One of the four major tenets of The Message Pitch is that under no circumstances, ever, are we to delve into political discussion.
Other sports sites and channels and podcasts do that. We’re an outlet to get away from the echo chamber. We have no desire to be politically polarizing. We believe in welcoming all of the tired, huddled masses who want to come in — not certain sects of it.
There is, however, nothing inherently political in being proud of where you come from or your country — despite what other outlets may tell you. Patriotism is non-partisan. It belongs to everyone.
And at The Message Pitch, we are all proud to be Americans. Scars and stripes and all.
Several years ago, there was an excellent scene from The Newsroom where Jeff Daniels’ character finally snaps on live TV during a panel after being apolitical for years, listing off why he believes the United States of America is no longer the greatest country in the world — and why both sides of the political spectrum are to blame.
For many years, I felt the same way. That we were broken. That we had lost sight of what made us special — true American Exceptionalism: the ability to use freedom to think outside of the box, to be humble but answer the bell when true threats come knocking, to care about all aspects of our community, not just the ones in it that look and walk like ourselves. To do good, and do it well. To own our mistakes and change.
Years of social media and reliance on 24-hour cable news had tribalised us. We treated our political parties like sports teams and elections like the Super Bowl, instead of remembering that elected officials represent us. And outlets that were supposed to keep us informed did less reporting and more pushing out whatever narrative their base wanted.
And I felt that we had lost our way. I loved my country — but I didn’t love how we seemed to fight about everything. Whataboutism ran rampant. And we seemed content to keep doing it. I also felt that the only two options were extreme nihilism and extreme nationalism. And if there’s anything I’m not, it’s extreme.
As we close in on the 250th anniversary of the start of what George Washington called “The Last Great Experiment,” I find my tune changing.
I believe that America is on the rise, due in no small part to hosting the World Cup — and our neighbors from other countries seeing the US up close. From the start of the friendlies, more and more social media posts of people from all over the world getting their first taste of America started flooding feeds.
Sometimes, it takes seeing something you loved for years through someone new to it to see what made it so special to you in the first place. And I believe that’s the case here.
Seeing the stereotypes those from other countries had about the US get destroyed live and in technicolor did the heart good. And by focusing on real people seeing real aspects of the country — and not focusing on the storylines churned out by the aforementioned echo chambers on both sides, that owe their success to ratings and the financial impact of those ratings — we’re able to see what does make this country great, instead of being told what makes it so terrible.
From a British man being taught how to eat ribs, to a German seeing a coastal sunset for the first time, to fans from Japan experiencing the madness that is Buc-ee’s, many visitors simply cannot comprehend what the American mind has perhaps taken for granted. And it’s a good wake-up call.
The in-person reaction to a pre-game ritual of an eagle swooping over a stadium of 88,000 people in Auburn, Alabama to watch the greatest soccer player of this generation — an Argentinian — was a microcosm of the swell of pride, excitement, and appreciation from those visiting. It’s something our country has not seen in some time. And it’s taken our neighbors across the world to shake us and say, “Don’t you understand what you have and how great you have it?”
I am not naive; there are things our country has done incredibly wrong. There are the marginalized and downtrodden within our borders. And there is still work to do.
But that may be the most beautiful thing about The Great Experiment: the freedom and ability to change. That we have the power to call an atrocity just that, and work to change course. To care for our neighbor instead of holding their beliefs against them.
No better example of this exists than the team representing the United States.
When Folarin Balogun was red-carded on a terrible call against Bosnia & Herzegovina, his teammates rallied around him, played short-handed, and sent the opponent packing before celebrating with themselves and their home fans.
A roster of men from all walks of life, creeds, races, and religions — all in lock-step, focused on representing the country well and winning the first World Cup championship for the US. And this team looks like they could.
Just maybe.
And maybe, just maybe, getting an opportunity to see the things our country does right through the eyes of someone who doesn’t take it for granted — like those here for the World Cup — can help us realize what we have. And how truly remarkable The Last Great Experiment is.
So wherever you are, I wish you the best of Independence Days. May it be one spent doing things you truly enjoy. May it be spent with people you love. That you put down the phone, turn off the news, and go be a good neighbor. And that we all take a moment to appreciate what it means to be an American.
And how, just maybe, we have an opportunity to show ourselves and the world what makes this place so special — and why this Last Great Experiment has been, and will continue to be, a rousing success.
May we never forget that again. Here’s to another 250, friends — resilient, strong, and ever forward.
