When all this started last football season, I didn’t even pay attention. After all, it was a sidelined quarterback and he didn’t play for my team. Colin Kaepernick’s actions during the national anthem just didn’t affect me.
Since last fall, the rhetoric has ramped up and I now find myself taking sides. I honestly considered both positions.
Are these professional sports figures disrespecting the flag?
Should they be prevented from doing so legally?
They are disrespecting the military.
It seems like this line has been trotted out frequently over the last year. Many pundits would have us believe that by sitting, kneeling or otherwise protesting during the Star Spangled Banner, athletes are demeaning those who have served. I considered this view based on what I know as a military spouse.
Service members swear a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. Part of that Constitution includes the First Amendment, which protects the right to free speech. By protesting, these professional athletes are exercising the very rights that our troops have sworn to protect and defend.
Our troops are working for an idea, an institution, that affirms our rights as Americans to believe as we choose and to, respectfully, act as we choose.
The right to speak your mind is why my spouse signed up to protect and defend our great country. Not so that everyone would stand during the national anthem.
In many opinion pieces being shared online, veterans are supporting Kaepernick and his protest. Across the generations, active duty service members and veterans are defending the right to publicly protest, even if it means taking a knee during the national anthem.
I understand their reasons for protesting.
The last few years have seen very visible evidence of violence against people of color and other minority groups. It seems as if every week there is another news story about a police traffic stop gone horribly wrong. Or another young child caught in the crossfire. There rarely seems to be justice served.
I’m not here to tell police officers how to do their jobs. I certainly don’t know how and I can’t imagine being caught in those rock-and-a-hard-place scenarios where lives are on the line. I respect and admire anyone who chooses to serve their community and the greater good in law enforcement. But the optics are not great.
I can understand and sympathize with those who feel that there are great injustices happening daily in our country. I understand their desires to bring even greater visibility to these issues.
When it comes down to it, the protesting professional athletes are speaking to something that is affecting their lives and the lives of their loved ones and communities. And they are doing it without violence on a highly visible stage. It’s not very much different than other non-violent protests in the past.
Except that we now live in a time of very heated political rhetoric.
Lines have been drawn everywhere. Family members and close friends now no longer speak. Family reunions and friendly dinners have been turned into divisive debates. When opposing views seem to be held in our society, this is inevitable.
Mostly, I tried to stay out of this particular debate. Until I got to a point where I just couldn’t anymore. For me, that point came this past week.
I firmly agree that free speech does have unintended consequences. Private employers have the right to dismiss individuals who have used their First Amendment rights in a way that is not in keeping with the company’s mission statement. Other individuals have a right to reject words or actions that they disagree with. This, too, is part of the Bill of Rights.
With a series of tweets, our president seemed to call into question the rights of a U.S. citizen to protest peacefully. He called upon NFL team owners to fire any player that follows Kaepernick’s lead.
In short, our president used the power of his office to attempt to influence the actions of private businesses against individuals that he disagrees with.
And this is not OK. This is the line in the sand for me, personally.
As a representative of the U.S. government, our president also swears to protect and defend the Constitution. That includes the First Amendment, which enshrines freedom of speech for every citizen as the law of the land.
Freedom of speech isn’t just for when you agree with it, when it is convenient or when it follows your narrative. It means freedom of speech. Full stop.
This freedom means that the people who marched in Charlottesville, Va., have the same right to non-violent expression as professional athletes when they kneel during the anthem. It means that I can firmly believe that a silent protest to call attention to racial injustice is fine. And it means you can disagree with me about that same point.
If we walk away from protecting and defending this movement, these actions, as part of the First Amendment, what are we saying about America? That one kind of protest is OK, but another kind is not? We seem to be walking back our beliefs and freedoms because it doesn’t fit with our narrative that honoring the flag is directly tied to respecting our troops.
I see it differently.
We got where we are today through protests against injustice. The patriots in Boston showed their disgust at the tea tax by dumping it all in the harbor. Countless Quakers and abolitionists showed their opposition to slavery by assisting people to freedom. Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and many others all practiced non-violent protests to help move our nation toward racial equality.
