Frankly the whole thing scares me. And Trump whipping his followers into a frenzy over it justifies my fears.
http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/6957582/the-history-national-anthem-sports-espn-magazine This story appeared in the Sept. 19, 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine. THE FIRST THING to remember is that it's a battle song. The most memorable lines involve rockets and bombs, and the lesser-known verses conjure "the havoc of war" and "the gloom of the grave." The second thing to remember? It's a taunt, a lyrical grenade chucked at a defeated opponent. "See that flag still flying, the one you tried to capture?" it famously asks the British. Then it answers: "Scoreboard." That's why, in a country that loudly lauds actions on the battlefield and the playing field, "The Star-Spangled Banner" and American athletics have a nearly indissoluble marriage. Hatched during one war, institutionalized during another, this song has become so entrenched in our sports identity that it's almost impossible to think of one without the other. Our nation honors war. Our nation loves sports. Our nation glorifies winning. Our national anthem strikes all three chords at the same time. (More at the link. I thought it interesting to see how we got started playing the anthem during sports events in the first place).
However, can you imagine the backlash for the first franchise--or even league--that makes that call. I don't see anybody jumping up and down to be first in line on this one. I could see Cuban doing it, just for the controversy.
I won't have a problem with it, because fans are allowed to wander around in the concourse during the singing of the national anthem. Kneeling is not disrespect or a violation of the flag code (or whatever the proper title of the codes). People wear the flag all the time. It's not supposed to be tattered and torn, yet you see that all the time. It's not supposed to be up without a light highlighting it, yet you see that all the time. People kneeling isn't disrespect for the flag or the military or whatever bullshit the chimp in chief is trying to distract us from the fact his party is trying to kill healthcare and his provocation of North Korea into a war.
It's misguided protesting of something that isn't related to the issues they are trying to draw attention to. As such, it's a narcissist act.
You're more than welcome to stand. Others can kneel, you can stand. Women who want/need abortions can get abortions, women who don't want/need them don't have to get them. People who want to smoke pot can smoke pot, people who don't want to don't have to. People who are gay can marry someone who is the same gender as themselves, people who are straight can marry someone of the opposite sex. Funny how it's so often the "don't tread on me" folks that want to tread all over other peoples' rights just because they want to make different decisions for themselves.
I don't disagree with this I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I could just as easily say, "Black people need to stop telling white people how to feel about protests". That's what this thread is about--how a protest might make people feel (and subsequently respond). No less worthy of discussion than the protests themselves.
Here is guy that dodge the draft 5 times in the Vietnam era and to me that more disrespectful then what the players are doing. I am retire military and what the players doing is not disrespectful at all. What there doing has nothing to due with the military or the flag. But then we got this jack ass think he can disrespect anyone he wants to when he wants to and he thinks it alright.
DINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDING!!!! Hey!!! I want to say racist things and use the word gay as a pejorative!!! This place is so goddamn PC!!!! Damn those PC Police!!!!! We need to protect our free speech rights!!!! Then right after that's said: Hey, you people over there!!! Stop exercising your free speech rights!!!! You son of a BITCHES should be fired for exercising your rights!!!! You're not protesting in the right way!!!! You fuckin' snowflakes sicken me with this hypocrisy... You need a safe space and a safe word.
Stop being a hypocrite. You're a free speech advocate yet when others exercise their right you're ready to have them fired. You don't even know how hypocritical what you're saying is.
Balls are weak things. Tender. Fragile. At the slightest graze they writhe in pain. Pussies can take a POUNDING. They literally birth 10lb babies. Yet that word is used to describe someone weak. Figure it out.
FWIW here are my thoughts ... First, to each their own, as long as your aren't hurting anyone or breaking the law then everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has the right to agree, disagree or most importantly adjust that opinion based upon their own life experience. With that said I have no problem with the protests. It doesn't mean they hate this country or the flag or the anthem. These athletes have one of the biggest stages and audiences in the world and should take advantage of it. This country was founded on the idea that you have right to voice your opinion for change. So it means they are protesting something they see and disagree with and most importantly feel there should be change about. And not standing for the national anthem has clearly brought attention to the issue and gets people talking about it which hopefully can lead to change. Are there more productive ways to make change, sure. But this is not a negative thing, conversation and discussion is positive and that's what the protests are doing. If you don't think there is a problem with this issue then you either don't care or aren't truly paying attention and the best way for those people is to bring attention to it and create discussion. It cant only be an issue for you if it effects you directly. And I can certainly respect these protesters even more if they are taking the next steps if the issue is this important to them. This is a starting point and should not be used as a trend like its the water challenge or something. tl;dr It brings attention and discussion which is a positive thing
Personally, while I would not penalize an employee for political protests on their own time, I would not permit any employee (if I owned a business) to engage in any political protest on company time, regardless of the manner or purpose. But I would make that determination clear to the employees in advance of attempting to mete out any punishment therefor. I don't see it as right to fire people for protesting, unless there is a franchise/league decree in advance stating that on-field protests are considered insubordination and a violation of rules/policy. In this case, they're clearly not, so employment-related consequences would be unreasonable.
I just wish our "leader" wouldn't put the players on blast the way he has over this. It's very sad that he condemns these people for protesting in their own way peacefully, but supports all the crazy rioters out there calling them "good people" I don't get into politics, but this is horrible. Saw a tweet that I thought was great, it said to think these people kneeling is about the flag, would be like thinking what Rosa Parks did was about the transit system.
