Month: July 2020

Happy July 4th! May this be the last July 4th when I have to insist to my son that we have reasons to be proud of our country. I am proud of the brave souls who have lifted their voices against oppression here in this country and around the world. I am proud of our creativity, our ingenuity, our fierce independence, and our sense of humor. I am proud that we elected a Black man to the office of the presidency for two terms.

Chris asked me this evening what we will do if ____ is elected to office for a second term (I only write his name if I absolutely have to). First of all, he won’t be. I know it. He’s an imbecile, an idiot, a racist, a bigot…(I could go on all night), and someone who seeks to divide our nation for his own personal gain. This was all true of him four years ago and well before that, but the veils have lifted, and more people now see him for what he is. Second of all, what do you mean? “I mean, do we leave the county?” No, we don’t leave the country. This is my country, and I love it. I know we will come out of this dark place stronger than before and rebuild relationships and our reputation around the world.

It’s times like these when our anthems hold the most meaning for me. Our country is in the middle of a dark night right now, so we must “stand beside her and guide her, through the night with the light from above…my home sweet home.”

Quite a bit, actually. I’ve been waiting for a while now for Dan Snyder to decide to be on the right side of history and change the Washington Redskins’ name. I think I was a young adult before I realized the name is offensive, and since then, I haven’t felt like donning the burgundy and gold, especially if it has the mascot on it. To be completely honest, though, they haven’t been good in years, so hiding my team spirit under a bushel has not been a huge sacrifice.

I grew up cheering for the ‘Skins with my dad. We’d settle in front of the TV on a Sunday afternoon, dipping Fritos in “cheese” from a can, while my dad drank Miller Lite, or Lowenbrau if he felt like splurging. My best friend was a Cowboys fan, and the victorious fan would always call the less fortunate to gloat after a game when our teams played, followed by a Monday morning strut into our sixth grade class. I’ll never forget when the Redskins won Superbowl XVII in 1983. I opened our front door and whooped and hollered to the neighborhood. I have Joe Jacoby’s autograph from that same year when he visited our elementary school.

For the years between high school and young adulthood, I didn’t pay much attention to sports, but as I’ve grown older, I have found my way back to the Caps, and I was positively thrilled to switch my allegiance from the Orioles to the Nats when DC finally got its own team for the first time in 45 years…however, my sports fan identity is incomplete. I have never and will never give my heart to another football team, so I will continue to practice abstinence in this department until I can proudly support the Washington Redtails? Warriors? I’ll be the first in line to buy a hoodie when the switch comes, and I will have my Fritos and cheese dip ready.