They Took a Knee • Page 2

If they are actually decent people who contribute positively to the world then I imagine they would gladly support this protest and be proud to see it on their tv

 

The majority of people in this country trust and respect those who serve military too and revel in the opportunity to honor them and don't look at the military through political lenses. You're free to your opinion but the way you deliver it won't bring anyone to empathize with your message.

 

I most people generally support the message of the protest but feel that kneeling during the national anthem is an offensive gesture and that the platform of the NFL awards them more impactful opportunities to make a difference.

 

When could possibly be more impactful than when they are on national TV

 

By the way, did you know that after Colin initially sat, he met with a decorated Green Beret who told him that kneeling during the anthem was the most respectful and best way to go about his protest? Are you going to disagree with the decorated combat veteran you supposedly venerate?

Kaepernick Meets With Veteran Nate Boyer, Then Kneels During Anthem - Under the Radar

 

Well seeing in which the average NFL salary is $1,900,000 I think the opportunity to be more impactful comes from philanthropy.

 

That's not a protest. Colin participates in tons of philanthropy. Are you disagreeing with Green Beret Nate Boyer that the best way to protest is kneeling during the anthem?

 

I firmly believe protests yield little results, actions do a lot more. I firmly believe Colin Kaepernick should be on a team right now. I firmly believe Nate Boyer is a hero and is entitled to his opinion. I firmly believe that standing for the national anthem is a gesture of unity and respect for those who serve which consist of people of all backgrounds, races, political convictions.

 

Do you disagree with Jackie Robinson when he says he cannot stand and salute a flag or sing the anthem for a country that oppressed and kills his people?

 

Protest is action and has historically yielded results tho

 

Your opinion on protests is ahistorical. Protests are action. They have produced change - directly, and in this country.

 

I don't. That's how he felt. Luckily in this country we have the freedom to choose not salute the flag, you could even burn it for all I care. I started off this thread merely trying to explain the viewpoints of people that don't agree that kneeling for the national anthem is the best means of protest. I'm not even sure if I agree with those viewpoints entirely but I'm open to hearing and understanding them.

 

Montgomery Bus Boycott - Black History - HISTORY.com

Selma to Montgomery March - Black History - HISTORY.com

Boston Tea Party - American Revolution - HISTORY.com

Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 - Wikipedia

Kent State shootings - Wikipedia

Protest is action. Protest leads to change. Protest requires the disruption of the status quo. Standing for the national anthem is the status quo.

 

Colin is a huge philanthropist. Which I also agree wields a lot of results. However, by only philanthropy he’s not really bringing to the forefront the issues at hand for all the priveliged NFL loving Americans to see. Protests have historically made huge impacts, so I don’t know why you wouldn’t believe they don’t wield results. It’s a silent, peaceful protest, it’s a lot less offensive than the naysayers yelling and booing at the silent kneelers during the anthem.

 

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

Protests never poll well. A poll will come out saying those in support of kneeling for the anthem are not on the right side of this issue. This is about the slow steady process of changing the poll itself. Gay Marriage did not poll very well for a very long time, then minds start changing, and the polls change. There was a Gallup poll from '63, (Dr. King's march on Washington where he delivered his 'I have a dream' speech) that had 23% favorable, 60% unfavorable of it being a 'good idea.' Have Civil Rights demonstrations helped or hurt Black Rights? 15% helped, 85% hurt...the notion they should stick to sports and be more grateful is completely ridiculous. YOU are choosing to be on the side of history that will be looked at as immoral, racist, and divisive. Once you get it through your thick skull that the flag and military aren't being protested against, your understanding of this situation will be a lot easier.

