The anthem is about the flag, which is faced during its performance, so that’s a mighty small nit.
Alternately, Kap’s protests (along with those from many other players) made this issue much, much more visible to many more Americans, resulting in loss of positive dialogue and contributing to positive action on many issues like body cameras. Which is how I see it. Kap definitely helped, IMO.
Tell astorian, not me.
It really doesn’t matter if there is intent to disrespect the flag.
Perception is everything. It’s the only thing that matters.
And many, many people perceived it as disrespect. It’s easy to misconstrue intentions, and bad optics. That’s counterproductive to your cause.
Standing is a ceremonial way to show respect. That is why people stand when a judge enters a courtroom or a bride enters the church. It used to be that students stood when a teacher entered the classroom and gentlemen stood when a lady enters the room. It is customary now to show respect to the country by standing and taking your hat off when then the national anthem is played.
Likewise not standing during a time where everyone else is standing to show respect is a calculated move to show disrespect. Pretending otherwise is like saying giving someone the middle finger is meaningless.
It’s more a case of a dishonest perception that is being pushed by right-wing ideologues. “Many, many” people didn’t view it as disrespect until they were told it was disrespectful, an agenda still being promoted in this thread.
Honestly, I’m of two minds on this issue. One on hand I support the cause of the players who are protesting. On the other, I don’t feel the NFL is obligated to give their players a forum for their protests. The net result of all of this I feel will simply be the removal of the anthem from professional sports.
Which will be a win for everybody except the hyper-“patriots.”
Imagine I think you’re incorrect. It shouldn’t be difficult; I do think that.
As a result of what I just said, possibly you wish to show disrespect for me. But it’s also possible that you have nothing but respect for me. May I make a small request? I’d very much like for you to show your true feelings by kneeling before me — and, just to make everything clear, I’d like for you to repeatedly explain that you of course don’t intend any disrespect by kneeling before me. I mean, that’s not really how kneeling before me works; but I’d sure like for you to spell that out anyway.
I’d like you to so kneel before me every week. Is that cool?
Total player salaries are determined by the salary cap which is determined by a certain percentage of total league revenues. Any changes to merchandise revenue will be reflected in the next years salary cap and will result in player’s receiving less money for their next contract.
Cool story, brah. Now, are you going to actually explain how ‘taking the knee’ is disrespecting the nation, the flag, or military veterans in any way shape or form, or are you going to continue to dissemble with pointless anecdotes?
That is about the least disturbing reference to Catch-22. I’m just waiting for Trump to start tweeting, “What’s good for the Trump Organization is good for America,” and for him to accept contracts with Iran or Syria to start commanding American drones to preemptively attack American ships and airfields.
I think Yossarian had it correct: “The enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on, and that includes Colonel Cathcart. And don’t you forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live.”
It is amusing how a literally silent protest has evoked such a public vocal response that is way out of proportion with any real or imagined offense, and then lengths to which political figures have sought to propagandize it. You could not deliberately conceive of a better viral marketing campaign if you tried. The only mistake Kaepernick made was not securing some kind of licensing rights at the outset.
But frankly, the NFL has about another ten years of life left in it before the over-growing promotional costs and liability over CTE injuries makes it fiscally unviable, and assheaded behavior on the part of owners like this isn’t winning them any more credibility as being concerned about their players. The people manufacturing outrage over this are using the NFL as a proxy for patriotism and kneeling as some kind of loyalty challenge, and that is only going to hold up for as long as the NFL contineues to matter.
Stranger
I’m gonna need a cite on that one. Fans booed the very first time he kneeled, september 1st, 2017.
Exactly. African-American athletes have talked about how they’ve been targeted by the police for their skin color for years. Kap and the other kneelers have made that conversation more apparent than it was before.
Also, a Christian, I get amused by the notion that kneeling is disrespectful. Usually in churches with kneelers when there is an option to either “stand or kneel” (for prayers such), most decide to kneel because it is feels more respectful.
Students being taught by someone who regards protest as “disrespectful” to America are confused about the fundamentals of the American system? Gee, I wonder why…
Just stop playing the anthem at every pro game, problem solved.
We could turn communist overnight, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
A stadium is not church. The protocol for the national anthem is well established and known, and is said on a loudspeaker at every game.
[quote=“Ashtura, post:92, topic:814701”]
I’m gonna need a cite on that one. Fans booed the very first time he kneeled, september 1st, 2017.
[/QUOTE]That wasn’t the first time. He sat the week before and there were plenty of articles about it. We’re people booing then?
Also, is booing during the National Anthem not disrespectful? What about going to get a beer?
What about kneeling before Zod? Is that disrespectful?
Come on - “Said on a loudspeaker”? YGTBKM
Still better than taking a whiz.
Kaepernick did this. He put his money where his mouth is and donated to charities with his salary. He wasn’t just being a smart mouth stirring up trouble - he was looking to start conversations and start change:
Kaepernick had a conversation with Nate Boyer about this. Boyer is a veteran who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as a Green Beret and played for the Seahawks in 2015. Interestingly, they had their differences but ultimately compromised with the kneeling:
How can kneeling be disrespectful? It’s respectful to kneel in church, players kneel when another player is hurt to show respect, and most notably, at a military funeral the Honor Guard presenting the folded flag to the next of kin KNEELS when handing it over:
I am a veteran and I totally, wholly, fully support players who want to kneel. When they kneel, they are saying “I love my country but there are some problems that we need to address.” That’s patriotism.
Additionally, I am also cool with Army veteran and Steeler Alejandro Villanueva standing during the national anthem last year:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/military/article175300571.html