More athletes have joined the silent protest over the past year and especially over the last few weeks. Major League Baseball just saw its first player take a knee. Bruce Maxwell, a catcher for the Oakland Athletics, has silently refused to stand during the national anthem. Maxwell has predicted that we shouldn’t be “surprised if you start seeing athletes kneeling in other sports now.”
The right to speak your mind, to exercise your rights, is exactly why my spouse signed up to protect and defend our great country. Not so that everyone would stand and salute the flag. Not to earn unending gratitude. And certainly not to allow our rights to be trampled on.
These professional athletes are exercising their rights.
If you choose not to watch or support professional sports this season, that is your right. But you do not have the right to make professional athletes stop.
a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, from major liberal foundations such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and George Soros’s Open Society Foundation. The Center for Community Change Action is the group’s 501(c)(4) “social welfare” arm, which has received contributions from organizations affiliated with Soros, labor unions, and left-wing activists.
The Center for Community Change helped organize the “Families Fight Back” campaign during the 2016 presidential elections to mobilize Latino voters in response to then-candidate Trump’s positions on immigration policy. The Free Beacon reports the center also supported United We Dream, a “sanctuary campus” advocate, in protests of Trump’s inauguration.
2ndVote also found Planned Parenthood Federation of America is listed on the annual report as donor to the Center for Community Change Action. The abortionist and tech giant Google will be sponsors of the center’s “Change Champions Awards” event later this month. Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards, along with noted left-wing activist and billionaire Tom Steyer, will be honored at the event.
Earlier this week, the NFL and NFLPA met to “discuss social activism” by players. While discussion likely focused on the national anthem protests, the NFLPA’s “social activism” is very much in support of the leftist agenda.
In addition to support for the Center for Community Change, 2ndVote has uncovered the NFLPA has financially supported at least two more left-wing, anti-Trump activist groups. Two of the union’s last three tax filings (2013, 2015) show donations to Working America, a Steyer-supported organization that used Craigslist in Cleveland, Ohio to apparently recruit paid activists to protest the 2016 GOP convention. The NFLPA’s 2014tax filing shows a donation to Jobs With Justice, another organization backed by Soros that actively opposesthe president’s tax cuts.
Clearly, “social activism” by NFL players includes aligning with George Soros and other liberal organizations like Planned Parenthood in support of the left’s agenda. With television audiences declining every week and fans growing increasingly tired of the disrespect of the flag, the league and the players’ union would find it in their best interest to end the liberal activism and focus on football. After all, millions are finding it in their best interest not to watch the NFL at all.
Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness somehow they’re taking this away from me this was done before The Constitution in the Declaration of Independence free speech is four letter words they getting beat out. Protest anywhere you want to but not while they’re playing the national anthem it’s totally despicable and I say that as a veteran of a war.
Right on!! I’m a 20+ year veteran and feel strongly that I certainly was serving to support our Constitution. My frustration is that there seems to be a severe lack of constructive dialogue regarding the issues. The pulling and pushing rhetoric is not constructive by any stretch of the imagination. Let’s use the forums in place where people can get together to address their concerns then create a constructive solution recognizing that not everyone will necessarily be happy, but there will be consensus.
I feel it is disrespectful to the flag, our national anthem and the military (I have a brother, a husband and a son that served).. I suggest since they don’t have any respect for the flag, country or national anthem rather than stay in this country where they feel they are being abused, why don’t they move to another country that they feel will treat them better than the United States has. They are free to leave at any time. No need to finish out the fat contracts that most of them have since they will be out of the country. Let them sample life someplace else. I would like to hear from them after they relocate.
Maybe if you were African American and your kids were being killed by police for no reason and getting off free and clear you would understand the protest
Please keep your ignorance to yourself. I have serve in the military and this is not about the military. It is about social injustice but it seems like you haven’t experience it because you are not a minority.
No offense JM Dunbar but to me it seems that you have missed the point of what they are protesting. It is not the Flag, the national anthem nor the military. You may not agree with their point but they have every right to protest and you have every right not to watch them play. They are using their visibility as NFL players to highlight a disease in this country in that for some reason all people cannot be treated equally nor afforded the identical protections under our Constitution. It is very evident every day that minorities cannot exercise their freedoms the same as a white male and in a lot of instances it results in death of the minority for some small infraction of the law. And when you suggest that since they don’t respect a symbol that they should just leave. In effect you are saying they are not entitled to the same freedoms that you are. (I have a husband, a brother, a sister, a nephew, two brothers-in-law and myself who all served) and I feel what they are “taking a knee” for is a worthy cause and I sure so does God. We’re all Gods creatures and he didn’t make the “white man” special. So please see the real reason for the protest, you won’t have to look hard and I sure you can find it in your heart to be more inclusive and less derisive.
