# It's a Pretty Lame Protest if No One Gets Upset **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 24, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186 "2017-09-24T16:38:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/101 "2017-09-25T00:37:37Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > What the fuck does it have to do with sports? Nothing. It’s a public event where such a thing is done. Do you protest the flag at the elementary school, or the Post Office? ---
**Author:** ![Pippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5a626/32.png) [@Pippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pippers)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/102 "2017-09-25T00:48:25Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I am so looking forward to this kind of ill thought out protesting in America finally flaming out. I agree, why don’t you tell the orange resident in chief to shut his yap and try do his job. Such a dumb plucker. Those players are bringing attention to black people being abused by the police. Not really political, seems to me it’s on par with the women that used to walk around the titty bar with signs wanting it closed. Your bone head in the white house has no right calling people filthy names and saying they should be fired because they’re behaving in a way that he doesn’t like. Seeing what’s happening in this country and in Germany may bad mojo hit those white men. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/103 "2017-09-25T00:54:12Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Sorry if you took it personally. I was just honestly responding. > > But IMO if respecting something that IMO represents what is the best about us upsets you…well, that’s going to bother me a bit (barring well thought out actions that would bother me but might not once I understood them). > > And lighten up. > > I didn’t lump you /them with the rapists and pedophiles…sorry it it came off too strong. As a question of common courtesy, do you believe a sincere apology consists of: 1. I was just being honest 2. I can’t tolerate disagreement (note that I didn’t actually disagree with anything you said) 3. Blame me for taking offense at your gratuitous comment 4. I could have said worse things 5. But sorry If someone makes unprovoked comments about you and replies with these points, would you take their apology as sincere? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/104 "2017-09-25T00:58:38Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > If someone makes unprovoked comments about you and replies with these points, would you take their apology as sincere? I did not target you. And you asked about certain things. And I answered. If you are upset about my answers and explanations…well, I don’t know what else to tell you. And this is the fucking pit. I was being god damn miss manners in this place. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/105 "2017-09-25T01:07:02Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > I’m glad for this thread. Mr. Middon and I discussed this topic earlier. Apparently the Chicago Bears stood for the anthem, which he thought was good and I thought was disappointing. > > But neither of us get why genuflecting during the national anthem is so disrespectful. After all, when I was a child it was routine to genuflect in church before entering the pew. This was considered to be highly respectful. The same gesture applied to the flag is wrong? > > Look – if the players want to be disrespectful, they have lots of options. They could moon the flag. They could talk on their phones during the anthem. They could swill beer while the anthem is being sung. I suspect that a careful look at the crowd in the stadium would show some fans doing the latter two things, and wouldn’t be shocked to see someone do the first. > > Players could bring out the Stars and Bars and sing “Dixie” during the anthem. That would be extremely disrespectful, but I’ll bet Donny John wouldn’t tweet about it. > > If the first player to kneel during the anthem had been white and was protesting the injunction against the travel ban, would the trump fans be so upset? Oh, no – I’m sure racism has nothing to do with their outrage. Kaepernick kneeled specifically to show disrespect, or at least a lack of respect: > [@](#): > > “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. I don’t claim to intuitively understand the emotional connection to the flag or nationalism, but I can clearly see that many people do have that. The title of this thread is “It’s a Pretty Lame Protest If No One Gets Upset”, and that may be true. However, the reverse is not true. A protest upsetting people does not make it a good one. And it’s pretty clear that Kaepernick’s hasn’t been a good one. It has generated a lot of attention, but the attention has centered on the protest itself and not the issue he was protesting. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/106 "2017-09-25T01:10:29Z")
Good post above. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/107 "2017-09-25T01:23:49Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I did not target you. > > And you asked about certain things. And I answered. > > If you are upset about my answers and explanations…well, I don’t know what else to tell you. > > And this is the fucking pit. I was being god damn miss manners in this place. Right. You made an insincere apology after being a jerk for no reason whatsoever. Which was my point; I’m not sure how you missed it. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/108 "2017-09-25T01:30:31Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Right. You made an insincere apology after being a jerk for no reason whatsoever. Which was my point; I’m not sure how you missed it. What is insincere about it? I explained my thought process. I explained my feelings. Hell, I even said I didn’t intend to come off as strong as I did. And I have made a point that it was not personally aimed at you in particular. But, yeah, you pull some IMO bullshit protest at the flag I’m gonna think you are probably a wanker who either has a bullshit agenda or has not really thought this through or both. Now, that does not in my book make you evil incarnate. Hell, we might still even be friends. But on this issue you are still a wanker in my book. And you fucking ASKED in the first place. Good grief. Is English not your native language? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/109 "2017-09-25T01:41:50Z")
