Colin Kaepernick protests the Anthem

[churchmouse]

Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka: 'No oppression in last 100 years' | abc7chicago.com

Mike Ditka, wins the idiot of the day award.

Well....it is Mike after all so there is that.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Well....it is Mike after all so there is that.

Touche

 

[Liberty1916]

Concessions = Perhaps people will start watching football again?

I think they lost a substantial part of their fan base permanently.

 

[Vigilant]

I think they lost a substantial part of their fan base permanently.

I count myself as one of those. Former, now recovering football addict, spent tens of thousands of dollars on football, not a penny more. My television is off or on a different channel during games, no more tickets, sweatshirts, hats, etc. one awesome side effect of recovery is the amount of $$'s saved not drinking as much on game day! Let'em protest Trump all they want, the real meaning was lost long ago, so **** them!

ETA: Anthem protests had nothing to do with my departure, they just solidified it. I'm tired of the entire NFL and the thug life they portray, and live.

 

[printcraft]

less than the SOBs at the game that had issue with it. I'm assuming.

That awkward moment when you realize that the majority of the country doesn’t feel the way you do about it.

 

[Kutnupe14]

That awkward moment when you realize that the majority of the country doesn’t feel the way you do about it.

lol

 

[bwframe]

That awkward moment when you realize that the majority of the country doesn’t feel the way you do about it.

MAGA

 

[Kutnupe14]

MAGA

+1
Morons Are Governing America.

 

[Liberty1916]

I count myself as one of those. Former, now recovering football addict, spent tens of thousands of dollars on football, not a penny more. My television is off or on a different channel during games, no more tickets, sweatshirts, hats, etc. one awesome side effect of recovery is the amount of $$'s saved not drinking as much on game day! Let'em protest Trump all they want, the real meaning was lost long ago, so **** them!

ETA: Anthem protests had nothing to do with my departure, they just solidified it. I'm tired of the entire NFL and the thug life they portray, and live.

A friend of mine is a diehard Cowboys fan and a Ford guy. Not only will he never watch another NFL game, he swears he'll never buy another Ford either after Ford came out in support of the SOB's.

 

[Lelliott8]

I was almost over football before all this happened anyway. I mean, they pretty much can't tackle somebody without getting a penalty. Considering the amount of money these people are paid, they shouldn't even get to wear helmets, let alone change the rules to protect them.

 

[Jimb]

Patriotic - Have always considered myself so
Veteran - yes
Do I stand for the Anthem - Always
When this was a small little almost nothing, that the media tried to make it into something more than it was, I disagreed with using the Anthem as a forum to protest anything. However, I never do remember ever really paying much attention to who put their hand on heart, who sang, who observed the flag directly, or who may have been reading a text on their phone while they were standing during the playing of our National Anthem. I never really even thought that the guy that didn't take their hat off, as I thought was always customary, was any less proud of his country, flag, and veterans than I while we stood during the national Anthem. The PR moguls working for our fearless leader have now figured out a way to turn this, what was almost on its way to becoming an afterthought, into another magnificent wedge issue in an attempt to rebound a few approval points, and further the distraction tactics. As much as I disagree with using the Anthem as a protest tool; I equally disagree with using it as a political tool. Demand that the National Anthem is not the correct venue for protest-yes, but also open your eyes, and see it for what it has become now that politicians have decided to use it as a tool to their benefit. If you prefer to be a tool, then continue to jump to trumps' every twit...right, wrong, or indifferent. You know the difference; whether you will admit it out loud or not.

 

[JAL]

Is kneeling during the national anthem considered "bad" behavior... and considering the song, and the players primarily kneeling, I think you'd be hard pressed to make that claim.

When in team uniform or otherwise representing the team or the NFL, their behavior expectations are defined by team management and ownership and the NFL. If the owners (or NFL) say you stand and salute the flag, you stand and salute the flag. It's as simple as that. The Dallas owner has made his expectations known and what the consequence will be: stand and salute and play, or sit on the bench and presumably don't get paid for the game. The argument they have a First Amendment right to not do so in contravention to team or league rules doesn't wash. They're in team uniform.

I have a major problem with the necessity of holding a financial gun to the heads of team owners and the league to change player behavior. I watched soldiers die for this nation first hand. One must also know the historical use of national and unit colors on the battlefield up through most of the 19th Century. A color guard was just that, and their function was very real on the battlefield. Those colors were sacred, to be protected at all cost. In the fog of battle a unit rallied to wherever its colors were located. A unit commander moved his colors to where he wanted the center of mass of his unit. That was their historical purpose on the battlefield for centuries. While not used in that manner for many reasons from WWI onward, one of the most poignant examples of the historical purpose arose during the 20th Century with their raising on Iwo Jima. The commander of US forces invading the island understood that and it's why he ordered the replacement of the small battle flag with a very large garrison size flag for all to clearly see from wherever they were on the island. To this day, a unit's colors with the national colors are sacred. Their protection with armed guards is not just symbolic. Public disrespect for that flag by the players spits on the graves of those who died for this nation. It's appalling team owners and the league allowed them to do that. It's equally appalling it required financial impact to the teams and the league to convince them this infantile player behavior was utterly unacceptable.

