Football, the Flag and the Right to Speak Our Minds by Jared Odrick
- Thread starter Lion8286
- Start date
Who cares?
I don't.
He's kneeling.
He's not kneeling and holding a sign saying screw all veterans.
Honestly I think it's a waste of time to "protest" like that. What good does it do?
NONE.
But he has that right. He's not hurting anyone.
Who cares!!!!!
I don't.
He's kneeling.
He's not kneeling and holding a sign saying screw all veterans.
Honestly I think it's a waste of time to "protest" like that. What good does it do?
NONE.
But he has that right. He's not hurting anyone.
Who cares!!!!!
No, and I have never claimed to do so. Just as Kaepernick doesn't represent all blacks.
But I am a veteran and find it insulting. I belong to veterans organizations and when the subject come up, others are discusted.
I would guess more vets would be as discusted at this, than, say, Native Americans are at the Redskins.
You do, you are responding.
Calling him out for disrespect doesn't hurt anyone either. He really isn't helping any cause.
A significant number of veterans, myself included, would not agree with you. #veteransforkaepernick
#VeteransForKaepernick trends on social media in support of Colin Kaepernick
Twitter: #veteransforKaepernick
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Google+: #veteransforKaepernick
Google: #veteransforKaepernick
I don't know a single person who has discussed race relations as a result of this, nor have I heard a single in depth discussion on TV regarding what CK is actually doing this for. Yes, he opened a dialogue, but it's about the anthem, not about police brutality towards minorities. So was CKs attempt any better? From what I've seen, he's driven a wedge even further into already terrible race relations by offending so many with this choice of protest method.
Kaepernick flat out said in a prepared statement that he could not respect America. If you think that doesn't say he thinks America sucks then you just don't want to think it.
Maybe people who have different opinions than yours should subject you to their political beliefs every time you enter their place of business as well? If you are plastered with pro-life photos of fetuses killed every time you go to the grocery store, would you be within your rights to take your business elsewhere? OK, many of us will do this to the NFL. No more games, no more gear, no more forcing your politics on us. Got it?
Yes all wars are for greater profit for the 1%ers.
In liberal lala land that is. What does this have to do with the thread? Are you just trying to highlight that all liberal protests are devoid of logical thought? What is your angle?
Do you plan on being in the Penn State locker room when the National Anthem is played? Because that is where they are during the Anthem.
Actually, he is doing nothing of the kind. Obli - you have gone off the rails on this subject.
The love it or leave it crowd has always befuddled me. It almost seems like taking this stance is akin to saying "I don't know how to have a discussion with you on this subject matter, so I am simply going to not have it at all".
*If* you take advantage of it. Some don't--in fact I'll bet many don't. That wasn't always the case.
While I'm not 100% sure I agree, I can see this point--excepting when the competition involes our national team in that sport.
But I find the playing of "God Bless America" at the 7th Inning Stretch to be getting old. Don't get me wrong. I'm a Flyers' fan. I love the song. But it's getting overused.
Still, I think with CK's comments that he "could not respect America", asking the question "why are you here, then?" is not unfair. It's an answer I'd like to hear--in the interests of dialog.
And the question is *not* the same as "love it or leave it". If asked honestly and not as a rhetorical statement.
Yes all wars are for greater profit for the 1%ers.
Hate on the first Amendment all you want. Putin is waiting for you fascists to join him. Love our nation and it's constitution or leave it. Keep ranting and posting to yourself. Keep the irrational extreme outbursts up. I served for my country and the freedom provided by it's constitution. No NFL player plastered photos of dead bodies of you black men all over the stadiums.
As I said.... If you hate the liberties and rights afforded us in our country and it's constitution you have a clear choice......Love it or leave it.
Any twisted illogical port in a storm. Why don't you tweet Colin and ask him? It's a free country.
If I knew him personally, I might. But I don't. And I don't tweet. Never saw the sense of a discussion that has to be distilled down to a few characters.
First, I am not a liberal.Yes all wars are for greater profit for the 1%ers.