I feel it is disrespectful to the flag, our national anthem and the military (I have a brother, a husband and a son that served).. I suggest since they don’t have any respect for the flag, country or national anthem rather than stay in this country where they feel they are being abused, why don’t they move to another country they feel will treat them better than the United States has. They are free to leave at any time. No need to finish out the fat contracts that most of them have since they will be out of the country. Let them sample life someplace else. I would like to hear from them after they relocate.
However I may feel about the protests, I will defend their right to freedom of expression. Isn’t that why we’ve fought for over 200 years?
I believe that any individual has the right to protest – as long as he/she does not do so in uniform. The military cannot do it in uniform for obvious reasons. Professional athletes have the right to protest on their own time – I also fought for this right. BUT, when one is in uniform, be it service or pro football team or any other, then the protest is essentially a protest by that organization represented by the uniform. If an NFL team, or the league as a whole, which is also represented, endorse the protest, let them say so and then let their athletes protest. They are also then accepting the resulting consequences. Until these organizations take a stand, confine your protesting to your off field activities.
There are so many protests of racial injustice going on, but there are many racial injustices against the white people too. How many white only scholarships for college do you see in the US? None. However there are a tremendous amounts of black or minority only scholarships, and grants. Why do white people have to work harder to get an education than minorities? Look at the very violent protests that have happened due to a criminal with numerous criminal convictions being shot. Sometimes by a minority police officer, in a town with a black mayor and police chief. What about the white criminals getting shot. Should people rise up everywhere in favor of criminals over police. All people should have a mandatory 2 years of service in one of the branches of the military and then these overpaid “PROFESSIONALS” might not act so ignorant. Professionals are the ones that wear uniforms to protect our country. FREE SPEECH disrespecting Veterans is allowed, as is desecrating a flag, but either action shows how low life these players are. They don’t deserve to get paid millions to play a game and I will never support them or their sponsors again in any way. I would like all Veterans, VFW and American Legion posts to do the same!
Also, These sports should no longer get tax breaks from the Government, whether local, state or Federal either.
Please stop all this B.S. talk of 1st amendment rights being violated. No one is disputing they have the right to protest in the manner they have chosen. It is simply a matter of their method being morally wrong and offensive to what I believe is the majority of Americans (mostly military veterans). There are many other means of protest that will gain Media attention (CNN especially). If NFL players would chose another means of protest, their message is much more likely to be heard. In my view, most of the social injustice being protested is happening in the slum districts of major cities where Police Officers are more likely to be in fear of their own lives while confronting violence, so of course there are more likely to be instances of social injustice. This isn’t an excuse for condoning their actions (where misguided), it is simply looking at this issue from another side. No one can dispute that the majority of Police actions are intended to protect the rights of all Americans, so get over it and support your local Police rather than protest them for the misguided actions of the few.
I concur with Meg Flanagan. We can and should do better as a nation.
Although some see it as a 1st amendment right. I don’t see it that way, it states in Games Operational Manual, the meme claims that page 62-63 of the “NFL rule book” dictates that during the national anthem, players must stand, face the flag, hold their helmet in their left hand and refrain from talking. The meme claims that failure to follow this policy can result in fines, suspensions or forfeiture of draft picks.
This is not being enforced and it should be or why post it? Why was it even put there? Who put it there and for what reason? Was this for protest or respect?
The flag is every soldiers rally point, nothing feels better than being in a compound where the red, white and blue is flying. If they protested prior to the national anthem or after most wouldn’t have a problem. I have a problem not standing as I know some of those that have died for our country: that is there emblem it is on their coffin, go take a knee at your grandfather’s funeral that died on the battle field and let your father see that. To me that would be like spitting on their grave.
What a horrible abuse of the 1st amendment, to disrespect our flag. Get your point across some other way, not our soldiers Rally Point. No matter how split we are the Rally Point has 50 Stars on it, respect it.
