Bill Maher Rips 'Fetish' Patriots Who Cluelessly Wrap Themselves In The Flag

Bill Maher has torn into the concept of “fetish patriotism” and the people who wrap themselves in the flag without knowing what it actually represents.

On Friday’s “Real Time,” the host likened it to the way President Donald Trump had turned the NFL protests against police brutality and racial injustice “into a patriotism pissing match.”

“The nerve of these young black men kneeling while an ‘American Idol’ runner-up sings the ‘bombs bursting in air’ song,” he sarcastically said. “How dare you exercise your freedoms while we’re honoring them.”

“This impulse to tell people not to protest against the police, not to question the generals, this is not American,” Maher added. “And that is the problem with all the fetish patriotism. It starts with goosebumps, but it ends with goose steps.”

Check out the full segment above.

Related Coverage

Trevor Noah: I Don't Know If Trump Is Racist, But He Definitely Prefers White People

Donald Trump's Attempt At Using Usain Bolt To Slam NFL Players Spectacularly Backfires

National Anthem Singer Takes A Knee Before Brooklyn Nets Home Opener

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.