Sadly, some people are trying to politicize the recent series of events surrounding the US hockey team's stunning gold medal victory at the Olympic games. It's time to set the record straight:
The facts:
1) In 1980 then Vice President Walter Mondale (a Minnesotan and a huge hockey fan) attended the Olympic games, was at the championship hockey game when the US defeated Russia and celebrated with the team afterwards in the locker room.
2) On the heels of their big victory (aka The Miracle on Ice) then President Jimmy Carter invited the team to the White House. The team accepted and were later feted by the President and Mrs. Carter and congressional leaders in Washington.
3) In 1980, both Republicans and Democrats joined together to celebrate the team. Throughout the nation, as far as anyone could tell, people of every race, color, faith, neighborhood and political persuasion took pride in the win and were overjoyed.
4) FBI Director Kash Patel played hockey, is a huge hockey fan, is friend's with the coach of the US team, attended the championship Olympic game in Milan and celebrated with the winning USA team.
5) Director Patel was in the locker room with the team after the game and put the team on the phone with the president who invited the team to the White House and the upcoming State of the Union Address. The president invited the winning US women's hockey team as well. The men's team accepted the president's invitation. The women 's team is reprteably unable to attend at this time due to a scheduling conflict. They will presumably accept at a later date.
6) Those who are attempting to politicize the teams' victories, Patel's attendance at the game, President Trump's invite and other aspects of this series of events are wrong. They are making fools of themselves.
7) The president is the president of all the people. He's my president and, yes -- he's your president too. The Olympic teams and participants represent our entire country. Pride in and love of country are nothing to apologize for. In fact, they are normally (and always should be) part of such participation.
8) When the president invites you to Washington to be recognized and honored, unless you have some truly compelling reason not to accept, you accept and you attend. It's a matter of respect, no matter who the president may be.
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