Given the GOP is quick to accuse Democrats of lacking patriotism for the United States, you’d hope that their party’s key figures would know the difference between the national anthem and pledge of allegiance.
But Florida senator Rick Scott managed to do just that while speaking at the Faith &Freedom Coalition conference over the weekend.
“We’re living in a nation where these woke, rich football players are kneeling for the Pledge of Allegiance,” he said.
Just one problem - the kneeling happens during the national anthem - because the pledge is not recited at NFL games.
He seemingly didn’t realize the error of his words as he continued to amp up the crowd, telling them that “part of our day we’re going to fight against this woke mob and these radical Democrats who are trying to absolutely destroy this country and the values that we grew up with.”
But naturally, Twitter wouldn’t let Scott get away with the mix-up as they pointed out that Florida’s ex-governor doesn’t know the difference between a spoken recitation and a song.
Fun Fact: No football player has taken a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance, because they don’t recite that at football games. https://t.co/ibtzL1CAur
— Derek Litvak (@TheTattooedGrad) June 20, 2021
Nobody has to stand or even recite the pledge.
— ☠FLOKI☠ (@WyldeHeartedSon) June 20, 2021
That's how the United States works.
I don’t think Rick Scott truly appreciates or understands how incredibly difficult it is to make it to the NFL? Pampered definitely doesn’t come to mind when you factor in all the hard work, discipline and sacrifice it takes to make it to that level. @SenRickScott
— Charli Huxley (@ImKnotTheOne) June 19, 2021
.@SenRickScott:
— ᴊɪᴍ ᴄ. (@eltjim) June 19, 2021
1. Do you know the difference between the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance?
2. Do you realize that the 1st Amendment to the Constitution is still on the books (no thanks to you) and that freedom of expression is what is means to live in a free society?
We’re also living in a nation where patriot-cosplaying rich doofuses don’t know the difference between the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem because everything they do is just performative nonsense. https://t.co/NnXWVTcEhM
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) June 20, 2021
Others thought it showed a lack of interest in the essence of democracy and freedom.
This guy let A SITTING PRESIDENT WALK ON TREASON — A LITERAL ATTACK ON THE NATION’S CAPITOL TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT— and he has the gall to wrap himself in the American flag his party’s supporters beat US cops with on their way to trying to stop the peaceful transfer of power
— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) June 19, 2021
As opposed to carrying the flag while ransacking their own nation's Capitol pic.twitter.com/lJ0a1G4Lan
— Stylus S. (@Porgybait) June 20, 2021
We’re living in a nation where an insurrection took place on Jan 6th and you still don’t have the guts to do anything about it.
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) June 21, 2021
Check out other reactions below.
I’ve covered 415 NFL games. The next one at which the Pledge of Allegiance is recited before kickoff will be the first.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) June 21, 2021
Hey @SenRickScott - when it’s actually TRUTH IN PRACTICE that liberty & justice are really for ALL, then maybe I’ll insist that my black children do the pledge. In the meantime I’ll be teaching them to live according to Jesus’s teachings, not the demands of a white patriarch. 🙄
— cherie vann (@cherievann) June 20, 2021
We live in a nation where a maligned CEO can be forced to resign from his organization after being fined 1.7 billion by the DOJ for defrauding Medicare and then said ex CEO can be a US Senator. Net worth 255 million….. pic.twitter.com/DcZmujQjAR
— Jason Meyer (@jwmeade1) June 19, 2021
Why is @SenRickScott so intent on people remaining ignorant to facts and enslaved to Whites and the system? He needs to think before he speaks. But, then again, he is a conservative. https://t.co/2ksmu6SdUD
— Lacy L Rice Jr (Matshelo) (@lacyrice2) June 21, 2021
This is ESPECIALLY toxic because many African American Football Players *ARE* in fact Rich *DESPITE* growing up in a system designed *BY WEALTHY REPUBLIQANS* to almost GUARNTEE their failure!
— Mark Judson For Congress - Scorched Earth Dem 2022 (@Judson4Congress) June 21, 2021
Oh - and it's the National Anthem, D***Head! https://t.co/KGFTk9NRNQ
I didn’t know they said the pledge of allegiance at football games https://t.co/OcWjQK8nP9
— Franklin Saint (@mallik_williams) June 20, 2021
