Kyle Larson’s impromptu Twitter Q&A got a little political on Monday.
Larson, on his way to a sprint car race, was answering questions from his followers when one asked him who his favorite NFL team was. Larson didn’t respond with a specific team, but rather a team that did a certain thing.
Anyone who remains standing
– Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) June 18, 2018
Noah Gragson and Brad Keselowski agreed.
The national anthem is obviously not mentioned in Larson’s response but the reference is clear. After all, standing for the national anthem is just the most important topic in the NFL since Donald Trump became president.
Larson’s response seems serious, and he has every right to feel how he feels about the politically charged topic inflamed by the president, despite protests from NFL players that originated and continue in protests against systemic inequalities in American society.
But it’s an ill-advised response even if it pleases NASCAR fans and even if it superficially ignores the fact that NASCAR drivers used to sit in their cars during the national anthem.
A large portion of NASCAR fans could side with Larson and Trump on the issue of player protests. But many fans understand the true purpose of the protests and how they have been exploited for polarization and political gain.
And besides, Larson and Keselowski should have been aware enough to see the ridicule that followed the last time prominent NASCAR figures spoke on the anthem. Fall remarks team owners Richard Petty and Richard Childress made about the protests: in the wake of Trump’s inflammatory remarks – it took days to issue its own weak statement in an attempt to separate itself from the views of Petty and Childress.
There is absolutely no need for NASCAR stars to start and stimulate this dormant discussion right now. The prudent decision would have been to ignore the issue and move on. Larson didn’t. Now he and everyone involved in a sport desperate to shed the stereotypes of the past must hope his tweet doesn’t lead to more widespread derision.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
Follow @NickBromberg on Twitter
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