Sitting room only

All this foofara caused by President Donald Trump over a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors has gotten out of hand. LeBron James is now calling Trump a “bum,” some NFL players are kneeling during the national anthem, and other teams are avoiding controversy by staying in the locker room until the Star Spangled Banner is over.

Trump’s strategy is obvious. His main talent is to be a divisive force who plays one group off against another. Even on Capitol Hill, he’s cosying up to Democrats on fiscal matters while whipping his own Republicans toward impossible goals on healthcare.

I believe this presents Canada with the perfect opportunity to cease the annoying pastime of playing the American national anthem at the beginning of baseball, hockey and basketball games. For one thing, no matter who the singer, the American anthem always sounds better than our poor, plodding version sung, as it too often is, without any panache. Nor is there any reason to sing the U.S. anthem just because there are U.S. players on all teams. Many other countries are also represented from Sweden to Mexico, Slovakia to Japan.

My no-play solution can be explained as a way to halt confusion and embarrassment. But it also lets us throw off the last vestiges of colonialism that mean we suffer through their anthem while standing on our own home and native land. And, just maybe, our newly acquired obstreperous nature will give Canada’s Nafta negotiators an edge.