Alan B

A couple of takeaways from tonight's World Cup "Pride" match between Egypt & Iran in Seattle: - Tonight wasn't just a soccer match—it was a test of whether Seattle's politicians actually believe the values they claim to champion. If you're going to celebrate Pride, why stay silent when teams from countries that execute gay people come to your city? This was the Pride movement's biggest opportunity to make a statement—and they completely missed it. If America stands for free speech and equal rights, then don't apologize for it. Say it proudly. A soccer game comes and goes. Taking a stand for American values would have been remembered. -The politicians who never miss an opportunity to virtue signal suddenly became very quiet when it actually mattered. The people protesting the Iranian regime showed more consistency than the politicians who claim to champion LGBTQ rights. This could have been a defining moment for Seattle. Instead, city leaders chose silence. If your principles disappear the moment they're inconvenient, they aren't principles—they're performance." -Where were all the activists? For all the noise they usually make, they were almost nowhere to be found. If you believe in something, defend it. -The World Cup showed Seattle can secure its streets when it wants to. The question is why that commitment isn't year-round. Public safety isn't impossible. Tonight proved it's a choice." -Seattle had a chance to show the world what it stands for. Instead, it showed the world what it was unwilling to say.