I don’t see any injustice in what the police are doing. Yes their have been some bad cops but they don’t go out and just say. let go out and find some one black to kill. These cops make these choices whether you are black, white or Hispanic they shoot all races. This is not an epidemic of blacks being killed. Go and see what is happening in Chicago.”The city has logged more than 700 homicides this year, more than any other major U.S. city” Chicago Tribune. Let’s see the protest on that.
Overall, police shot and killed 978 people in the yearlong period that immediately followed Kaepernick’s first protest, according to the Post. Black Americans made up roughly 21 percent of the victims, according to HuffPost’s review. That is one in five so who were the other 4?
My family finds it disrespectful! Although it brought much needed attention to numerous issues, now what are they doing about it. They have the money to help get some things done so instead of disrespecting our country’s flag and all it stands for, stand up and get all of us motivated to make changes in our country, our communities, unite and make things better, don’t divide and disrespect. My family saw it as nothing other than a protest against our president because that’s what is now because all of them were not taking a knee prior to President Trump saying what he said. Bottom line, whether we agree with how our President says things, tweets, acts, he is our President. If all these actors and sports figures would remind everyone to register to vote (including Kapernick, who didn’t even register the news says) that is our first form of freedom of speech! BUT VOTE RESPONSIBLY! Regardless of what people think, WE LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY, WE ARE ALL GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES! So yes I agree that they all have the right to take knees but the sports owners also have the right to fine or fire them and I am ok with that.!
They are protesting racism and that directly affects them and their communities, as the OP pointed out. They are highly visible football “stars” and are trying to use that platform to bring light to the injustices faced by minorities in the US. I will never understand the logic, “if they don’t like it here they can leave.” That is the most thoughtless statement I’ve ever heard. If something were hurting your family, killing off your brothers/sisters, wouldn’t you be angry? If you were a target of the police would you be angry?? Would you stand up and speak out? As the OP said he police do an amazing job and I have nothing but respect for them. I cannot imagine the stress and hardships their families face, however, there is a problem within the system.
Here’s how I went from not buying it to holy shit it’s true. My son and 4 or 5 of his friends borrowed a gf’s car to run to the store for snacks. My son and all of his friends were young white males. They were pulled over along the way, NO one had a license, NO proof of insurance or that the car belonged to their friend just them telling the officer that, NO lights on at night. They were allowed to go on their way. The officer joked and giggles with them thinking they were on a “munchies” run.
One of my sons friends was heading home from college. He is A mix of Korean/black heritage and his father is a police officer. He was pulled over for speeding. Not TWO minutes after the stop the police officer was asking him to get out of his car telling him he wanted to search it. When this boy refused the officer got upset asking him what he had to hide. In short on the side of a dark highway he was intimidating this kid. Had the boy’s father NOT been a police officer he might have been as calm and it could have gone really bad, really fast. Thankfully it ended after this boy repeatedly refused a search saying he wanted to call his father. He was ticketed and sent on his way.
My son again, young white male, was driving from Va back to Md and was running late for work so he was flying (I learned this part much later). As a result he was pulled over. The officer listened to his story of being late for work and told him that in the state of Md going that speed would cost him his license but he was going to help him out. The boy was going 70 in a 40 and was given a ticket for doing 50. Again the officer joked and carried on with him.
Now what does this tell you (except that I need to jerk a knot in my sons behind?)?? It exists! Profiling, racism, is still alive and thriving!
These athletes are protesting peacefully they aren’t destroying prooperty, rioting in the streets, they are simply taking a knee.
Tell me how would you like them to protest? I also have a husband who served 20 years honorably and humbly, one son in the Air Force and one in the process of joining. My family fights to make sure we ALL have a right to speak up. We don’t have to agree but we do have to allow others to have their chance. If someone were trying to quiet your voice I have a strong feeling you’d be pretty pissed off. You can’t have it both ways…
What you should be worried about is the very rights and freedoms our families fight for are constantly being threatened by our own damn president. When you have the leader of the free world talking about yanking broadcast tv licenses, that’s a dictator. I personally don’t want state run tv. I want to use my own judgement and logical thinking to weed through the information flow. I do not however, need someone telling me what I should or shouldn’t be watching…I’m 41 not 4!! I know the difference between a falsehood and a truth! Don’t talk down to me and treat me as if I do not have a working brain.
