How Kneeling Became a Protest Symbol

[Darklord77]

Right. He was protesting the oppression of black people and people of color. He said it right there in the sentence you wrote.

Are we officially straying off topic now? If you look specifically at deaths at the hands of law enforcement the realities of this arguement do not match the emotions. The Washington Post, a known left leaning paper, tracks police killings. The stats paint a different picture. Leaving it at that.

 

[DopeyDame]

Yeah, after 9/11 it shifted. At first, God Bless America was in addition to Take Me Out to the Ballgame but eventually came to replace it. A lot of people stand, with their hands over their hearts and their hats off like it was the National Anthem... and the more aggressively patriotic few are sometimes drunk enough to be belligerently offended by anyone who doesn't do the same. It has made the cheap seats a markedly less enjoyable experience in recent years.

OH man! We have a minor league team near us, and thankfully they still do Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I might just have to find an MLB game once they get started again and get a little belligerently drunk myself and sing my own rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame in protest ;-)

 

[SaintsManiac]

So then WHY do it DURING the National Anthem WHILE saluting the flag?! Go on TV, pay for your own TV time. Talk about it after the game to the reporters. Makes no sense.

You will never get it, because you don't want to. No form of protest by him would have been convenient to you, so you will purposely never get it.

 

[shelemm]

You fly a flag at half mast when someone dies. How is that wrong?

If we flew the flag at half mast everytime someone dies, it would never be raised. It is flown at half mast during a period of national mourning. But who gets to decide that?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

People want to play on both sides of the fence. Chalk it up to the PC police or the cancel culture, no one wants to feel the wrath of this small segment of society because they do yell the loudest.

No, some of us aren’t so set in our ways that we’re not willing to listen and learn. It has nothing to do with being PC. Not everything is an and/or. I CAN and do respect our service members and I CAN and do respect our Constitution

So then WHY do it DURING the National Anthem WHILE saluting the flag?! Go on TV, pay for your own TV time. Talk about it after the game to the reporters. Makes no sense.

Because talking about it in a press conference would have had people change the channel and the message would have been lost. Again, look past the what to the why and you’ll answer your own question.

Nope. I have the right not to listen to other voices on a subject where my mind is made up. I was brought up to believe that burning the flag and not standing for the anthem or pledge is disrespectful. That's how I raised my kids. Not changing my views on the topic no matter how many NFL players or female soccer players do it. I've listened to the arguments. You will never convince me that doing this a legitimate form of protest. Has the same legitimacy as looting a Target.

So when is the right time and place. You don’t like taking a knee. You’ve made it very clear you don’t like the protests (and again separate the looters from the protestors). Let me guess, you don’t like when celebrities use their platforms either? So when would be a good time to let people know about the systemic racism plaguing our country where people will actually listen. You complain about the peaceful protests and you end up where we are now.

 

[skyblue17]

But WHY do you stand?? Why do any American’s stand during the ‘flag salute?’ Not because we feel like it. It’s to Honor our military and our country. No, you don’t have to, but if you believe in WHY you SHOULD stand, then how can you say it’s ok to kneel? I just don’t get that part.

I stand because everyone else is standing and it's not worth having people like you calling me out in public for not subscribing to the amount of pro-military, pro-America performances at a sporting event where no such thing happens in any other non-political arena in the country.

 

[DopeyDame]

Are we officially straying off topic now? If you look specifically at deaths at the hands of law enforcement the realities of this arguement do not match the emotions. The Washington Post, a known left leaning paper, tracks police killings. The stats paint a different picture. Leaving it at that.

I'm not sure why you quoted me or what you're asking, but I was pointing out that KAP said he was protesting oppression of black people. As you wrote out yourself. (Edit: Just went back and it wasn't you who wrote out Kap's quote, it was LittleJimmy... my bad.)
He wasn't protesting "The Flag" (tm) or whatever else you think he was. He very clearly and specifically told the world what he was protesting. Whether or not you feel that is a worthy cause of protest doesn't change what he was protesting.

