http://www.westernjournal.com/dance-crew-takes-stand-triggered-leftists-demand-remove-american-flag-shirts-really-no-choice/
By Michael Schwarz
The Western Journal
April 11, 2024
Leftism cannot triumph without authoritarian methods. But having failed to achieve the overthrow of the West via class warfare in the 20th century, leftists have now adopted a subtler approach.
For instance, they took something as virtuous as compassion, perverted it and then weaponized it. That process, carried out through schools and most forms of media, gave us the modern concept of “inclusion” — a nightmarish, Orwellian word that, when put into practice, means the righteous exclusion of all who disagree with leftists.
A representative example of the new “inclusion” tyranny occurred in Seattle on Saturday, when members of an all-female country line dance team believed that “there really was no choice” but to refrain from performing at the Emerald City Hoedown after learning that their American flag-themed outfits had left some attendees feeling “triggered and unsafe.”
In a lengthy statement posted to Facebook on Sunday, Borderline Dance Team described the situation its members encountered and explained their “unanimous” decision not to perform.
To its credit, Borderline Dance Team drafted its statement not in a resentful tone but in a spirit of grace. The statement, for instance, did not hurl accusations or name names.
“Unfortunately, what our team was met with upon arrival was that our flag tops were offensive to some of the convention goers,” the statement read.
And this resulted in an “ultimatum.”
“Remove the flag tops and perform in either street clothes (which most didn’t bring as they traveled there in their uniforms) or they would supply us with ECH shirts from years past … Or, don’t perform at all, which effectively was asking us to leave.”
Happily, the women of Borderline Dance Team took a stand.
“As we knew would happen because there really was no choice in our minds, it was a unanimous NO,” the statement read.
That demonstration of courage called forth an act of solidarity from like-minded colleagues.
“Our friends, West Coast Country Heat, who were also scheduled to dance for the convention that evening also did not perform as they too proudly don the colors of our country in the same spirit of patriotism that we do,” Borderline Dance Team explained.
Alas, those unnamed individuals who issued the effective ultimatum catered to a “triggered” minority of narcissists with a political agenda.
“They had several claims” for feeling triggered, the statement read. “Mostly associated with the situation in Palestine and the Trans community in America.”
In other words, Israel’s war against Hamas meant that dance team members must not show patriotism. Or, the perpetual claims of “oppression” parroted by purveyors of transgender ideology meant that dance team members must not show patriotism.
Either way, the women of Borderline Dance Team and their friends did not yield.
“These people are strong, resolute and unwavering in their patriotism. They are the families and friends of people who have suffered the unimaginable so that we may all have our own opinions and sleep soundly in our beds at night. THAT is why we wear the colors,” the statement read.
“Because although we may not always agree with the current state of things, we recognize that being an American means true FREEDOM.”
Notably, Borderline Dance Team acknowledged “amazing” support “from the majority of the community and even several of the organizers.”
Indeed, the group did not want the “political opinions of a small percentage” to overshadow the “outpouring of love and respect” they experienced.
Finally, the statement concluded with a call to restore true freedom:
“May you always have the choice to agree or disagree with whatever situation you find yourself in. And may you always protect someone else’s freedom to do the same. Whether it be in your favor or not.”
The group’s Facebook statement also included a link to the Emerald City Hoedown website, which “shows the pictures of our teams in our uniforms.” Thus, “they would have known what we were going to wear.”
As of Thursday morning, that website did not include said pictures. A message near the top of the page indicated that it received an update on Wednesday.
The Rain Country Dance Association, “a nonprofit LGBTQ country western dance community in Seattle,” organized the Emerald City Hoedown.
According to Seattle’s KTTH, RCDA board president Ziadee Cambier issued a brief statement on Facebook.
“We will be in continued communication with the captains of the dance teams that were slated to perform Saturday. To clarify, as this was not a competition, no one was disqualified and no one was asked to leave. While we are mending our relationships directly with the dance teams we will be disabling comments on this post. We will be sharing more information later this week, to hopefully clear up any misunderstandings,” Cambier wrote.
In an interview with KTTH’s Jason Rantz, Borderline Dance Team co-captain Lindsay Stamp said that as of Tuesday her group had not heard from RCDA.
She also rejected the politicization of the American flag.
“My team doesn’t take a political stance. We came to dance,” Stamp said.
Of course they did. Borderline Dance Team members did not wear T-shirts emblazoned with the three-letter acronym of some tyrannical federal agency. They wore outfits featuring the American flag. And notwithstanding the United States’ many sins, past and present, that flag has always stood for freedom.
On that point, at least, ordinary patriotic Americans and “triggered” leftists can agree. After all, if the flag did not stand for freedom, then leftists would not have to exclude it.
Without saying so directly, RCDA confirmed as much in a statement.
“Rain Country is in the process of reviewing the details of the matter and reaching out to those directly involved. Our organization is committed to our core values of inclusivity and respect, and we will release a more comprehensive public statement later in the week,” the statement read according to KTTH.
There you have it. “Inclusivity” and freedom cannot coexist.
The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted. ~ D.H. Lawrence
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