(Not The Bee) For as much understandable attention as the Simpsons sitcom gets for some of its uncanny prophecies of the future, I don’t know that any old television program more accurately envisioned the current state of American culture than the “You must wear the ribbon” segment of Seinfeld.
The bumbling character on the show, Kramer, willfully signs up to participate in an AIDS walk for charity. When he checks in, he declines the red ribbon that was offered to him, and hilarity ensues. It becomes abundantly clear that the organizers (and participants) of the event were adamant that a person wasn’t a true ally if they didn’t wear the ribbon.
Ivan Provorov 👀 after watching Kramer refusing to wear the AIDS ribbon pic.twitter.com/NFLV3liKIm
— Giuseppe Mercadante (@itsmercadante) January 19, 2023
He didn’t make a scene. The scene was made for him.
He didn’t insult anyone. He was insulted.
He didn’t disrespect individuals. He was disrespected.
But like I mentioned earlier this week discussing the hatred directed at Hall of Fame football coach Tony Dungy, it’s not respect and compassion this political movement demands. It’s obedience.
The criticism and harassment that Provorov received for his decision would have shocked even Kramer. It was eerily similar to the kind of persecution leveled against pitchers from Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. They too refused to endorse the “pride” message even as their teams wore patches on their uniforms to celebrate Gay Pride month last June.
To give you a taste of the extremist rhetoric that stalked Provorov, this gem emerged from north of the border, in hockey-rich Canada:
UPDATE: Journalists are now crying on air bc Provorov wouldn’t wear a Pride jersey pic.twitter.com/GFfCYQsRYb
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 18, 2023
I think my favorite part came midway through that clip when the very exercised gentleman in the button-up began railing on about “inclusivity.” Call me crazy, but I doubt Provorov was feeling too included by his rhetoric. Ditto that for the other Christian, Jew, and Muslim players who didn’t realize that part of their job description in the National Hockey League would be to function as a walking billboard promoting causes that offend the teachings of their faith.
One commenter to the video remarked how funny it would be if Provorov’s jersey became the top jersey sold in the country. I don’t have any totals, but there is this:
