Super Tonic

You heard it here first: the Green Bay Packers’ victory in the Super Bowl (already rated the most watched television program of all time) was a national reprieve; a sort of temporary but powerful tonic for the anger and despair felt by most Americans toward the Obama administration. Combined with the Fox Network’s pre-game salute to America via a reading of the Declaration of Independence (watch it here), the Super Bowl of Sunday, February 6, 2011 gave real Americans a chance to again be proud of who they are and what their country stands for. It was much needed; it won’t quickly wear off; and it portends an accelerated discontent with Obama and his entire leftist government. Things are going to get interesting, and fast.

Green Bay, Wisconsin, is quintessential Americana—small town, heritage of hard-working people, civic pride, and home of a title-winning professional football team dating back to the 1920’s. Football itself is built around rugged individuals, but also around teamwork and a color-blind, no affirmative action meritocracy. And victory comes from proving excellence in competition—which is the essence of the free market system, and the antithesis of socialism. So when the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl, there is an unspoken but deeply felt sense that America is still America, and the current Obama disaster will not last forever.

Yes, we know Pittsburgh is a piece of Americana too, and Rush Limbaugh is probably its biggest celebrity fan. But the Pittsburgh Steelers’ ownership in the form of the Rooney family stupidly and naively fell for Obama in 2008 (and was later rewarded by the appointment of Dan Rooney as US Ambassador to Ireland). We say stupidly and naively because the Rooney family’s public statements of support of Obama in 2008 had all the earmarks of a self-congratulatory ‘we’re above racism’ rationale, and nothing else. Which helped pave the way for millions of Americans to stupidly and naively join with ‘good people’ like the Rooneys and elect a man with absolutely no character or merit-based qualification to be the President of the United States. But we digress.

The Steelers also came into the game with a quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, shadowed by un-refuted allegations of sexual assault and other sexual misconduct.

Pravda would never understand why, but these things do register with large numbers of fans (including the Rooney family’s behavior), and they don’t sit well with many (including many in Pittsburgh).

The Fox Network’s production of the reading of the Declaration of Independence was also extremely powerful. The words resonate with all Americans, and they always will, because they are true and grounded in truth. And when they are read aloud, as they were by active and retired players and coaches and other leaders (black and white), they carry an impact that Pravda just doesn’t grasp. We don’t know how many people saw the video live or how many will watch it on youtube, but the impact will be far greater than TV ratings can measure.

Americans love their country and they love their football. They are not handing over either to those who don’t, and they are not going to play passive spectator to Obama’s attempted destruction of the country. Green Bay’s win in the Super Bowl reminded them of all these things and inspired them. Just watch.

Paul Gable

February 8, 2011