The NFL runs a business - individual teams run a business - if some of the players want to burn the flag - let them - do whatever they want - then when they are kicked out of the league - just tell them it's nothing personal - it's just business - and ur bad for business - Kapernick is no NFL standout but certainly he could be part of a roster - but he's bad for business
It's very sad to see the ignorance in comparing Kapaenick to people like Smith and Carlos during the Olympics. They truly took a huge risk for something that they really believed in and now, so many years later, we can respect that message which actually made a difference in our country. Kapaenick migrated to San Francisco where he was radicalized by the girl he was sleeping with and turned kneeling into just part of his nonsensical messaging that ranges from not voting himself to targeting the police and all along collecting a paycheck from Nike, which incidently, is solely dependent on him staying in the news. Same thing with the comparison to Ali.
Good point about intentions. It's not always how you intend things but how it is perceived.
Although in this case I dont see it as disrespecting the flag. To me, disrespecting would be not paying attention (talking to others, on the phone, texting, etc) or lying down or stretching and warming up. He still paid respect but did it in a way that drew attention.
I have to admit I identified with Kaepernick and couldn't see what all the fuss was about. I identified with him because I too have protested against certain elements of society and our government. Some of them are seriously hateful and murderous. Most of them are not.
I'm of the opinion that the NFL and many leagues are military minded. That's why they sing the National Anthem and have the military flyovers and the military flag brigades before every game. When they see someone kneeling during one of their presentations they think the person is protesting against the military or the flag. Kaepernick said one time he's not protesting against those institutions. It's his freedom of expression to do so.
RED EYE, your feeling are always valid. I will never tell you they aren't. Whatever you feel is ok, because I know how important this issue is to you. Most people who actually did stand at attention and salute in the direction of the flag when it was lowered at 17:00 feel much differently than you do.
This is the exact point
They want ppl to open their minds and listen to them, but they can't do the same and FINALLY ADMIT "Ok, ok, we made a mistake protesting during the anthem, and will find a better time & place for everyone's sake".
It works both ways.
So since they can never admit any wrong, why should anyone else?!?!
I have literally no patience for this type of thinking. Ultimately, that game could go on forever. You would have Blacks, then the Japanese (internment camps), American Indians (they stole our land), etc. And last I checked, no one today has anything to do with any of this. I also don't give a shit about people that get into their beliefs instead of data, and painting people with broad strokes. It was an unfortunate incident, but violence, looting, destruction of property does nothing to solve anything. Nor does disbanding the police because people believe all cops are represented by this incident. And those that think enabling this type of behavior is the way to go are just as sick.
Virtually everywhere in the world there has been some type of slavery or mistreatment of ppl by a different ethnicity or race.
But guess what.
The ENTIRE WORLD has moved on and put it in the past.
Everyone, EXCEPT many African-Americans, that is.
And I stress the word many, and not all.
I was even hanging out with 4 black guys I grew up with today at one of the guys' hair salon.
A guy who drives 1.5 hours from Tampa every day to run a thriving business.
All 4 of these guys are ashamed of everything going on.
So now we have people of all colors ashamed of all kinds of things.
It's beyond out of control
The funny thing to me when I hear black politicians, athletes or business leaders talk about this is they make it sound like every white person is Jared Kushner. Born into wealth, bought their way into Harvard, work in the white house cause their father in law. My guess is because in those circles, most of the whites you come into are economically privileged on some level, but that isn't close to a representation of the entire country.
Millions and millions of white people are living paycheck to paycheck and many are flat broke. GL telling them they have privilege/advantages and expecting to have a productive discussion. They're getting screwed by the same structural problems in society that others are.
Unfortunately that is what they do not have a grasp or clue of. They kneel, protest to get this platform and many of them just think kneeling
is it. They do not actually go out and do something...
This is what the NFL players do not get and why so many people are turned off by them and their ignorance
