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Eagles vs. Patriots: How the Clash Between Two American Symbols Represents a Nation Divided

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Photos (with edits by MJ Kang) from Wikimedia Commons / CC0; Wikimedia Commons / CC0; Wikimedia Commons / CC0; Patriots and Eagles logos / Fair use

Eagles. Patriots. To most, these are just football teams.

And yet, if we dig a little deeper, we realize that the game on this weekend is not just a game. It's not just the Super Bowl. It's not just 22 grown men tackling each other and rolling on the ground while other grown men scream at them from the sidelines.

It's a battle. A battle that represents an America tearing itself apart.

The eagle has been the symbol of the United States since the Revolutionary War. This was a war in which the Patriots were willing to fight their mother country for life, liberty, and tax exemptions. But no longer are these two American symbols united in a common cause against a common enemy. The eagle has turned on the patriot. The patriot has betrayed the eagle. Bird against man. Man against bird.

And no longer are the American people united. Every day, our news is filled with failure to compromise and failure to understand each other. The extreme polarization of our opinions allows pundits and politicians to easily manipulate us with charged speeches and rallies.

It's almost eerie how well the Patriots-Eagles matchup represents the political divide. On one side, we have the slimy, overly successful establishment; on the other, the violent and nasty up-and-comers. Really makes you think, huh?

Over 100 million people will be watching Super Bowl LII this Sunday. Of those, many of those will cap off their weekends with jubilant celebrations. I won't be one of them. All I can do is look on as our country splits into irrepairable ruin.

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