament. And you know, it's just amazing to me the the depths of seriousness that people have taken when it comes to competition. And in the Olympics, brings out should bring out the best in all of us with our respectful, you know, respect, you know, uh our pride in our country. But as a Canadian, I'm really struggling with being proud to be Canadian in light of what's going on here. But I'm not not I'm not unhappy to be Canadian because of the as much of the people, as much as it's the government. And I'm not happy with that. But in the United States, it just seems that you guys have you have to take things always to another level. And you know, when it comes up to patriotism, many look at the United States over the years and said, now that's a country that's patriotic. You drive, Stuart, through the United States very often, and you'll see American flags on porches. I've been state, I've been into a lot of states, and when you're driving and you see those American flags, it's a it's a great feeling. It's it's cool, it's great to be proud to be American. But you have an entire movement in the United States that decided that that's actually disgusting, that it's actually vile to be proud to be American today. And it's all politics, it has nothing to do with anything more. That there the demand and the drive to destroy the US, the fabric that is the United States, that's what they want to do. They just want to destroy it. And that's your friends on the left. The friends on the left, the media, the politicians, the entertainers, the athletes, whatever you want. And I'm saying not the Olympic athletes. The Olympic athletes went out there, Stewart, and mostly proudly represented the United States. They didn't want to talk politics. The hockey players didn't want to talk politics after the game. They were like, get off my case. I just want a hockey game. I won the biggest game since 1980. Proud to be USA. They've draped themselves in American flags. That's proud to be an American. And these are multi-millionaires. Yeah, sure. But they were proud to be American. And you have an entire movement that is trying to convince you that you're better off hating America than loving it. Stuart, I'm sickened by the movement in the United States that believes life in the US cannot get worse.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

All right, David, you know me. I love cliches. Why America hates America all season, all reason, every time Donald Trump wins. How's that for a good one? You know, the the the realities are I want to talk about a pattern. It's not which it's not a feeling, it's a pattern. It's documented, it's predictable like clockwork. Every four years, the Winter Olympics rolls out. American athletes. You know, listen, I was uh athlete. I trained kids who entrained their entire lives, sacrificed, bled, cried, threw up.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Let alone the parents, let alone the parents that drove you to the pool, let alone the parents that dragged you from one event to another, swayed in the by the poolside, just so you could be the best that you can be.

Media And The Left’s Narrative

Pattern Of Outrage In Election Years

SPEAKER_02 4:00

And every athlete at every time only wanted to compete under that flag. And what does the American left do? They find a reason to root against themselves, they find a reason to embarrass or say they are embarrassed by us wearing the red, white, and blue. They find reasons to remind you that American success is complicated, that our victories come with an asterisk, like especially when the land belongs to Indians that you're crying that you're, you know, someone else stole land. Or maybe we just didn't deserve to win. Maybe wink, wink, nod, nod. And and and it only happens when there's a Republican in power. And it's not just the Olympics, it's every single arena on every single stage, every moment where you expect an American, any American to feel pride, they feel the need to tear it down. But here's the thing the pattern gets worse, it gets louder, it gets more unhinged, it gets more naked and exposed. The moment a republic's in the White House, and when Republican just so happens to be Donald J. Trump, they lose their minds with Donald Trump derangement syndrome at levels never seen before. They lose their minds completely. Not blame Bush. Oh my god, that was bad. This is to a whole new standard. So today we're gonna answer the question once and for all why does the left hate America and why does Trump break them so completely? Let's start with the this year's Olympics because it's a perfect petri dish. The Olympics is supposed to be the one moment where politicals and politics stop. National pride takes over. It starts being separated by flags and ends with everyone unified on the closing ceremony. Floor. You don't have to agree with your government, you don't have to cheer for your athletes. Kids from Iowa, Louisiana, inner cities, Detroit, train for decades for the moment. They're not Republicans or Democrats. They're competing for the United States of America. Whether they live in some other country and they live in America, they're competing for their pride, their country's pride that they declare is their country. But the left just can't do it. They physically cannot allow themselves an uncomplicated moment of American pride. I can go back to 2022, the Beijing Winter Olympics. The left spent more energy agonizing over whether Americans should cheer, given China's human rights record, given the politics, given whatever the grievance reason was for that season a week, they actually cheered for American athletes. The New York Times ran a piece about the moral complexities of Olympic participation. MSNDC anchor wrung their hands. Social media warriors debated whether national pride itself was problematic. Don't you remember that, David? We were watching the news, watching these idiots. I mean, again, meanwhile, China state media had never any such crisis. Russia had no such crisis. The entire world showed up to cheer for their people, but Americans left had it turned into a philosophy seminar. So rich enough. Why? Because the left uncomplicated American pride is dangerous. It's the enemy. Because if you allow people to simply feel good about being Americans, if you let the flag run furl, means something positive without immediately attaching a list of grievances. Yes, a list of grievances. Then the entire political project falls apart. Little Debbie Wasserman has nothing to complain about.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Debbie Wasserman again. Man.

