September 28, 2017

National anthem problem resolved (I think).

On Thursday Night Football, just now, the Green Bay Packers followed through with the plan to stand with locked arms during the National Anthem, and the Chicago Bears did the same. I think all the Packers locked arms, but at least 2 of the Bears did not. Many of the players on both teams locked arms in a way that included bringing the right hand up to the heart.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had urged all the fans to lock arms too:
“This is about equality,” Rodgers said. “This is about unity and love and growing together as a society, and starting a conversation around something that may be a little bit uncomfortable for people. But we’ve got to come together and talk about these things and grow as a community, as a connected group of individuals in our society, and we’re going to continue to show love and unity. And this week we’re going to ask the fans to join in as well and come together and show people that we can be connected and we can grow together.”
The TV cameras found at least a few fans who went along with that idea, but the vast majority used only the hand-on-heart gesture.

I think the locking arms solution is about as good as it can be. I know some people (e.g., Scott Adams) have mocked it as looking like The Rockettes, but I think it was respectful and demonstrative of a shared desire to get together and solve problems — not just this anthem-at-the-football-game problem, but racial discord.

Locking arms during the anthem is...
 
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262 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 262 of 262
Stan Smith said...

Dylan Roof—emblematic of every white person in America.
Emanuel Samson—crickets
John Muhammad and Lee Malvo—crickets
42% of all cop killings are black males on white, though black males are just 6% of the population (FBI statistics)—crickets

There's a problem here, all right, but it's not what you think it is.

grackle said...

Are we calling this as a win for Trump?

To ask the question is to answer it but I will anyway. Trump didn’t just win, Trump threw the NFL down on its own artificial turf and corn-holed it Deliverance-style. I think that there’ll be no more kneeling during the anthem because the adult in the oval office has put an end to it. After 8 years of Obama it is coming as a shock to the professional sports elite, who are either PC-compliant or PC believers, that there are some boundaries that are perilous to cross.

What’s more I think the NFL, NBA and the others would be better off to avoid overt political demonstrations of any kind, but certainly never during the anthem. If they want to lock arms in “unity”and look like Cub Scouts singing Kumbaya instead of grown men, that’s fine.

Another "Solution" would be to play "God Save the Queen" before every game.

Best ironic epigram I’ve seen in awhile. Very nice.

Trump had made it about patriotism.

Kneeling during the anthem, which is definitely unpatriotic, was what made the situation about patriotism. That fatal mistake was what allowed Trump to kick their pampered asses. I believe there were millions who like me have been seething since the start of Colon Kaperfuck’s anthem antics.

Some black players see it as Trump disrespected them.

And they would be right. Those who deserve respect get respect. Pampered millionaire athletes, coaches and owners who pick the anthem as the backdrop for their childish political demonstrations? None.

Darrell said...

I'm done with NFL football. It doesn't matter what they do now, the toothpaste is out of the tube and it ain't going back.

AlanKH said...

The National Anthem is a deeply-cherished 80-second thanksgiving for the country's existence and defense. The rite was once reserved only for special occasions due to the cost of hiring a band, but the advent of PA systems made it cost-feasible to play at every sports event, even one played as frequently as baseball.

Events are boycotted for two reasons: deep objections to one or more participants (e.g. Moscow Olympics), or to the ceremony itself. Colin Kaepernick admitted that his motive is the latter: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He associates the flag and the dominant culture with oppression. Fans suspect that many if not most of the knee jerks feel the same way. They cannot conceive another reason to boycott.

I wonder if there are some who boycott for the first reason, and that the participant they object to is Middle America.

Some are likely brainless copycats who really haven't thought it out but enjoy giving Trump and/or Middle America the figurative finger.

Kevin said...

And congrats us white people, for bleeding and dying in response to a far bigger and far more vicious wrong committed by... white people.

Wow. So you don't get any respect for fighting against injustice if the person you're fighting against has the same skin color?

Tell it to the WW2 Vets who fought in Europe. They really didn't do anything because Hitler and most of Germany was filled with... white people. Tell it to the Russians who sacrificed a million men to stop fascist expansion. "Good job... oh wait, you're white."

At least by your reasoning we can still celebrate nuking those little Jap bastards! Those white people who stood up to the yellow hordes can still hold their heads high!

Kevin said...

The face of the protest has moved from:

Colin "pig socks" Kaepernick, to
Michael "In a crowd of black men, I was singled out for being black" Bennett, to
Aaron "let's change respect for the country into a call for unity" Rodgers

Who's next? Thing One and Thing Two? Little cat A, B, and C?

Does it all get cleaned up with a moss-covered three-handled family gredunza?

Didn't these people learn anything from their childhood? They should have listened to the fish.

