Trail Blazers huddle during national anthem as display of unity

At the end of the day the flag stands for Justice, Equality, Liberty, and Freedom for all.
It doesn't represent the troops. It represents a country, a nation.
I'll form my opinion of asking those who have sacrificed blood for this nation if they were doing it for everyone in the nation or just a few. As well as doing my own research and forming my own opinions. Not being told because I don't fall in line that I'm disrespecting my family members who have/currently serve.
I seriously doubt any veteran enjoys watching their sacrifice be minimized by people who don't understand the flag and the nation it represents isn't for all. It's for a few. I mean someone in this thread had the audacity to call anyone who believed other than they did a fool. Regardless if the "fool" served the country or not.

People who say "Fuck America or I can't stand america." are different from the ones who are being told to broaden their experiences.
Telling someone to go see what it's like in other countries where you'd be killed/thrown in prison for protesting the sidewalk.
Is different than telling someone to leave if they don't like America.
So I'm not really sure how you seem to believe that applies.
There are posts in this thread that have inferred these athletes are babies and don't know how good they have it. So they should go gain perspective by leaving. They will then see how little these protests matter and just enjoy you have what you have.
I'm sorry but that's not what America represents. So you're comparison is a little far off... Well unless you can explain it better.

 

Horrible analogy.

 

I do agree with a lot of what you're saying. I merely was just asking questions to try to drill down into your position, hopefully it came across that way.

I do personally think it is a little ridiculous to protest the anthem. I think the protesting could be more effective elsewhere, or even just releasing public statements about it and actually going out to city halls and really protesting, but without the violence, rioting, looting, and vandalism that typically occurs with such things. I am just brainstorming something more effective than this, which seems to just draw constant criticism, negativity and division.

Not to marginalize police brutality, But I also would hope people like Kap whose protesting (police violence) would realize that there are bigger fish to fry in the grand scheme of atrocities facing his community. Sometimes that is lost on a lot of people.

Anyway, happy friday dudes! times for beers!

 

I'm a vet and I couldn't care less if someone wants to kneel, huddle or do frickin' jumping jacks during the national anthem. And far and away the vast majority of veterans I personally know feel the same way. In my own experience, the people who complain the most about the "disrespect" never served or had any desire to. Also, if you read personal accounts of actual combat (or can convince a combat vet to talk about it), you will find that virtually all of them weren't fighting and dying for the flag, or mom, or apple pie, they were fighting and dying for the guy to their left and the guy to their right. And too many of my generation who piss and moan about disrespect and desecration were the ones who were spitting on and insulting our soldiers when they came home after being forcefully (for all intents and purposes) conscripted to fight an unnecessary war. Personally, I don't trust or respect a flag waver, if for no other reason than I don't believe they have the ability to think for themselves, and because (IMHO) they have allowed themselves to become blind tools for someone else's personal agenda. I honor and respect the individual who earns it, not some colorful piece of cloth blowing in the breeze.....

 

Well said! Great post...here...have some of this

 

Wha......??? Are you peeking in my backyard at this moment.....???