> [@Pippers](#): > > **Your bone head in the white house has no right** calling people filthy names and **saying they should be fired because they’re behaving in a way that he doesn’t like**. Well, [you’re right about the bolded part](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/227). I’d consider the other bit a good thing for an elected official to avoid doing, too. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/110 "2017-09-25T02:11:15Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Well, [you’re right about the bolded part](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/227). I’d consider the other bit a good thing for an elected official to avoid doing, too. Trump is obviously not making these comments “solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation” so he is not in violation of this law. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/111 "2017-09-25T02:13:28Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Nothing. It’s a public event where such a thing is done. > > Do you protest the flag at the elementary school, or the Post Office? Who is protesting the flag? What about it are they protesting? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/112 "2017-09-25T02:22:08Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Trump is obviously not making these comments “solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation” so he is not in violation of this law. Obviously? To who? Not to me. I think we’re gonna need multiple, expensive, years-long congressional and criminal investigations into Trump’s actions here, to see just how far this goes; we already know that Mnuchin is in on the conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/113 "2017-09-25T02:57:17Z")
These professional sports players are going to be starting a new tradition, where it’s seen as _more_ respectful to kneel before the flag while the anthem plays, and the peons in the stands don’t have room to do so, thus the players will be the ones who are showing the proper amount of respect for the flag. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/114 "2017-09-25T02:59:07Z")
Funny logic there 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/115 "2017-09-25T03:17:06Z")
Well, one thing I will say is that Trump has, not for the first time, trolled the country so successfully that he should have the “Omnibus Trolls R Us” thread all to himself. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/116 "2017-09-25T03:21:04Z")
Troller in Chief he certainly is. Many people think he is crazy. More and more I think he just well be crazy like a fox as they say. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/117 "2017-09-25T03:44:16Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > This is largely in response to the latest brou-ha-ha over professional sports players not standing during the US nation anthem. > … > Demanding and compelling displays of loyalty to a flag, anthem, or country … coercion? > > Freedom of expression is an empty concept if you’re only allowed “approved” forms of protest or officially sanctioned acts. If you’re only free to disagree with prior permission you aren’t free at all. … Nat’l Anthem: … for the land of the FREE … Demanding, compelling, coercing would meant all the fine talk about freedom and even the song itself are a damn lie, I would think. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/118 "2017-09-25T03:59:51Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Well bless your heart. > [@monstro](#): > > Translation: “I’m way out of my league in this debate, so I’m just going to be a turd.” Actually, in some American dialects “well, bless your heart” would be better translated as “fuck you”. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/119 "2017-09-25T04:11:25Z")
Interesting. Just saw a yahoo news story. The gist of the article was that the Bengal’s team owner was “weak” because apparently he did not think football and politics should mix. Or that his players should kneel like all those OTHER right thinking teams. Reading the article leaves one with impression that the Bengals owner/management are a bunch of out of touch boobs. Looked at a BUNCH of comments on that article. There was not ONE comment that supported this protest shit. Not one. So, who is outa touch with public sentiment here? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186/120 "2017-09-25T04:25:09Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Interesting. > > Just saw a yahoo news story. The gist of the article was that the Bengal’s team owner was “weak” because apparently he did not think football and politics should mix. Or that his players should kneel like all those OTHER right thinking teams. Reading the article leaves one with impression that the Bengals owner/management are a bunch of out of touch boobs. > > Looked at a BUNCH of comments on that article. There was not ONE comment that supported this protest shit. Not one. > > So, who is outa touch with public sentiment here? Comments section. That’s a mighty scientific way of gauging public opinion. Some reason you couldn’t LINK to the article? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-pretty-lame-protest-if-no-one-gets-upset/797186.md?page=7)