 

For us in the UK this whole debate about kneeling is absolute insanity. For a start, by making a thing of it, Trump has given something world wide attention when it was not receiving anything like the attention it is now. Therefore making the protest more effective (possibly the first decent thing Trump has done as POTUS). How anyone can criticise a peaceful protest yet think violent protests in which someone drives a car into a crowd of people is acceptable is incomprehensible. As is the fact that anyone would think a peaceful protest in which someone does not stand during a national anthem to highlight their dissatisfaction with a racist and oppressive culture deserves more vilification than those who refuse to take action against racism. I would argue that you should not want to salute a flag or support a nation in which Racism and oppression is rife. The US is always quick to highlight these issues in other countries and vilify other societies but is not taking action to get its own house in order.
Also, It's a game of Football (but not real football might I add. Ha), if you can't handle seeing someone protest during the national anthem because you are offended, you need to grow up and stop being pathetic and touchy. It doesn't disrupt your enjoyment of the game or the result. There are much worse things going on in the world than someone not standing during a national anthem. To those who say "I watch the game to forget about the bad things and stress of normal life", I am sorry that highlighting someone else's suffering ruins your day. Unfortunately there are people not as privileged as you and they are unable to just watch a football game and forget about all their troubles and the racism and oppression they suffer. As Jason stated, what about all the adverts and political agenda's that are broadcast during a game? No one seems to have an issue with that. So why is this any different? If anyone is disrespectful it's Donald Trump. He stood up in public and verbally abused a bunch of footballers for protesting peacefully about an issue that should not even be being discussed. That is much more disrespectful than anything they have done.
in this day and age, racism should not even be being discussed. The colour of your skin, race, religion etc should not have any impact on how you are treated. If you commit crimes you deserve to be punished, if you are an upstanding citizen you should be treated as one. The fact that it is such a big issue across the world at the minute shows how little we have progressed. Fortunately where I live it is not something that often raises its ugly head.
For a country that claims to be the greatest in the world, The US is not showering itself in glory at the minute and there are very few of us on the outside (in the developed world anyway) who would swap what we have with you.

At the end of the day, you can not argue it has not been an effective protest. It has made people around the world discuss it. Therefore it has worked whether you like it or not.

Rant over.

 

"Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Kneeling during the national anthem is a massive peaceful assembly and petition of grievances that is completely constitutional and, since the goal is the welfare of this country and to protest injustices, very patriotic. A lot of far-righters are angry because they think it's a left-wing conspiracy or an anti-American assembly. But what if the most American thing to do is draw attention to uniquely American issues that are largely swept under the rug by our government?

I am so weary of the controversy.

 

I disagree but respect your opinion.

 

The point is being lost on a lot of people. Probably time to re-evaluate and modify the approach.

 

Nah. People are being willfully ignorant. NFL players have explained themselves ad nauseam about why they're protesting and their thoughts on the military servicemen and women. If anyone is still angry or offended that's on them. The protests have done plenty of good. People were pissed at MLK and John Carlos and Muhammad Ali. They were wrong then just like anyone opposed to Kap and other kneeling players are wrong now.

 

There's legitimately only one valid side to this argument and if you're against the peaceful protesters exercising their first amendment rights to stand up for racial justice you're not on it.

 

All the criticism you have mentioned including this very statement has been used to try and discredit the the protests that Nathan listed for you.

 

The sad thing is though that it's only bringing his supporters closer together as well. The comments on certain news websites are appalling and the same old arguments keep coming up (and getting thousands of likes each time), whenever systematic racism and social injustices come up, especially from a black person of prominence (celebrity athlete etc)..
1. They're black and rich so what are they protesting for? They should be glad at the progress made to enable them to achieve that and basically, if they made it, there's no problem anymore.
2. The deflection argument of we don't have to listen to you till you fix your own communities. Go take your paycheck and magically fix black on black crime then we'll help you fixing the stuff that we can address right now.
3. It's disrespecting America (without ever really validating why in any meaningful way besides political indoctrination).

It's gross that people are this ignorant.

 

Hopefully without leading to a separate argument with people on here, my anecdote on this, is that I moved to America from the UK when i was 12 (18 years ago now) and my dad used to be amazed and comment all the time on how patriotism and especially patriotism towards the military was integrated into everything. He used to hate watching sports, especially the superbowl, because of the 4 hours of coverage before the game dedicated to it. Other than countries actively at war, I can't think of any nation that puts so much emphasis on military might and the troops as the US does. There are plenty of countries whose freedoms were gained through bloodshed and sacrifice and it's appreciated and remembered more quietly and solemnly.