John

 

[churchmouse]

Patriotic - Have always considered myself so
Veteran - yes
Do I stand for the Anthem - Always
When this was a small little almost nothing, that the media tried to make it into something more than it was, I disagreed with using the Anthem as a forum to protest anything. However, I never do remember ever really paying much attention to who put their hand on heart, who sang, who observed the flag directly, or who may have been reading a text on their phone while they were standing during the playing of our National Anthem. I never really even thought that the guy that didn't take their hat off, as I thought was always customary, was any less proud of his country, flag, and veterans than I while we stood during the national Anthem. The PR moguls working for our fearless leader have now figured out a way to turn this, what was almost on its way to becoming an afterthought, into another magnificent wedge issue in an attempt to rebound a few approval points, and further the distraction tactics. As much as I disagree with using the Anthem as a protest tool; I equally disagree with using it as a political tool. Demand that the National Anthem is not the correct venue for protest-yes, but also open your eyes, and see it for what it has become now that politicians have decided to use it as a tool to their benefit. If you prefer to be a tool, then continue to jump to trumps' every twit...right, wrong, or indifferent. You know the difference; whether you will admit it out loud or not.

I tend to agree in that this was just a single person looking for attention getting this started. The cameras rolled the sports writers jumped on this and boom. In your face every day. That this was a planned maneuver by the Trump team puts him in lock step with every other politician that has ever drawn a breath. Was it really or did our guy just run his mouth. With Pences act on Sunday and what has transpired since it is now for sure being played out.

 

[jamil]

Is kneeling during the national anthem considered "bad" behavior... and considering the song, and the players primarily kneeling, I think you'd be hard pressed to make that claim.

The NFL rules already direct team behavior during the national anthem. Because of the ****-storm, teams are now enforcing the rules. It was a ****ty way to protest. It was actually a ****ty thing to protest. The country doesn't oppress black people and people of color.

 

[Expat]

It doesn’t matter if anyone agrees or not with the players and their methods. The NFL has lost part of the fan base. Based on the recent ratings, one could guess around 15%. Maybe higher if you consider that there may be a measurable number of non fans watching to see what is going to happen. I do think some of the people are gone for good.

 

[churchmouse]

The NFL rules already direct team behavior during the national anthem. Because of the ****-storm, teams are now enforcing the rules. It was a ****ty way to protest. It was actually a ****ty thing to protest. The country doesn't oppress black people and people of color.

I have asked many times to many people where is the oppression occurring. I get no clear answers. I get no real answers actually. Just that it is a movement.
A movement towards what actually. I am serious when I ask. Not being a smart Alec I really want to know.
I grew up at the tail end of real oppression in this country. I remember it very well. I also was among the 1st students in Indy to be exposed to busing.
I really remember that period. I could go on for a while about those times. It was not pretty.

But all of that has melted away. We were on track to get through most of this until about 9 years ago.
What needs to be changed that we as a society can change. Laws make no difference. The lawless or those acting out against them will not conform to societal norms.

I know some of the answers to these issues but I still ask.

 

[jamil]

I have asked many times to many people where is the oppression occurring. I get no clear answers. I get no real answers actually. Just that it is a movement.
A movement towards what actually. I am serious when I ask. Not being a smart Alec I really want to know.
I grew up at the tail end of real oppression in this country. I remember it very well. I also was among the 1st students in Indy to be exposed to busing.
I really remember that period. I could go on for a while about those times. It was not pretty.

But all of that has melted away. We were on track to get through most of this until about 9 years ago.
What needs to be changed that we as a society can change. Laws make no difference. The lawless or those acting out against them will not conform to societal norms.

I know some of the answers to these issues but I still ask.

There are some human failures that need to be overcome. But those things get corrected over time through social evolution. What's happening now is the efforts of ideologues decades past are paying off in the ideologues of today.

I don't have any ill will against Kaepernick. I think he got *****-struck. I mean who hasn't jarred a few screws loose in the noggin chasing bootie. But the "movement". Now that's nonsense. As far as I can tell, this movement is just another battalion in the army of leftist ideologues, fighting against Western societal normalcy.

 

[churchmouse]

There are some human failures that need to be overcome. But those things get corrected over time through social evolution. What's happening now is the efforts of ideologues decades past are paying off in the ideologues of today.

I don't have any ill will against Kaepernick. I think he got *****-struck. I mean who hasn't jarred a few screws loose in the noggin chasing bootie. But the "movement". Now that's nonsense. As far as I can tell, this movement is just another battalion in the army of leftist ideologues, fighting against Western societal normalcy.

Bingo.....Normalcy. That has been a key to a lot of the answers I have gotten. Having to conduct in a normal way in society. What we see as normal is part of the issue with many people protesting right now. How societal norms dictate how we conduct ourselves. The rules that are in place to keep us civil.
What I/we consider normal.

I could go deeper into this but decorum prevents.

I am still looking for a list of things we need to correct. But it does not exist. It can not exist. The demands being made in public protest are just so not going to happen.

We are all human. We will make mistakes. It is part of life.
Atoning/making those mistakes right. That is part of it as well.

 

[ghitch75]

out of control......

ESPN's Wilbon Compares Jerry Jones to Slaveowner Over NFL Protests | Fox News Insider

 

[jamil]

Bingo.....Normalcy. That has been a key to a lot of the answers I have gotten. Having to conduct in a normal way in society. What we see as normal is part of the issue with many people protesting right now. How societal norms dictate how we conduct ourselves. The rules that are in place to keep us civil.
What I/we consider normal.

I could go deeper into this but decorum prevents.

Sometimes society norms are indeed oppressive. It was a societal norm for blacks to sit in the back of the bus. And those oppressive norms need to change. And they mostly have. We've made it illegal to discriminate against most races. Yes. I did say most races. It's not illegal to discriminate against the majority race in the Western society.

With that exception, there is no systemic/institutional racial oppression. We're down to individuals.