An older Cubs fan struck a younger man on the back of the head during the national anthem before Sunday's Cubs–Twins game at Wrigley Field. The older man had yelled "Get up!" first; when the younger fan didn't move, he reached back and slapped him. The younger fan then stood for the rest of the anthem. Brandon (@LibOrNormal) posted it to X, and it hit two million views. Chicago police told TMZ they're aware of the video, but no one had filed a report. Neither the Cubs organization nor the police had issued a formal statement as of Sunday night. The game happened to fall during the Cubs' 10-year anniversary of their 2016 World Series title — a highly charged weekend at Wrigley.

1. He Had a Point About Respect (Wes Langeler, Whiskey Riff; online supporters)

Standing for the anthem is a social norm, not just a law — and some think social pressure to honor it is fine.

Asking someone to stand isn't unreasonable. Wes Langeler, writing at Whiskey Riff, laid out this side cleanly: "Nothing wrong with asking someone at a ballgame to stand up and show some love for the country they're living in, to honor those who fought and died." The argument isn't that the slap was right — Langeler explicitly said it wasn't — but that the underlying expectation is legitimate. You're at a public event. The anthem is one minute. Standing is a small gesture toward a shared ritual.

A lot of the internet backed him. Plenty of commenters praised him for "standing on business" about anthem respect, and several noted that the younger fan standing up and not escalating was, at minimum, a decent outcome. The incident happened in the middle of a weekend celebrating a team that broke a 108-year championship drought — already an emotionally loaded moment for Cubs fans.

2. ...But You Can't Hit Someone Into Patriotism (ACLU; military veterans)

Sitting during the national anthem is a constitutionally protected right — and many veterans say the slapper got it exactly backward.

No one can force you to stand. The Supreme Court settled this in 1943: no government official can compel participation in a patriotic ritual. The ACLU of Massachusetts states it plainly — sitting during the national anthem is First Amendment-protected expression. The anthem exists to honor exactly that freedom — the right to choose not to stand.

Veterans making this argument said the older fan had it exactly backward. One commenter put it directly: "I fought for his First Amendment right, and sitting down is just that. The dude doing the slapping is an idiot." Another: "I didn't serve so some jagoff could smack someone for exercising their rights." Their point is that forced displays of patriotism aren't patriotism — they're coercion.

Physically striking someone over this is a crime. Under Illinois law, intentional offensive contact can constitute battery, regardless of the trigger. The victim decides whether to press charges. As of Sunday night, the victim hadn't filed a complaint.

3. The Cubs Should Find This Guy Either Way (fans; fan safety advocates)

Whatever your view on standing, someone got hit at Wrigley. That's a venue safety issue.

The Cubs already have the tools to act. Their guest code of conduct allows the team to remove fans and revoke future ticket privileges for disruptive or harmful behavior. MLB bans conduct that endangers or harms other fans. Commenters said the Cubs should identify the older man from the video and ban him.

The team hasn't said anything yet. No Cubs statement, no security incident report made public. Whether the Cubs act may depend on whether Chicago police receive a formal complaint — or whether the viral video alone creates enough reputational pressure.

Where This Lands

Supporters of the older fan say expecting someone to stand for the anthem is basic social courtesy, not coercion, and that the moment — especially in the middle of a celebratory Cubs weekend — was exactly when you should stand. The civil liberties camp, including several veterans, says the right to sit is exactly what the country stands for, and that physically forcing compliance is the opposite of patriotism. Both camps mostly agree the slap crossed a line. What's unresolved is whether the Cubs act, and whether the man who threw it faces any consequences — legal or otherwise.

Sources