If you're in the military are you offended by football players taking a knee?
Kneeling is a sign of submission! If i was protesting I would sit or turn my back to it.
I think that might send the opposite view from the one they're trying to convey. The message I get is we love this country, but we can't support its policies. I don't see it as submission, I see it as a message of defiance towards those policies.
No. It's their freedom of expression, and not for the government or anyone else to second-guess. Well maybe it's for the fans to second-guess and vote with their dollars, but in practice I doubt that actually happens. Football is too much of an addiction for them. It's more fun to grouse about what players do or don't do during the national anthem.
I always say god, guns and country is an unholy association and the National Anthem ritual at football and baseball games is, in my view, part of that.
Army vet here, I support the ability to kneel.
I don't like the idea of everyone using a national venue to promote their ideology in a battle of opinions though (i.e.: the owners, politicians, NFL inc., etc.). This is promoting a larger divide in an already divided country.
The extreme violence used by the police reminds me of the brown shirts when the nazis began to accumulate power, and seems to be history repeating itself. The cops need to be reigned in and if they can't act in a civil manner (when needed) then fire them.
Capitalism's effects on society, we the poor, don't count nor matter.
The natural human defense to deflect a baton blow to the face should not be seen as resisting arrest.
Kneeling is the most religious act of reverence. Been a practice of adoration and sincerity throughout history. They made a Political Football of their own Bigoted Imagination.
I am not in the military, but I think many people don’t understand the protest. The protest isn’t against the flag, or against the country or against those who have served. The protest is highlighting that in the great nation of the USA, racism is killing American citizens- mainly African Americans and Latinos- who incidentally make up a huge proportion of the military . I can remember another NFL player taking the knee because he was Pro-Life and was protesting abortion in the USA. He wasn’t punished.
I'm English living in Australia. Neither cultures would give a rats arse either way. Sounds like over sensitive paranoia.
That's Murka for you. Everyone has such a tight ass, they squeak when they fart.
It's interesting there is exactly one subgroup of white Republicans who find it more offencive to object to kneeling then to kneel. That subgroup of white Republicans is white Republican veteran
No. Tim Tebow did it long before the current Trump=provoked issue arose, and no one said a thing.
Just shout
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
Confuse the fuq out of people
And It's a better Anthem by far.
When I first saw Colin take a knee a thought it was brilliant. What a perfect way to peacefully protest the deplorable way people of color have been treated in this country. And then the backlash. Apparently, they were supposed to ask "permission "from the powers that be what would be acceptable to them. Granted I am not in the military (but have had family members who were), but I never remember hearing that the anthem was only for the military. It is not disrespectful if that isn't the intention. I can assure you, none of those people screaming about this are standing at home when they hear the anthem. It is just another badly disguised form of racism.
It is fine with me when people take a knee. I have some knowledge of how some police treat some people. In the early 80's I had a job typing reports for law enforcement officers. I heard racial slurs every day. Some of the cops had terrible attitudes towards women, LGBT, the working poor, the unemployed poor, etc. etc. etc. I toughed out that truly terrible job for 21 truly terrible months and quit, even though official unemployment stats were in the double digits. I learned some painful, horrific lessons ... and so ... it is fine with me when athletes and other people take a knee. It is a peaceful protest. I support protesting injustice.
Protocol, protocol, protocol. Isn't that what our government been feeding us for so long?
It never fails to surprise me that people can be proud Americans and then lack the appreciation for the very thing that makes us great. The peaceful assembling of people protesting to bring awareness to a cause should be viewed as a patriotic solution and never shamed by leaders. Our leaders whether they agree or disagree with the cause should never use their influence to interrupt or inflict penalties on people using a peaceful message to bring about change. Non-violent protests, bring awareness and act as a model for future generations to understand that the solution can be one of peace. Enlightenment only comes about with education and time.
I have no issue and even admire those who do. Though, I can understand why some may not like it and even support the NFL not allowing it.
Just WHY should the NFL prohibit it?
