A Time to kneel, Written by Ted Nugent

[BJones]

A time to kneel
Written by Ted Nugent

Take a little trip to Valley Forge in January. Hold a musket ball in your fingers and imagine it piercing your flesh and breaking a bone or two. There won't be a doctor or trainer to assist you until after the battle, so just wait your turn. Take your cleats and socks off to get a real experience.

Then take a knee.

Then, take a knee on the beach in Normandy where man after American man stormed the beach, even as the one in front of him was shot to pieces ... the very sea stained with American blood. The only blockers most had were the dead bodies in front of them, riddled with bullets from enemy fire.

Take a knee in the sweat soaked jungles of Vietnam. From Khe San to Saigon ... anywhere will do. Americans died in all those jungles. There was no playbook that told them what was next, but they knew what flag they represented. When they came home, they were protested as well, and spit on for reasons only cowards know.

Take another knee in the blood drenched sands of Fallujah in 110 degree heat .. Wear your Kevlar helmet and battle dress. Your number won't be printed on it unless your number is up! You'll need to stay hydrated but there won't be anyone to squirt Gatorade into your mouth. You're on your own.

There are a lot of places to take a knee where Americans have given their lives all over the world.. When you use the banner under which they fought as a source for your displeasure, you dishonor the memories of those who bled for the very freedoms you have. That's what the red stripes mean. It represents the blood of those who spilled a sea of it defending your liberty.

While you're on your knee, pray for those that came before you, not on a manicured lawn striped and printed with numbers to announce every inch of ground taken ... but on nameless hills and bloodied beaches and sweltering forests and bitter cold mountains .. every inch marked by an American life lost serving that flag you protest.

No cheerleaders, no announcers, no coaches, no fans ... just American men and women ... delivering the real fight against those who chose to harm us ... blazing a path so you would have the right to "take a knee." You haven't any inkling of what it took to get you where you are ... but your "protest" is duly noted. Not only is it disgraceful to a nation of real heroes, it serves the purpose of pointing to your ingratitude for those who chose to defend you under that banner that will still wave long after your jersey is retired.

If you really feel the need to take a knee, come with me to church on Sunday and we'll both kneel before Almighty God. We'll thank Him for preserving this country for as long as He has. We'll beg forgiveness for our ingratitude for all He has provided us. We'll appeal to Him for understanding and wisdom. We'll pray for liberty and justice for all...because He is the one who provides those things. But there will be no protest. There will only be gratitude for His provision and a plea for His continued grace and mercy on the land of the free and the home of the brave. It goes like this ... GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!

 

[Kutnupe14]

There's a particular amount of irony in Ted Nugget writing this piece.

 

[Expat]

A time to kneel
Written by Ted Nugent

Take a little trip to Valley Forge in January. Hold a musket ball in your fingers and imagine it piercing your flesh and breaking a bone or two. There won't be a doctor or trainer to assist you until after the battle, so just wait your turn. Take your cleats and socks off to get a real experience.

Then take a knee.

Then, take a knee on the beach in Normandy where man after American man stormed the beach, even as the one in front of him was shot to pieces ... the very sea stained with American blood. The only blockers most had were the dead bodies in front of them, riddled with bullets from enemy fire.

Take a knee in the sweat soaked jungles of Vietnam. From Khe San to Saigon ... anywhere will do. Americans died in all those jungles. There was no playbook that told them what was next, but they knew what flag they represented. When they came home, they were protested as well, and spit on for reasons only cowards know.

Take another knee in the blood drenched sands of Fallujah in 110 degree heat .. Wear your Kevlar helmet and battle dress. Your number won't be printed on it unless your number is up! You'll need to stay hydrated but there won't be anyone to squirt Gatorade into your mouth. You're on your own.

There are a lot of places to take a knee where Americans have given their lives all over the world.. When you use the banner under which they fought as a source for your displeasure, you dishonor the memories of those who bled for the very freedoms you have. That's what the red stripes mean. It represents the blood of those who spilled a sea of it defending your liberty.

