Politics Eight year old take a knee.

I was a coach of youth football myself. So I know teaching moments come and go.
There is no way that I would teach the youth to take a knee during the National Anthem.
Taking a knee is not what they need to know or learn at this stage in their progress.

Now I don't know what ails this coach, but dammit I wish he would find a cure.

He just fucked up his moment.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/09/20/youth-football-team-cahokia-kneels-national-anthem

 

Why don't these fucking pussies just flip off the flag or yell "DEATH TO AMERICA" instead of this passive aggressive bullshit.

 

Perhaps he did, in a way.

 

I remember doing the same. It irritated me when they added in the "under God" words to the pledge. That muddled up the mean of the pledge.

 

I feel like there's a difference between our country and our government. To me, the flag represents both the country and the government. There are things about the government that I love and things that I hate. There are things about our country that I love, and things that I hate. To me, the National Anthem is about our country, not so much about our government. I also don't believe in protests that don't have a clear, deliverable, goal.

If you're unhappy with our government, what would make you happy? If you want to protest the National Anthem, what would be something deliverable that would make you feel like you no longer needed to protest? Being upset just to be upset doesn't accomplish anything.

 

Don't confuse patriotism with jingoism.

 

The problem I have with these things isn't that kids have opinions on things or want to protest.

I just want them to hear all sides of an issue. But I'd prefer that their parents be involved.

 

When we go to war, to protect our rights and way of life, they are protecting free speech as well.

It's funny to me how you free speech "advocates" HATE it when certain people exercise this inalienable right.

 

I'm 100% sure his parents had a teachable moment with him about what goes on in this country that may possibly happen to him.

 

I personally don't really care what they do, but I'm just not really sure what the endgame is. What's the goal? What are you hoping to achieve?

 

I just mean that if I were the coach I wouldn't want to make decisions of any kind that aren't directly related to the sport.

 

Is it or is it not bringing awareness?

There are whole threads about it. There's discussion. It's having the right effect. It creates dialog and debate. This is how the country moves forward, by having a debate on the MERITS of the argument.

 

One could ask why the anthem is related to sports.

 

But it seems like the debate ends up being about whether we should or should not kneel during the anthem. Shouldn't the debate be about the cause and not the action? What positive outcomes have been a direct result of Kaepernick starting this whole thing?

 

Right. And it is always about why we should or should not. The debate is on point and we have been having it.

 

But he isn't kneeling to raise awareness about kneeling. He's doing it to bring awareness to violence against the black community by police, right?

So having these huge debates about whether kneeling during the National Anthem is okay seems to be missing the bigger picture. At least that's how it seems to me.

 

I don't get tons of American traditions.

When I coached 5th grade YMCA basketball I was paranoid of doing anything off. Kids that wanted to go to the bathroom I'd make bring a friend and I'd wait outside.

 

Perhaps one can consider proper Flag and Anthem etiquette directly related to the sport. Especial at this age.

 

To me, it's our duty as Americans first to question the government and to uphold the Constitution, above and beyond any allegiance to the flag.

This nation was forged out of revolt, and a desire for freedom for all people from tyranny and oppression. If there are Americans being oppressed, it's our duty to fight for those people. We love to get all pumped up during the National Anthem when they say "the land of the free, and the home of the brave," but apparently we don't like it when someone points out that there are citizens of this country that aren't so free.

I wish some people were as passionate about protecting all Americans as much as they are about standing for the National Anthem.