 

[Searc]

Yeah, after 9/11 it shifted. At first, God Bless America was in addition to Take Me Out to the Ballgame but eventually came to replace it. A lot of people stand, with their hands over their hearts and their hats off like it was the National Anthem... and the more aggressively patriotic few are sometimes drunk enough to be belligerently offended by anyone who doesn't do the same. It has made the cheap seats a markedly less enjoyable experience in recent years.

This is always when I head to the concession stand for that last snack before the concessions close.

 

[mrsap]

I stand because everyone else is standing and it's not worth having people like you calling me out in public for not subscribing to the amount of pro-military, pro-America performances at a sporting event where no such thing happens in any other non-political arena in the country.

It’s such a horrible thing to be proud of your country and want to salute our symbol of freedom. Shame on people like me.

 

[mrsap]

You will never get it, because you don't want to. No form of protest by him would have been convenient to you, so you will purposely never get it.

There's nothing to ‘get’ - I love our country and I respect our flag and what it stands for. Nothing more to it.

 

[skyblue17]

It’s such a horrible thing to be proud of your country and want to salute our symbol of freedom. Shame on people like me.

That's not what I'm saying at all. I just don't believe that it should be required at a sporting event, and I don't believe that people who chose NOT to partake should be vilified. Do you get upset if the national anthem isn't played before a concert? Or a play? Do you clamor for the flag to be saluted when you're at the beach? So why is professional sports different?

Not to mention that a LOT of athletes are NOT American! If what occurred in the NFL happened in MLB, it would be bananas because close to 50% of some teams are comprised of athletes who are not were not born in the United States and have no ties to its national anthem. Yet they stand at attention for the pro-America performances forced upon them because if they didn't, they'd be vilified. Isn't that a little absurd?

 

[SaintsManiac]

There's nothing to ‘get’ - I love our country and I respect our flag and what it stands for. Nothing more to it.

You just proved my point.

 

[Colleen27]

But WHY do you stand?? Why do any American’s stand during the ‘flag salute?’ Not because we feel like it. It’s to Honor our military and our country. No, you don’t have to, but if you believe in WHY you SHOULD stand, then how can you say it’s ok to kneel? I just don’t get that part.

Our country, yes, and the principles it was founded on. Which include the principles of peaceful protest and freedom of expression. Claiming those principles should be suppressed to honor the military that is dedicated to preserving them moves the conversation beyond pride into something darker, a nationalism that isn't rooted in values or ideals but in blind allegiance.

It’s such a horrible thing to be proud of your country and want to salute our symbol of freedom. Shame on people like me.

It is interesting that this is your reaction to someone talking about the bullying that coerces compliance with the rituals of patriotism. Are you less able to be proud if the person next to you isn't standing? Why do you feel entitled to demand those around you feel the same way you do and express it in the same ways?

 

[mrsap]

You just proved my point.

Um ok. I am against protesting the flag in anyway. I haven’t changed my stance.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Um ok. I am against protesting the flag in anyway. I haven’t changed my stance.

No. One. Is. Protesting. The. Flag.

 

[mrsap]

No. One. Is. Protesting. The. Flag.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Mediaafter Friday’s game.

 

[sam_gordon]

Um ok. I am against protesting the flag in anyway. I haven’t changed my stance.

Are you against people exercising their rights? You do know that's what they're doing, right?
And you are more than welcome to look down on them for doing so. What you can't do is FORCE them to stand & salute. Or do you think you should be able to?

 

[olwyngdh]

People can protest. Never said they couldn’t. However, I don’t believe the time to do it is when we are saluting the flag and singing the national anthem. As a family member of many who served in the military, including a WWII Veteran, I have too much respect for them to kneel, especially when we are honoring them.

As a family member with a husband serving in the Military I have too much respect for their kneeling to condemn them for exercising the rights my husband (and father for that matter) fought and bled to ensure for them. He feels the same way, as does our JROTC officer daughter.

 

[SaintsManiac]

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Mediaafter Friday’s game.

That's it I am done. This is like banging my head against a brick wall. You are purposely misunderstanding the entire situation in order to make your narrative ok. Just STOP.

 

[mrsap]

That's it I am done. This is like banging my head against a brick wall. You are purposely misunderstanding the entire situation in order to make your narrative ok. Just STOP.

Freedom of speech. I’m allowed to feel how I feel, just as you are. We’ll agree to disagree.