Olympics As A Patriotism Stress Test

SPEAKER_02 8:55

And her big, beautiful, whatever it was. It wasn't big, beautiful bell, but you got to vote for it to see what's in it. Don't you remember these people? Stuart, Stuart, Stuart, lay off Debbie Wasserman. It's not about depends on how bad you feel about your country. The moment you feel good, you stop listening to them. And yes, I brought up little Debbie specifically, David, this morning upon this topic because I didn't hear any congratulations from the wonderful congressman's office to our Olympic athletes. And she is our sitting congressman where I live. Therefore, I would hereby request that her press office congratulate the U.S. team. Now, let me tell you that I've heard this a thousand times. We criticize America because we love it. Holding your country accountable to the highest form of patriotism. I used to give that argument some credit. I don't ignore it. You don't know why? Because real critics are consistent. Real critics apply the same standard on both sides of the aisle. If your criticism of America is principled, it comes from a genuine commitment to justice and fairness. Where do you apply these standards to just certain people? Meet rules for me, not for thee. You supply those standards to everyone, to China, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, or the PA, but they never don't. They never do.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

Well, we just lost Stuart there for just a quick second. Again, that's the beauty of uh the internet, if you will. When we don't, we we just simply do not edit this whole business. Am I back? You're back. So are you done? No.

SPEAKER_02 10:55

Oh, please continue. Who write 5,000-word essays about American systematic racism go completely silent about the actual slave markets, like in Libya, or how the slaves actually got to America. The same people who lecture uh you about American American imperialism celebrate Cuban Venezuelan socialism, even as cubans risk their lives to escape on dinghies, right? The same people say American is the world's greatest threat to democracy. How about China's concentration camps?

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Okay, Stuart, yeah, no doubt. We got it. Here's the thing you're missing on the I love this, what you just did, but here's what you're missing it's this the right now, the left has no interest in America, they're interested in politics, they're interested in driving their message, only their message, because everybody who disagrees with them is in the wrong, and that's why they're trying to bring in that's why they have to wrap themselves up in socialism and all these other things, because this is what makes them right. Because when you expose that they're wrong, they double down. And again, you know, Stuart, it's just it's just the fascinating that the the the irony of this all. And I'm cutting you off because we, you know, you're at 12 minutes. Here's the problem. I don't even know about closing.

Consistency And Double Standards

SPEAKER_02 12:29

I mean, oh please, close Stuart, close Store. Go ahead. All right, so here is my answer to that question, why do why do lefts hate Americans? Because they love America that doesn't exist, they hate the one that does. They love an American in their imagination, perfectly, perfectly equal, perfectly progressive, led by people who think exactly like them. They hate the real America because it's messy, it's stubborn, it's faithful, it's proud, it's absolutely unwilling to be told by its coastal elite what should and shouldn't be. They hate America that cheers for the Olympics without needing permission. The America that builds business without apology, the America that goes to church or synagogue or mosque on Sunday or any Saturday or any other day of the week says vote Republican on Tuesday doesn't feel the need to explain itself or himself or herself to a panel of NNNDC contributors. And when Donald Trump's in office, the America that is championed, loud, unapologetic, combative, completely immune to their disapproval, it drives them absolutely insane. Because you can't shame someone who's not ashamed. You can't guilt the people to take trips across the country that still believe in the country itself. America still believes in itself. Now, David, conversely, let's talk about Canada. No. If it one second, one second, let me finish. Because if the games would have changed, and Canada that I will openly admit played a much better Olympic hockey game than the Americans. And that quick, up-handed, over-the-shoulder goal was just that the nature of the game, the sport. Because I believe Canada played a better game. So if Canada would have won, the vitrilleness that would have stemmed from the north side of the border about na na na na na na na na, it would have been repulsive. However, that's the nature of the game. And you know what? 40 years ago, Canada had the na na na na in American's eye. And for the first time in a very long time, the United States has the win.

unknown 15:08

Sorry.

