AN OPEN LETTER TO MEGAN RAPINOE, FROM AMERICA. As told to Joel Engel:

The idea of athletics is to try to live up to our highest ideals. Not revel in living down to the debased standards of others.

Besides—not to put too fine a point on it—but it’s a really bad look given your enormous privilege. Thailand’s per capita GDP is 1/9 of America’s. They went through a military coup in 2014. When you go crazy after scoring the 8th goal against those women you maybe look like Cobra Kai. Nobody roots for Cobra Kai.

All right, Megan, we’ll let you go enjoy the fruits of your victory. You’ve earned your place in the Pantheon, and we hope you’ll use it constructively. As someone who’s been so blessed and so privileged, please encourage other young women to take advantage of their opportunities in this country that are unparalleled anywhere else in the world, and urge them to work hard for what they want, just as you did.

And as a P.S., I’d also ask you to indulge me by listening to Whitney Houston’s version of the National Anthem. It’s a game changer.

Love always,

The United States of America

Read the whole thing.

Earlier: With Attack on U.S. Flag, Colin Kaepernick‏ Shifts the Goalposts.