That all being said the take away is: freedom of speech is ALL people regardless of whether you agree or disagree,it is their right as US citizens!
due to the fact that GOD has been left out .. The beginning of all problems. it´s not going to get any better.
Why do they put so much attention to this, instead of on the game. while watching the game, we should be relaxed and enjoying it, but now the camera goes to the kneelers, come on media. We are suppose to be a fairly intelligent country, but everyday we get dummer.
I don’t think people even know what they are doing…..it continues to be a case of follow the wrong leader. Respect went out the window a long time ago. You don’t like it here, then LEAVE !!!!
If you don’t like what people are doing and saying, why don’t YOU LEAVE!!!!!!
Several years ago, there was a effort to make it illegal to harm or degrade the US flag. In response to this national debate, US NEWS and World Report stated the following “The reason you can (burn the flag) is the reason you won’t”. I think folks kneeling during the National Anthem simply don’t understand US history and the principles on which this country is founded. However, If a country is to remain free, people must have the right to protest. I fully support this right and believe no one should be forced to stand during the National Anthem but, with proper awareness, they should want to stand. However, as a veteran, when I see people not respecting our flag it produces a horrible visceral response in me that is simply too much to bear. Thus, I have turned away from the NFL for a more joyful form of entertainment.
I am for the right to speak your heart on any subject , since it is my right under our law. However, there is a time and place to do this, and I believe it should be very carefully considered as to where this is done, and is it done for show .Bowing on one`s knee is done for many causes that I have heard of one may be to propose marriage,another a show of respect,to pray, and give reverence to a higher power.. Anyway, for these men to do it at a football game so they get the biggest show, or bang for their bucks seems a bit much to me, because they apparently were protesting, and involving a whole stadium to watch, while others stood to get reverence to our flag and country for the freedom we all now enjoy, even those on one knee.
they are all millionaires who will weather the storm
Protest the right way! Not in front of our flag period. It’s the Old Glory and she’s innocent. For those of you who don’t understand, research it.
I am a wife of a Ret. CW4 ,Daughter of a Ret.CW4 POW in the Korean War, lived my life for RESPECT for my Country and God . I love our Troops and have the upmost respect for them. My opinion may not matter to you it does to my Family and Friends. God Bless America again please ??
I’m also a 26 year veteran. I also support the ” right to speak your mind”, HOWEVER, I do appreciate this given right to be used to disrespect, harassing or for intimidating. I did not, prior to recently, saw or hear any of these oppressed multimillionaires ever giving second thoughts to the concerns they’re protesting now. I would appreciate if these oppressed multimillionaires would go to the areas of Detroit, Michigan, St. Louis, Missouri and Oakland, California, to show their sincerity for their concerns of non-White Americans instead of raising a fist or taking a knee. One though I strongly feel these protestors are in denial, the majority of the persons cited as being harassed by the Law Enforcement Officers had an extensive criminal history, or were in the process of committing a crime and, all were resisting arrest. If you want to protest, by all means, but please go to the source and not at a safe haven stadium. Again, you’re raising a fist and taking a knee, HOWEVER, what solutions have you provided for a change, AND, I don’t mean now you’re donating 1% or mostly less of your worth to some charity: and feel you’re doing your part…
Uberliberal approach to freedom, if that is what it is called. Over acceptance of personal agendas over the public good, at the minimum. Our country has overindulged its children for too long, and now they are beginning to run the asylum. Protest peacefully, sure. Do not protest during a show of respect for our Anthem, Country, and military which guarantees our rights. If this country has treated these “repressed” people so badly, why don’t they go somewhere else? No one forces you onto welfare, but it’s there to save you when times are tough. Now we have Generational Welfare families. We have not taught our children that they are responsible for themselves and their own behavior, So if they perceive an injustice, it must be protested and removed. Guess what? Get jobs, work hard, and adjust your attitudes because no one here gets a free lunch. If you are repressed because of your behavior, change your behavior. If the nice policeman says “roll down your window,” Do it. Shut up, take your ticket and APPEAR IN COURT TO DEFEND YOURSELF.