While you're on your knee, pray for those that came before you, not on a manicured lawn striped and printed with numbers to announce every inch of ground taken ... but on nameless hills and bloodied beaches and sweltering forests and bitter cold mountains .. every inch marked by an American life lost serving that flag you protest.

No cheerleaders, no announcers, no coaches, no fans ... just American men and women ... delivering the real fight against those who chose to harm us ... blazing a path so you would have the right to "take a knee." You haven't any inkling of what it took to get you where you are ... but your "protest" is duly noted. Not only is it disgraceful to a nation of real heroes, it serves the purpose of pointing to your ingratitude for those who chose to defend you under that banner that will still wave long after your jersey is retired.

If you really feel the need to take a knee, come with me to church on Sunday and we'll both kneel before Almighty God. We'll thank Him for preserving this country for as long as He has. We'll beg forgiveness for our ingratitude for all He has provided us. We'll appeal to Him for understanding and wisdom. We'll pray for liberty and justice for all...because He is the one who provides those things. But there will be no protest. There will only be gratitude for His provision and a plea for His continued grace and mercy on the land of the free and the home of the brave. It goes like this ... GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!

Outstanding statement.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Outstanding statement.

Yeah, if you believe that America is the sole possession of the military, and ignore(like the piece above) the sacrifices of a great many others Americans that may, or may not, hold the same opinion.

 

[Ddillard]

I don't believe pointing towards America as a sole possession of the military. It seems to be an example of the heroism that has thrived to keep OUR great nation standing strong through the everwaving grace granted it. That is the great thing about this Grand Republic, we can all come to the same point of pride and honor via our own paths.

 

[d.kaufman]

Yeah, if you believe that America is the sole possession of the military, and ignore(like the piece above) the sacrifices of a great many others Americans that may, or may not, hold the same opinion.

You just can't seem to chime in without negativity, can you?

 

[2A_Tom]

Kut? I used to find you occaisionally reasonable. I am sorry that I have offended you. I do not dislike you. I do not want you to go away, but come on man, I can not believe that you have such disdain for the country that has given you so much.

I hate that you have been hurt by some, but you can not allow bitterness to eat you up. I believe you were brought up Baptist and I would hope that you can find peace and consolation in the fact that however you are mistreated in this world that you enjoy the love of your Lord and God. Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say rejoice.

This is from the heart, man. I have enjoyed many conversations with you. I have been frustrated with some. I would enjoy sone of your reasonableness again.

Nugent was not a soldier, but that does not disallow him from appreciating them.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Devil's advocate here .

He's white so his opinion is automatically null and void and his statement alone is a micro aggression sure to trigger lots of underprivileged folks of color .

Furthermore he's rich and has never been a soldier so how can he possibly be empathetic ?

 

[Nojoy621]

His opinion is null and void because he is a draft dodging coward. Just one Marines opinion, he took a knee when he faked his way into a deferment, and has been playing the patriot role the last 10 years to become relevant again.

 

[Kutnupe14]

His opinion is null and void because he is a draft dodging coward. Just one Marines opinion, he took a knee when he faked his way into a deferment, and has been playing the patriot role the last 10 years to become relevant again.

Ding!

 

[Kutnupe14]

Kut? I used to find you occaisionally reasonable. I am sorry that I have offended you. I do not dislike you. I do not want you to go away, but come on man, I can not believe that you have such disdain for the country that has given you so much.

I hate that you have been hurt by some, but you can not allow bitterness to eat you up. I believe you were brought up Baptist and I would hope that you can find peace and consolation in the fact that however you are mistreated in this world that you enjoy the love of your Lord and God. Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say rejoice.

This is from the heart, man. I have enjoyed many conversations with you. I have been frustrated with some. I would enjoy sone of your reasonableness again.

Nugent was not a soldier, but that does not disallow him from appreciating them.

