In the sweeping architecture of the American social contract, rituals have long been treated as neutral ground—the secular cathedrals where a divided people might still break bread. Since the inception of the Olympic Games, athletics have functioned as a Secular Religion, providing a universal bridge of meritocracy that historically suspended even the bloodiest of wars. Yet, in 2026, that bridge is being dismantled by design. The decision by President Trump and Turning Point USA to host a separate “All-American Halftime Show” marks a definitive Macro-to-Micro Pivot: the transition of the stadium from a national town square into a fortified battleground of identity.

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