I’m not entirely clear that “genuflect” is really the word. Seems to me the "knee down’ reflects the gesture made to nullify and set aside a play, as in “this is over and nothing happened”. A negation, rather than an observance.
A kneel down is a casual finishing play to end a game that is over in every way but the clock. Any similarity to the protests is coincidental.
I was a football referee at the high school level. Whenever any player went down with an injury that required a stoppage, all the other players (both teams including sidelines) were instructed to take a knee while the injury was attended to. You see similar actions in college and pros if it’s something especially serious like a neck injury.
The protests take that use of taking a knee. One of concern and respect.
So he made up for it by destroying the USFL.
From General Michael Hayden, retired General, former head of the NSA and CIA:
… And then President Trump, before a red-hot Alabama crowd of his political base, decided to treat the “SOBs” who wouldn’t stand for the anthem the way he has previously treated other groups like Mexicans (murderers and rapists), intelligence professionals (Nazis), immigrants (deeply unfair), refugees (dangerous) and Muslims (they hate us). …
There were tough choices to make: respect for the flag, respect for the anthem, respect for your teammates, respect for justice, respect for your fans, respect for free speech. The president had created what logicians call a false dilemma, that support for free speech or for teammates equated to disrespect for flag, anthem or country. And he did it for political advantage.
My Steelers rejected the false dilemma…
But I believe that everyone on the Steelers did the right thing. They were dealt a bad hand and played it as best they could. Or, more accurately, they tried not to play.
And the dealer here was President Trump. …
… White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday said the president’s Huntsville stand was about “honoring the men and women who fought to defend” the flag.
As a 39-year military veteran, I think I know something about the flag, the anthem, patriotism, and I think I know why we fight. It’s not to allow the president to divide us by wrapping himself in the national banner. I never imagined myself saying this before Friday, but if now forced to choose in this dispute, put me down with Kaepernick."
While they goose step around statues dedicated to traitors, waving rebel and Nazi flags. Also, the same people who think there’s nothing wrong with Russia interfering in the election are the ones who would be the first to scream “love it or leave it” in your face.
Aaron Rodgers also expressed support for Kaepernick and his protest in his last interview with ESPN, which was also rather eye-opening.
People booed when the Cowboys joined together to take a knee in silence before the flag was even presented Monday night, then all stood for the anthem. Methinks it has less to do with the flag and more with those uppity players, but what do I know?
That’s why I was happy with Rodgers crossing the “color line”, as it were. I thought, now with a very popular, nice guy, top level player, who also is a white guy, on board, these whackadoodles will see it in a different light. That maybe they’ll get passed their prejudices and see the issue for what it is.
Ha! They just call AR a traitor, spoiled rich guy, etc, too. And they’re going to boycott. (yeah, right. Sure they will. Until Thursday night!) So much for my theory!
This makes sense, and I like it better. Therefore, my previous expression is non-operational, this is my opinion as of now and always was.
If they’re going to boycott, can I have their season tickets? I wanna get them before my eyesight leaves me, and I only have another 50 years or so.
We have always been at war with Eastasia.
This has always been true for Conservatives. Liberals protesting is unpatriotic and sometimes called outright treason. But Conservatives protesting is the very height of patriotism. Stunning levels of disconnect and hypocrisy. “We can do it, you can’t”.
I know I’m late to the game on this, but I just cannot believe this one. Who the fuck would back Roy Moore? The guy makes Trump look like Einstein! He is an absolute idiot! He is running for the US Senate and he doesn’t know what DACA is. He pulls out handguns at his rallies. He thinks homosexuals should be locked up. You can go on for a whole day about all the dumb shit he’s done.
I am so sad and disgusted that these are the caliber of people that the right is now backing. It wasn’t that Strange wasn’t bad either, but come on!
He is the true face of “The Base” in all its hideousness. These ARE the Deplorables. And, he was backed by Steve Bannon (the face and mouthpiece of the alt-right). Bannon, the guy who has plainly stated he wants to burn everything down.
It’s getting interesting, in a predictable way. Now people are calling for the NFL players and supporters to be KILLED.
People like Wisconsin restaurant co-owner John Valko have taken to Facebook to share exactly what should happen to these “ungrateful” protestors. The Racine Journal-Times reports:
The owners of Reefpoint Brew House, 2 Christopher Columbus Causeway, acknowledged the comment from fellow co-owner John Valko in a statement released on their Facebook page Tuesday evening.
In the comment, which has been deleted but appears as a screenshot multiple times in the comments on the statement, Valko advocates for the killing of NFL players who kneel during the national anthem before games, something more than 200 players did Sunday.
“Kill the idiot players,” Valko wrote. “Execute them. They are nothing but garbage. The league is screwed up if they think it is their right. It is their duty to respect our country and our flag. They should go kneel in front of a freight train. Shame on these stupid misfits of society. They need to die.”
This is The Base. This is what “conservatism” has mutated into. This is what passes for “patriotism” now.
It’s disgusting.
There is violence on many sides. On many sides. Ever watch a football game? There’s some violence goo ng on there. These players are violent thugs, and some of those calling for the players to be executed are very fine people.
Hey, they are just exercising their freedom of expression. Calling for others to be killed because you don’t like how they are demonstrating their rights is an american tradition.
Imagine what that guy would say if a presidential candidate talked about how the USA is terrible and weak during every campaign speech.
I try to be compassionate about their mental limitations, what with those authoritarianism-oriented brains of theirs being so dominated by fear.
But it ain’t easy.
We’re all looking forward to hearing Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell defending whatever latest hate-mongering has come out of Roy Moore’s mouth, no doubt. They can’t let that Senate seat go to a Democrat, so they have to defend him.
Won’t that be an edifying spectacle?
“The PC elites only allow protests of our cops and our flag.”
“I hope Brady gets knocked out for the season.”
“Learn to speak English and learn to respect the flag you worthless POS.”
Bandwagon fans. OMFG. The most triggered white people mass freakout I’ve seen since that time McCain saved their health insurance. I absolutely love this.
man kneeling during taps at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
So - disrespectful? Or was he “genuflecting”?