I believe that every military action taken by the U.S. since WW 2 was sold, by those who profit from war, as necessary for defense of our country. Defending our U.S. is pretense for making money. Our troops are collateral damage and their deaths are for 'the better good' ( a euphemism if there ever was one). This is something I've thought about for a long time and there's nothing that would change my mind.
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together." Pres. Dwight David Eisenhower, Jan. 17, 1961, farewell address (military-industrial-Congressional complex may be a more apt term)
Here's Major General Smedley Butler (born and buried in PA) on this topic (his service was prior to WW 2 -- nothing has changed. His bonafides first:
Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corpsmajor general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. During his 34-year career as a Marine, he participated in military actions in the Philippines, China, in Central America and the Caribbean during the Banana Wars, and France in World War I. By the end of his career, Butler had received 16 medals, five for heroism. He is one of 19 men to receive the Medal of Honor twice, one of three to be awarded both the Marine Corps Brevet Medal and the Medal of Honor, and the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal and two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions.
His words:
I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Caponea few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.
From Gen. Butler's book, War is a Racket:
The work is divided into five chapters:
- War is a racket
- Who makes the profits?
- Who pays the bills?
- How to smash this racket!
- To hell with war!
"War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes."
I am particularly in favor of Gen. Butler's following suggestion:
1. Making war unprofitable. Butler suggests that the means for war should be "conscripted" before those who would fight the war:
It can be smashed effectively only by taking the profit out of war. The only way to smash this racket is to conscript capital and industry and labour before the nation's manhood can be conscripted. … Let the officers and the directors and the high-powered executives of our armament factories and our steel companies and our munitions makers and our ship-builders and our airplane builders and the manufacturers of all other things that provide profit in war time as well as the bankers and the speculators, be conscripted — to get $30 a month, the same wage as the lads in the trenches get."
Like the NCAA/NC situation, what is happening with the NFL is a form of economic boycott.Sorry...don't buy it. Do we know the people behind the UPS uniform or the wearing the hat of the golden arches? Perhaps we don't WANT to know them. I don't, sorry.
CK disrespected everything about the USA along with the high schoolers and gay soccer players this last week. Why have a protest that alienates good cops, black cops, everyone who is doing a great job? Now, we have lost our standards.
If you want to protest, how about doing it the way the Seahawks did? They stood for the anthem, locked arms to show they are united in a commitment to improvement. Or the guys who raised a black power fist? I am good with that; no problem. It says, "yeah, I am happy to be living in the USA, but we have ongoing issues that need to be resolved." Check.
People need to study up on the concept of economic boycotts. This used to be taught in Civics classes in high schools. Some of our posters are young enuff to have missed that good stuff, or old enuff but not inclined to pay attention in class.
I've heard some discussion on the radio. It's just as much about making people aware as it is discussing it. If just 2% of the population starts to change their mind about mistreatment of minorities, then it is worth it.
That said, I think CK made a mistake last night. The smarter move would have been to stand on the anniversary (belated) of 9/11. In the PC he could have said that he stood in honor of the heroes on that day, but we still need to work on race equality. He would have win some people back.
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What aspect of race relations do you think he finds terrible? Is it the false narrative of Ferguson? Black on black murders in Chicago? Warehousing intercity kids into failed schools to protect corrupt unions? The guy shows up with some sort of pigs dressed as cops socks to practice and shows up to the media wearing a Fidel Castro shirt. The guy is a walking oxymoron.
Great, so you have one general out of how many that have opined in your favor? You also have a vague remark by Eisenhower that is no where close to your original claim. Let me tell you from personal experience that I fought in 2 wars where neither the US nor our large corporations had economic benefit. Your claims are lunacy.
I admire that you served. Otherwise, we disagree. Soldiers aren't exactly in the loop. As I wrote, nothing will change my mind so there's no reason to continue this.
Why doesn't he have a beef with the American dollar? Isn't that supposed to be one of the major means used to exploit people of color in this country? Isn't that the symbol of inequality in America? Let him select the POC-friendly currency of his choice, and arrange to be paid in that.