Bitter? I love my country. It hasn't given me anything that I have not worked hard for. I stand for the national anthem, have reverence for those who have died and served, and anyone else who through the sweat of their brow strived to make America great. As such, I'm not going to dismiss the concerns of American citizens, when they think their complaints are legitimate. I'm going to thoughtfully consider them, and form my own opinions based on what I inform myself with, and what I know personally. You are entitled to the same. I however, will not let it go unchallenged when other Americans are dismissive, make light of, or things they the disagree with when it is apparent that their minds are not open to considering things that conflict with their worldviews.

 

[jamil]

Yeah, if you believe that America is the sole possession of the military, and ignore(like the piece above) the sacrifices of a great many others Americans that may, or may not, hold the same opinion.

I dunno. I think you're forcing a false dichotomy, that to believe this, you must believe America is the possession of the military, that you must ignore the sacrifices of people who don't hold the same opinion. Or not.

To me the piece represents a sentiment that is shared by many, not all. I doubt the people who read that and agree with it, believe America is the sole possession of the military. I've honestly never met anyone who believes it the way you stated it. The people who were in the military or who had family members who served, and/or died in service, naturally have a way of thinking about what the national anthem and the flag means to them.

So, if you understand that people revere the flag and the ceremonies, that they feel it honers America and the people who served it, what do you think those people think when someone kneels and essentially says, they can't respect the flag of a country that oppresses black people. THE WHOLE ****ING COUNTRY? Come on dude. Think about that. Does Kaepernick really think THE WHOLE ****ING COUNTRY is racist?

Is all of America really racist? Do you think that? I'm beginning to wonder with all the "Messican" nonsense.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I dunno. I think you're forcing a false dichotomy, that to believe this, you must believe America is the possession of the military, that you must ignore the sacrifices of people who don't hold the same opinion. Or not.

To me the piece represents a sentiment that is shared by many, not all. I doubt the people who read that and agree with it, believe America is the sole possession of the military. I've honestly never met anyone who believes it the way you stated it. The people who were in the military or who had family members who served, and/or died in service, naturally have a way of thinking about what the national anthem and the flag means to them.

So, if you understand that people revere the flag and the ceremonies, that they feel it honors America and the people who served it, what do you think those people think when someone kneels and essentially says, they can't respect the flag of a country that oppresses black people. THE WHOLE ****ING COUNTRY? Come on dude. Think about that. Does Kaepernick really think THE WHOLE ****ING COUNTRY is racist?

Is all of America really racist? Do you think that? I'm beginning to wonder with all the "Messican" nonsense.

So it honors the the people that served it primarily, and to a lesser degree other persons, if at all? If not, why is this the point most often brought up? Who does the flag represent Jamil?

 

[jamil]

Bitter? I love my country. It hasn't given me anything that I have not worked hard for. I stand for the national anthem, have reverence for those who have died and served, and anyone else who through the sweat of their brow strived to make America great. As such, I'm not going to dismiss the concerns of American citizens, when they think their complaints are legitimate. I'm going to thoughtfully consider them, and form my own opinions based on what I inform myself with, and what I know personally. You are entitled to the same. I however, will not let it go unchallenged when other Americans are dismissive, make light of, or things they the disagree with when it is apparent that their minds are not open to considering things that conflict with their worldviews.

I don't think that Kaepernick consciously believes that he's disrespecting the people who died in service of their country. Maybe he does but I don't see anything that would make it evident. So I'm not offended that he takes a knee. What I'm offended by is that by his own statements, he believes America is racist. He is listening to much to the nonsense of ideologues indoctrinated in leftist propaganda. ****ing hell. He's a football star. There's a lot more sane hot women out there, and he has to hook up with a leftist lunatic!

And. I'm not dismissive that there are too many incidents of racism in America. I am dismissive that one can blame it collectively on America. That should offend every individual American who believes that skin color should have no more social significance than freckles or hair color. But now I'm told by the critical race theorists, that I'm wrong, that believing skin color isn't significant is a micro-aggression against "people of color". I sincerely hope you're not becoming an identitarian.

