I searched, and my search function isn’t working well, so maybe this topic is already out there.
Anyway, going down on one knee is typically a sign of respect. It what you do before a monarch, if your country has a monarch. So why is it offensive to do during the anthem? If anything, it’s showing greater respect than people who are merely standing.
If you want to somehow protest or disrespect the anthem, or the country for which it stands, stay seated. Which, and I have not been following this story closely, because, football, is as I understand it, what the player did initially.
It seems to me he should have stuck to sitting. Taking a knee sends a mixed message.
Am I missing something? Did he also turn his back on the singer and the flag, or something?
Did he make some statement explaining exactly what the knee means? Does it have some significance in football?
The people who are claiming it is disrespectful would sing a different tune if the reason for the protest were different.
Indeed, Kap chose kneeling precisely to avoid the appearence of disrespect.
The people getting upset over this protest are the same ones who say that armed Nazis parading with Tiki Torches and threatening synagogues is just free speech that no one should be bothered by. The ones talking about disrespect to the flag are the same ones who have no problem cutting a hole in the flag and using it as a poncho, dragging it on the ground, or flying the flag dedicated to treason against the US flag.
Just today I saw a person who was ADAMANT that kneeling during the Anthem was disrespectful, post a link to a Robin Williams concert where he(R.W.) is wearing a shirt made out of the flag, and saying how great he is :rolleyes:
I have no idea, and in MHO, the hoopla is silly. I believe a subset of our country finds it supremely important that everyone must give their utmost honor to things and notions and symbols…in the exact same manner as everyone else. And if “certain people” are taking a knee during the national anthem, while “people like us” aren’t, then those “certain people” aren’t giving their utmost honor like “people like us” are.
The flag isn’t more important than the people it represents, the national anthem isn’t more important than people either. And I daresay most people feel that way, which is why the right-wing is now crying “Won’t someone think of the vets??!?” They’ve adjusted their messaging to make it about people, and not just the flag or national anthem. “Everyone is supposed to ***stand ***during the national anthem, but these people are disobeying, so these people are dishonoring the veterans.” Bullshit.
It’s non-violent civil disobedience, and there have always been people gasping and clutching their pearls when black people start civilly disobeying. It’s just not right, dontcha know.
Personally I think ANY protest during the flag/national anthem thingy is disrespectful.
For this reason. FIRST, it would be kinda nice if politics could be left outa some shit. Secondly, You can probably come up with a few dozen “major” issues that need protesting…so is EVERY flag/national anthem thingy gonna have somebody protesting about something?
No, just like every charity doesn’t need to pour ice water over someone’s head to raise money. Kap chose this venue for this protest. We used to go to the local federal building with signs against US support for Apartheid. Some people March on Washington to oppose Roe v. Wade every January.
Having a national anthem before playing a game is–by its very nature–dragging politics into it. Your opinion on forms of government and preference of nation-state have nothing to do with watching grown men play with balls and sticks.
The flag represents the right – indeed, duty – to disagree with the policies of the country for which the flag stands.
It would be nice if innocent, compliant members of a certain demographic were not killed for no reason by representatives of our governments. The people who are protesting this deplorable situation are simply making use of the forum available to them, to bring the greatest amount of attention to it.
I don’t believe you. I believe if someone kneeled during the anthem to bring attention to, say, veterans being poorly treated at the VA, you would not find it disrespectful.