Why Some Hate The “Real” America

Rivalries, Norway, And What Fans Value

History, Freedom, And National Memory

SPEAKER_01 15:09

Well, Stuart, a little bit, a little bit. I I congratulations. But again, let's let's let's once again, you you're missing pieces in your story. Okay. Right before this game, let me talk to you about patriotism that you people may or not have heard because I'm a sports guy. Stuart doesn't watch sports, but I do. The Americans were saying we hate Canada. The Kachuk brothers, the two brothers were interviewed. We hate it's a hatred to Canada. Canada keeps beating us in all the best games. It's a hatred. Okay, it's a rivalry. That's sports. Once upon a time, it was the US and the Soviets. Now it's why 1980 was that miracle on ice was a miracle on ice. And as Canadians, we cheered for the US because you beat the so the powerful Soviet Red Army back in 1980. But once that changed, you needed a new rival. And Canada became on the ice, Canada became the big rival. Nobody talks about Norway, that Norway won them not only the most gold, but the most medals. Why aren't there why isn't there a rivalry with Norway? Because we don't care. Americans don't care for the lot of the sports that the Norwegians dominate in. They're not hockey, they're they're not a powerful hockey country, they're not a powerful skating, you know, figure skating country. America cares for what America cares for. What you're best at, you're best at. And you that's what you cheer for. And that's the sports. What sports does. You cheer for what you're best at, and you cheer, and you're behind and you rally behind your team. It's it doesn't, it makes no sense to me that if you're gonna cheer for your local athlete, your local team, why aren't you cheering for your country? And I get what the left is trying to do. The left is trying to make a mess out of this. The left only wants what the left wants. An America that doesn't exist, an America that you said that is just not that is if they want to shit on everything that's wrong. Stuart, 90 countries or so went to the Olympics. The majority of those countries have a higher inflation rate than the United States. Correct. A majority of those countries depend on the United States for much of its surprise so for survival and its economic thrive. And yet, the left decides it's not good enough. The people who walk around carrying iPhones and Starbucks coffee cups are trying to tell you that America is a shitty place, that you should stomp on the American flag and not wave it. Those same people are telling you that it's bad to live in the United States. Yeah, I get it. What happened with ice in Minnesota? I can't, I can't I can't agree with the way things went down there. It was ugly. But you know what? You want chaos, you don't want peace, you don't want unity, you want to destroy those that oppose you. If you would think about what USA was built upon, your grandparents, Stuart, please, you're chiming. Every time I say something, you're chiming. That means you agree with me. But you know, when you look at when you think about what your grandparents and greatparents fought for in World War I, World War II, in Korea, and then finally in Vietnam, it was about democracy, it was about your home. You could disagree about Vietnam, but World War II was about your democracy. They fought and died on beaches in Europe. They bought fought and somebody died at Pearl Harbor because there was a group of people in the world who wanted to take away your freedom. You've lost that sight because you've had teachers who've told you that America's bad. You've had media who's told you America is bad. You've had politicians who've told you that America is bad. Those same people are prospering over your misery. Seriously. And yet, when it's time to come together as a nation to cheer, and I did it yesterday, Stuart. Again, I started from the beginning. Not happy to be Canadian right now, but I cheered for my hockey team. I cheered for the Canadian skaters, I cheered for the Canadian skiers. They played, they played incredible. What about the game? I'm talking about in general. Canada did not win as many gold as they've done in the past, they did not have as great games as they've done in the last number of Olympics. But yet when Canada won a gold, a silver, or bronze, we cheered. Not this stupidity, you know, where one American Chinese girl says, Oh, you know, I grew up in the US, I'm going to China because China's better than the United States. Like, and that makes that that makes the news. That takes the politicians. Like, it's just ridiculous. You know, if you want to go and be an athlete for China, go. It's your problem. I don't have to cheer for you. And yes, on the right, they crapped all over her. And it was stupid. Cheer for your athletes that are proud to be American. Cheer for your athletes that you have funded, for shit's sake, the government sponsors have funded you to be the best that you can be and to compete on the world stage. Because and for many of them, Stuart, and I'm not talking about the hockey players, and please stop with the chiming. If you would just listen, people, that the people who've gone out there who've skated, skied, jumped, did what they did, these are not paid athletes. Forget the hockey players. These are people who've trained since they're children to represent the United States. And if you think it's that's not worthy of cheering for, then there's something wrong with you. Give back your US passport, revoke your citizenship, and go somewhere else. Go live in Venezuela, go live in Uzbekistan, go live in countries where you think it's better. But for God's sakes, I mean, you have the right to say to free speech. You have the right, like I said, to your your Starbucks and your iPhones, and yet it's still so bad. People, you're delusional, you need therapy. Oh wrap it up, please, because I am sick and tired of Americans. Listen, I I Canadians are not as pre patriotic as the Americans. We know that. If there's one thing we can learn from Americans, is patriotism. We don't have it, but I gotta tell you, to hear the dissent by people on the left media, to say shame on us for supporting America, come on. It's not getting all right. That's it for another edition of the Rant Network for a Monday. Stuart and I will be back Wednesday, anyway. Yeah, we'll see you guys on Wednesday. Take care.