 

[jamil]

So it honors the the people that served it primarily, and to a lesser degree other persons, if at all? If not, why is this the point most often brought up? Who does the flag represent Jamil?

I don't believe that. I don't believe people who've served believes that. But I do understand why they would tend to have more reverence, and why they might expect more reverence from Americans.

 

[cordex]

I however, will not let it go unchallenged when other Americans are dismissive, make light of, or things they the disagree with when it is apparent that their minds are not open to considering things that conflict with their worldviews.

Evenhandedly?

 

[HoughMade]

So a "draft dodger" can never express admiration and gratitude for those who did serve. Interesting position.

Strange, but interesting.

Here's what the flag and anthem mean to me, briefly. They are symbols. Symbols of a country that has endless and boundless opportunity FOR ALL. Freedom FOR ALL to an extent that is rare in the world. A country that, for the good or ill, has sought to protect the freedoms of others when they could not protect their own. Yes, I appreciate all who have served, in war and in peace, my Dad and I were a couple of peacetime soldiers from opposite ends of the cold war, but the flag and anthem are not only about service and sacrifice. This is a great country. It simply is. I want to celebrate it. I want to honor it.

The truth doesn't care about your feelings. If you feel like this is a horrible country, you are wrong. If you feel like you can't succeed and its the country's fault (???), you are wrong. If you feel like you are systematically being oppressed by this country, you are wrong. You are simply wrong. If you feel like I am saying everything is perfect all the time, you are wrong.

My kids do stupid and rebellious things at times. I still celebrate their birthdays. My marriage has had ups and downs. I still celebrate my anniversary. My country has not always lived up to the ideals and ideas of its founders. I still celebrate it. My country has taken way too long to right historic wrongs. I still celebrate it. Some of my fellow Americans are hateful, lazy and self-absorbed. I still celebrate America.

Want to make positive change? Go for it. Don't dishonor what deserves to be celebrated in the process...and don't try to feed us the "the greatest patriots protest the flag" BS.

Agitate for positive change and celebrate the country where you can do that by honoring its symbols from time to time. Don't protest the country by failing to respect its symbols and expect people to rush to your cause.

 

[indiucky]

So a "draft dodger" can never express admiration and gratitude for those who did serve. Interesting position.

Strange, but interesting.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I don't think that Kaepernick consciously believes that he's disrespecting the people who died in service of their country. Maybe he does but I don't see anything that would make it evident. So I'm not offended that he takes a knee. What I'm offended by is that by his own statements, he believes America is racist. He is listening to much to the nonsense of ideologues indoctrinated in leftist propaganda. ****ing hell. He's a football star. There's a lot more sane hot women out there, and he has to hook up with a leftist lunatic!

And. I'm not dismissive that there are too many incidents of racism in America. I am dismissive that one can blame it collectively on America. That should offend every individual American who believes that skin color should have no more social significance than freckles or hair color. But now I'm told by the critical race theorists, that I'm wrong, that believing skin color isn't significant is a micro-aggression against "people of color". I sincerely hope you're not becoming an identitarian.

Hardly, I'm becoming (as indiucky says) a "mirror." If you choose to allow other members to play identitarian politics, without challenge, then you can expect the same from me, challenge or not. If you and some of the other, in my mind, more reasonable members dealt with such instances with an even hand, it wouldn't be an issue. But I rarely see that done. Who was it the other day who spoke about minorities, and how they raised their kids to be victims rather than hard workers? Not some, not few.... simply minorities. You'd call that "all" right? But hey that's ok, it fits more or less in line with many of the member's thinking, doesn't it? No need say anything. Or, when it's ok to refer to one First Lady in an unkind way, it's ok... but if you talk about the First Lady of the guy I agree with... well, now, then it's a problem.

 

[Kutnupe14]

...Or, when a black guy shoot a white woman exiting a church. One of the first things posted was how "if this had of been a white guy, the city would already be burning." Immediately seizing on the racial component. Who pushed back on that ignorance?