@Ungod For obvious reasons. They don’t want football games to be political. They don’t agree with the message, or the method. So they prohibit it. The players have a union and they will fight for it if they deem it necessary.
@indirect76 “OBVIOUSLY” if they don’t wat the games to be political, they wouldn’t play the anthem in the first place.
Now maybe they really DON’T want the games to be politicized, BUT they are accepting US Military money to play the anthem, so that’s their own HYPOCRISY at work...
@Ungod I don’t see playing the nation anthem as being at all political, so I don’t think there is any hipocracy.
@indirect76
And Xianity isn’t a religion...?❗️
@indirect76 Quite agree. I thought flags and anthems represented national pride (if such a thing can exist) but certainly a collective belonging. Nationalism is way above politics as the politicians, in principle serve the nation and the people.
@Geoffrey51 - PROTEST isn't necessarily political either, it's most usually about social issues. . What to do about those issues is political though! Now, TheRump, like Nixon did, is labeling all protestors, all protest and opposition, as un-American! He thinks the flag and national anthem only represents HIS politics. ALL Americans should respect and honor the right of others to protest peacefully... It's not political, but it's being made political!
I did in the very beginning, but now I do not care what they do. They have so much money it wouldn't matter if they gave the finger. And every body that disagrees with all of this just makes me think what good is our constitution if everyone does their own thing. This subject is only a part in what we want to change, but there will be more subjects to come to a head that will start corruption. For most this is a control issue, and it never seems to end.....
If the owners can make hundreds of millions of dollars displaying sports on TV then the players can use the same venue to get a point across that is important to them and society. maybe if TV would give airtime to that particular subject then this could be avoided. People in other countries disrespect our flag and we do nothing about it. ijs The flag is just a piece of cloth. The true meaning lies in our hearts and minds where no one knows how we really feel about it.
I have no issues with it.
I think it's a peaceful way to bring light, or awareness, or whatever you want to call it, to a very serious issue.
Is it disrespectful? Maybe a little.
But it's far more peaceful and far less disrespectful than the issue it's trying to protest.
our founding fathers were liberals in their day. Not disrespectful its disrespectful to do nothing! Read about Martin Luther King Jr. Like other philosophers we need to disobey unjust laws to get rid of them!
@benhmiller My opinion is valid regardless, and i'm not going to argue at length why it is. The post was basically asking for opinions and I gave mine. I shouldn't have to be an English PhD or an American Historian to have an opinion.
I was addressing the fact that some people might find it disrespectful and I was accounting for their point of view in my assessment.
Perhaps if you read my entire comment, instead of picking on one part of it, you wouldn't be barking.
Yes i need both of mine to walk
KneelingOFLMAO!
Not on their own time. but when you are being paid millions to do a job and then take advantage of where you are in that frame of time, then yes, i take issue with it. do your damn job and don't let political leanings get in the way of it.
But the cause these athletes support is one that most citizens DON'T want to deal with, or even believe is real. So the athletes are using the platform they have to publicize these issues. To extend your contentions -- none of us have the right to express our political views on the job? Or is it only highly paid black athletes who should not? Are they supposed to be grateful for what they've got and not rock the boat?
When are people like football players or celebrities NOT 'on the clock'?
The people who don't want to see their protest 'during the game', don't want to hear their complaints PERIOD.
@citronella do it OFF the job. they are being paid millions to do a job, that is all (most) ppl want from them. do what you are paid to do. if you wish to place your own spiel on it, then start your own business and do what you wish from there.
"You are being paid, Suppress your humanity."
Nice.
Bringing up % of black on black or whatever crime and murder rates to me is bogus. It's not race...
It's POOR ON POOR CRIME.
A higher percentage of minorities are poor, therefore... bingo, more crime and murders.
Hell, even recent headlines bragging about how black employment is at a near all time low still tend to skirt that these 'awesome' numbers are still almost 2x what white unemployment is.
Personally, it goes against my own values.
But, this is the land of the free.....
No, I haven't.
But I am offended by young black men being gunned down in the street just for being black.