One thing has been on my mind since it was announced and I must say that, even though it is definitely not the most important thing happening with our politics right now with a fascist being in the White House and all, but this one thing it has very much bothered me.

What I’m talking about is the upcoming UFC event at the White House. It’s being billed as something to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country, as if MMA has always been a mainstay in this nation, which it has not. And while violence, prize, fighting and combat have always been a fabric of every civilization, I find it archaic and beneath the status of what the presidency and the White House should be, which makes this event disgusting and shameful.

I say this as someone who honestly loves MMA, fighting, and combat. I was raised in martial arts with my father as a longtime martial arts instructor in multiple disciplines. I grew up going to fights, watching them on TV, and competing in various forms of martial arts, including karate, tae kwon do, grappling, kickboxing, and even stick fighting. But I also grew up and grew into a student of history, politics and government, and both sides of me are cringing and recoiling at what we will see on Sunday. This sport used to in fact be illegal in the United States.

During the early days of UFC they were only allowed to do it in Vegas. Eventually, it expanded to other states with New York being the last, but there were very notable politicians, including the late Senator John McCain, who compared it to human chicken fighting. No I’m not saying that any of that is true, but I’m using this to prove the point that this is not some honored pass time of the United States like baseball or even American football.

This is something that used to be considered so grotesque that it was a crime in the vast majority of states. I think it’s absolutely a testament to the hard work of the UFC that they have been able to legalize it and make it a global sports brand, but let’s not pretend like it is some American pastime or honored tradition. This is a cage fight where people get pummeled, cut open and knocked out. And as much as I enjoy the UFC, I can also admit that in the past years, it has become a far right wing ultra chauvinist nationalist organization that feeds off of the worst impulses of hyper masculinity.

We also need to take out all of the smoke screen of America 250 and Flag Day nonsense that keeps being played out and realize the absolute absurdity of what’s happening. On the president’s birthday he’s having a cage fight in his backyard. That’s pathetic. Have we really become the nation whose leaders get to throw whatever party or event they want on their birthday at the taxpayers expense? We were and are supposed to be different, exceptional even, and yet this is some overgrown selfish dictator baby nonsense. I would love to see our nation appreciate martial arts more but this way is not dignified or on a scale with what we should be doing. On a final note, I never want to hear another person complain about spots getting political. The standard is a floor.

Justin Hubbard is a Jamestown resident.