The Assault on America’s National Identity

The NFL has a new national anthem, or at least a rival to the old one.

According to reports last week, the NFL will play “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” commonly referred to as the black national anthem, before every game this year.

This is more than woke virtue-signaling, although it is assuredly that.

The NFL has been such a battlefield for the cultural struggle over the national anthem and protests because it long ago eclipsed baseball as the national pastime. Heretofore, as one would expect of such a thoroughly American sport, the league had identified itself with a robust patriotism (pre-game flyovers, gigantic American flags unfurled on the field, tributes to servicemembers . . . ).