I’m not a sports fan. I think they make way too much money for “playing ball”, I’m not particularly a fan of the National Anthem being played at sporting events, it’s not necessary unless it’s a United States team playing another country on our soil. I think the National Anthem belongs to government or military events. Some smart people said it’s legal to BURN The Flag as a form of Freedom of Speech, I’m having a lot of problems seeing how these protest are equal or worse than that, and I don’t remember this much conversation when that issue was passed. That being said, no it doesn’t bother me in the least. I understand why they are doing it and I don’t see it as being disrespectful because of the reasons they explained and I agree with a person I heard on the news today say, “This was about to go away until Trump got involved”. I believe Black people are treated differently by police, not only police but by other people as well, I don’t believe in treating anyone differently because of their color, people can’t help what race they were born into, we are all children of God, we are all brothers and sisters and while I wouldn’t protest in this way, I believe it is their right to do so.
I personally feel they had other avenues of protest rather than using the flag ceremony that has traditionally been a sign of support for the military. If they were so concerned about the inequality then they could have formed protests outside of police stations or courthouses in the cities they felt were showing bias towards persons of a different skin tone. They could have used their personal time and money to organize in those cities or even those states they are concerned about, to start and follow through with recall petitions on government officials they thought should be out of office. They should run for office themselves in those cities/states where they want to change or influence laws or treatment. They could use their own money to start funds to pay for better lawyers for those of a different skin tone accused of crimes, so they wouldn’t have to use a public defender. They could use their own money to start schools at the youngest of ages for the persons they are concerned about, insuring them a top-notch education from preschool through high schools. They could use their own money to pay for college scholarships for persons they are concerned about, and not just those that want to be rich football players. They could pay for better housing or even getting some family’s (especially those that don’t have Dad’s in them) to be relocated to a better neighborhood or even a better city so those families could have better opportunities with educational endeavors and job placement. They could start business’ with their own money and give jobs to those they are concerned about, those jobs having excellent pay, benefits such as healthcare, and advancement opportunities. Instead of making it a national problem right off the bat, they could have shown some personal initiative first in my personal opinion. Give back personally first to those you are concerned about. Dolly Parton has been a good example of that. She opened a business that employed people where she grew up, people who were poor and had lost jobs because of mine closings. She encouraged many of those people to do their crafts and sell them at Dollywood. She recently gave a million dollars to a children’s hospital. So before sports stars start basically demanding by protest what the whole of the USA is suppose to be doing, they should lead by a better example. Not an example of wearing socks that berate the police department by saying kill pigs or something like that. You want to open up dialogue you take a better, clearer approach and don’t put down things that many in this country still see as good. Many states are not having problems with the police versus the non-police. In many states persons of a different color tone or skin color are taking full advantage of the educational system and working hard to earn scholarships to be productive members of society. So no I don’t believe the approach they took was appropriate. Yes, they have the right to protest, but this family also has the right to boycott the method by which they are doing it, to in my personal opinion, is to gain personal narcissistic attention in many cases. Not all the cases are narcissistic by nature, some were sucked in to so-call show unity amongst the players, but I feel some would have rather not been sucked in by team pressure to do such an action. OUR FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO STAND FOR THE FLAG AND KNELL FOR THE CROSS. Their are better ways to protest and to accomplish unity if that is what you really want. I think behind the scenes this was really for disunity and more chaos. Since many of us that are truly informed know who is financing much of the chaos right now, we wonder how many of the sports stars he is using/paying under-handedly as his personal puppets. SO I AGREE TO DISAGREE WITH THOSE THAT DON’T AGREE WITH ME.
Yes as a veteran I signed up to protect the constitution and the ideals of this nation. That includes the 1st amendment. There is a responsibility with this. As the old saying goes you can’t shout fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire or shoot a bunch of people in Las Vegas under some kind of free speech rant. The NFL and it’s players pick the time as our national anthem is being done. That is intended to be a sign of disrespect for this nation, it’s citizens and disrespect for football fans in general. In London they stand for the United Kingdom and sit for our anthem. What a show of irresponsibility and disrespect. Supposedly they are kneeling for the shooting of a black man by a white police officer. Of course this was started by Colin Kaepernick who now seems to think another Las Vegas style shooting would be OK. Seems to me this is an issue for the court system and not an issue to be tried by the NFL or it’s players. Does this “kneeling” also support the riots that occurred too? Subjecting innocent people and personal property to harm. Is this also support for the killing of police officers? Sounds like it is. The Dallas Cowboys wanted to wear something to honor the 5 police officers killed in Dallas. The NFL wouldn’t let them do that. Of course there is the player too who wanted to wear Mom on his pink under eye patch during a breast cancer awareness game. His mother had died of breast cancer. The NFL wouldn’t allow that either. But public disrespect for the country they live in is OK.
