Dear Readers,
Football season will soon be upon us. Oh yes, the joys of trash talking, wearing my favorite team jersey, eating buffalo wings, and drinking lots and lots of cold beer. This sounded great until I was reminded about the kneeling controversy during the singing of the National Anthem. Don’t get me wrong I’m not down playing an individual right to express their opinion about how he/she interrupts the National Anthem or the raising of the American flag. To quote Collin Kaepernick, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag, for a country that oppresses black people, and other people of colour.” He took this stance because of the police brutality and the unfair treatment of people of colour.
In all honesty did he think that the football field is the place to bring attention to these issue that affect the black population? This subject had clearly become an uncomfortable situation for many true football fans to talk about.
I recently moved in with my fiancé and he is opposed of me wanting to watch football. He said, “I’m being insensitive to the movement.” Movement? When did this kneeling during the singing of the National Anthem become a movement? The last time I checked a movement is a group of people who shares the same ideas and work together to advance their shared political or social ideas to begin about change.
Yes, there is a social issue, which is the unfair treatment of black people and other people of colour. What change do these football players expect to take place? If these highly paid professional athletes believe that they have the right to bring attention to the plight of the black societies then I suggest that they use another platform to do this.
Please pay attention to what I am saying and not what you think I’m saying. I support the rights to protest against injustice, but when Kaeperick voluntarily walked from his multi-million dollar contract, what did this accomplish? Did his action solved the inequality between the races? Do the few hundred black people boycotting the NFL by not watching, do they honestly think that this will make a difference to this billion dollar sport franchise?
These players are making millions in a country that has made strides in many areas for the improvement of the lives of people of colour. And yes, there is room for more improvement. These players might not believe in “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” we do live in one of the greatest countries in the world. And regardless of race there are people on the front line everyday sacrificing their lives to keep us safe and free.
So to that I say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVE. God Bless America. And ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
What Say You?
dragthepen 
No football for me ever, even before CK decided to make a political statement on the field. I am a diehard patriot, the wife of a retired member of the USAF and football games are not played on our TVs any more because of this ridiculous way to protest. My answer to the CKs o the world is simple…serve your country be serving in the military and see fellow soldiers cut down in the prime of life. Watch them return in a flag-draped coffin, and then see if you still think that kneeling for the flag is a proper way to protest. It is my understanding that the National Anthem began to be played at sporting events in order to recognize the sacrifice and bravery of the military. Protest on your time, not when you are paid millions to entertain. I know this is a hot topic, but it pushes the wrong buttons with me because my husband served. I just wish the multi-millionaire football players could have done likewise. Finally, I am incensed with the football commissioner who could have stopped this in its tracks, but he didn’t stand up for what is right.
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I thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I agree that this situation should have been stopped. There are others ways for these players to being attention to what they feel is an injustice. I am a daughter of an Army sgt and a mother of a solider. I can’t begin to tell you how I held my breath until he came home from over seas. I am sorry that you had to give up a past time you enjoyed.
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I am not a football fan although my husband played college football for a while but injuries ended the career to go on to the NFL. I don’t watch the Super Bowl because I guess I got tired of the men in my family yelling about a tiny ball bouncing across a field. LOL! They say I don’t understand the game is why I don’t watch it. Maybe. But I agree with Vicklea.” Watch them return in a flag-draped coffin, and then see if you still think that kneeling for the flag is a proper way to protest. It is my understanding that the National Anthem began to be played at sporting events in order to recognize the sacrifice and bravery of the military. Protest on your time, not when you are paid millions to entertain.”
That flag folded into a triangle is the last thing given to a family before the 21 guns salute and then Taps is played on a bugle as the coffin is lowered into the ground. Apparently this player has never attended a soldier’s funeral or he would know the effect it has on a family. Soldiers families aren’t thinking about the nation as a whole when they look at that flag. They are remembering their loved one.I don’t deny America has defaulted on the promissory note to it’s African American citizens. And have defaulted big time. But the anthem and flag is ceremonial giving thanks to those who served so you can be free to play ball or do other things. Sometime one have to think about the individuals and not the collective. There are many other ways to protest than disregarding the flag. That’s a slap in the face to those who served and their families. 65% of the army is black. A better way is give back to the African American community. Set up organizations to help people accomplish goals, such as housing, jobs, education, food, clothing. I feel that would be far more helpful to the black community than not kneeling to the national anthem. That isn’t helping anyone accomplish anything.
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Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. I couldn’t agree with you more. If these players want to help the people in the black communities then they should use their millions to make a difference.
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You make a good point, tho’ I’m in favor of bringing the issue to the forefront by athletes taking a nonviolent approach. more people are talking about racial injustice now, and the lines are clearer where team owners stand, and unfortunately we see many standing in the president’s corner. so, perhaps the knees of a few will remind many of the pains of many. i’m embarrassed to see how many police departments video come out each day with violent arrests, or targeting African American or Hispanic communities and it has to stop.
I also agree that the players can put their money into areas of need. Which I believe Colin Kaepernick has done with a great deal of his wealth… here’s a link https://www.si.com/sportsperson/2017/12/06/colin-kaepernick-charity-giving-donations
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Thank you for stepping forward and speaking out.
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