How about if some veterans and fans came out of the stands and surrounded these kneeling players at the time of the national anthem. Freedom of speech right? I wonder if these people would be kicked out of the game and banned from attending a game again. How about some of the players that either did or wanted to stand for the anthem, but knew they would be ostracized by the NFL and their coaches and teammates. Freedom of speech right?
I was a fan of football. It was entertainment without any baggage other than being a fan and watching the game. No more. IF I now support NFL football then I am also disrespecting the flag and country I believe in. So I won’t go to a game, watch one on TV or listen to one on the radio. Any respect for the NFL is gone because they have given me and every citizen of this country the big middle finger. Have any of these players considered how they would be treated in a North Korea, or China, or Russia? Of course they wouldn’t be playing football for big bucks to start with.
Our family has served honorably in the military for many years. Two grandfathers, one grandmother, I served 13 yrs,, my husband is retired military and all three of our sons are currently in the military.
The negative reaction to this protest as baffled me from day one. These men are not spitting on the flag, they haven’t tried to destroy the flag, they haven’t turned their back on the flag, they’re not wearing ear plugs so they don’t have to hear the national anthem. They’re taking a knee people. I cannot think of a more peaceful way to protest!
Where are all you naysayers when the supremacist protest waving the nazi flag? Or when the KKK are marching in full costume in parades carrying burnt crosses? You don’t think they are protesting against the American flag and the laws of this country they disagree with? And they don’t have peace on their minds when they conduct their protest. They are advocating total annihilation of anyone who doesn’t agree with them!
I believe the negative over reaction of people to this protest has only served to prove how right t the protesters are. Blacks in this country are being treating unfairly. Naysayers are trying to relate this protest to how much money the players are paid, that they aren’t doing what they are being paid to do even though not a single player has refused to play football!
Look back through history folks. There aren’t many Rosa Parks. Change is usually brought about by people of influence, people who are admired and looked up to by the less fortunate. These players are looked upon as people who have succeeded in life. They are known and admired by all sports fans. Kudos to them for using their status to bring attention to the racial prejudice in our country! Which was well demonstrated by the President of the United States of American going on tv and calling them all “sons of bitches.”
What is it we want our children to learn? To obtain their rights by peaceful demonstration or by angry, vulgar behavior?
Thank you
There is NO way that I condone what the football players think is their right. Where is the patriotism and pride that we always showed in days of yore ? To think that these players are paid millions of dollars in their career and then not appreciate the country that allows them to earn it.
Two tours in Vietnam gave my husband Agent Orange from which he died serving this country and he was paid a pittance. I say boycott the games, hurt them in their pockets and then the owners will tell them to act like men !! Better yet, deport them !!!
This is all an attempt to overthrow the U.S. Government, the left will push something else when this becomes old news , until there is nothing left , we are headed toward social·ism as fast as these people can push it, I don’t think we will remain free much longer the writer of this piece Meg Flanagan, if she goes along with this as a military spouse. , does not see anything wrong with it , to me this is total disrespect for the military, and veterans. these people want to do away with the Military, and the police, that is their goal the left has Aline themselves with antifa , their goal is to overthrow the Government, they use people.
Meg, thank you, thank you for an eloquent and well-reasoned response.
I don’t like it. They are kneeling while my Brothers and Sisters are coming home under one. Yes I have served and am a 100% DAV.I believe in Duty Honor Country and part of the country is that Red White and Blue Flag
These people, (assuming they are actually Americans), have the right to do what they’re doing, we, as current & former military people gave them this right, BUT I have the right not to support them, by attending or watching their despicable actions at a Stadium paid for by my tax dollars.
Very good, thanks.
Yeah, thats nice.