Rusty said...

Unknown said...

"Trump lost this one. He told the NFL what to do, they said "fuck you"."

How those ticket sales goin'?

Kevin said...

As long as the players are doing something different than the fans during the anthem, they are setting themselves apart. And in setting themselves apart, they cannot claim they are doing it as an appeal to "unity".

It's really that simple.

I don't see this as a win. Black players want to kneel to draw attention to their cause. White players don't want to be locking arms to draw attention to themselves. The NFL doesn't want to flip off it's fans to draw attention to their power. And no one wants to keep asking questions and reporting it every week to draw attention to the fact it's still unresolved.

I expect the owners to write big checks to their communities and the players to stand for the anthem again. The only question is how much damage has to occur before that happens.

Michael K said...

Craig seems to be one more Democrat that is angry because Republican freed their slaves.

When he (it) first appeared on this blog, I suspected a troll.

Kevin said...

Apparently not everyone stood. The NYT has a picture of four Bears kneeling with the caption: Adrian Amos, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Deon Bush and Josh Bellamy of the Chicago Bears knelt on the field during the national anthem before Thursday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/sports/football/nfl-trump-anthem.html

Chuck said...

Alex said...
The Trump Effect is real folks.


In this case, The Trump Effect has been to galvanize what was a minor, tiny-minority protest movement into something far bigger and more divisive and ultimately isolating of the 30% or so of die hard Trump supporters, right?

I say that as someone who worships Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute and her work in debunking the myths surrounding the supposed epidemic of police shootings of black males. Heather Mac Donald has, for years, been carefully exposing those myths with empirical work and well written monographs. I personally think that the "taking a knee" stunt is baseless.

But Trump blundered into the mix, called some players "sons of bitches" and managed to get the NFL unified against him. Creating a new NFL ritual of protest.

Paco Wové said...

"the number of dead caused by the white christian slave trade"

So now the U.S. is responsible for the entire history of the triangle trade? Tell us about the other sins of the U.S., Craig.

Guildofcannonballs said...

Chuck bitch and bitches aren't the same word.

Why do you fake quote, don't you know as a lawyer you just shat your credibility? You had it, but you mucked it all up. Now people are just gonna listen to the potUS and not you, even though you are really smart and junk.

That lazy fake quote just ruined your life Chuck.

Sad to see someone so emotionally unhinged they resort to fake quotes like a Moby would do. They really wrecked you Chuck; Trump led them to break you.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Trump pointed out what unpatriotic buffoons these spoiled brat players are.
They play under the brow of freedom, and have no appreciation for it. They are mired in CNN, HIllary, Maddow lies about "hands up don't shoot". They are communists and socialists and whiny babies who've been sucked into the left's web of lies.

tim in vermont said...

To br fair, my dad would have supported them and he fought actual Nazis. I don't condemn them in principle either. I just don't watch football for politics, have other choices.

Same reason I carefully avoid Hollywood movies that look political.

grackle said...

But Trump blundered into the mix, called some players "sons of bitches" and managed to get the NFL unified against him. Creating a new NFL ritual of protest.

Chuck at the Taj Mahal: “Sure, it’s famous I suppose … but the architect went crazy with the minarets and why all the arches?”

I think the NFL, NBA and the rest of the elite professional sports franchises would be wise to avoid overtly political demonstrations altogether. No matter which side, right or left, would be promoted or opposed a significant portion of the fans will be offended.

As for using the games to protest Trump: Sure, if the NFL owners want to lose some Trump voters. They’ve already lost much through their ignorance and one would think they would have learned their lesson but institutions have difficulty with change and the players, staff and owners all seem to be either leftwing or apolitical. And as we all know, Lefties have real difficulty resisting the urge to attack Trump.

None of the sports channels, including FoxSports, have ever had anything nice to say about Trump so Trump has no goodwill to lose from THAT quarter.

SDaly said...

Would be hilarious for Trump to tweet that "It's great to see NFL players standing for the anthem like I said they should. Respect America!" followed by a Tweet picking up on Scott Adams that "It's also great to see the players locking arms like the Rockettes. Start the show!"

MayBee said...

I loved it.

MayBee said...

As my mother taught me when I was raising toddlers. In a battle of wills, you have to find a way for you both to win. And this was that.

Anonymous said...

...and starting a conversation around something that may be a little bit uncomfortable for people.

Fail right there. There are people out there who should be having "uncomfortable" feelings about their behavior, but it ain't the people you're targeting.

Yeah, that's it, let's have an eternal "conversation" getting people "woke" about historical facts everybody already knows. If only white people were aware of the things they already fucking know, rainbows and unicorns and racial equality and equal outcomes in all things would prevail across the land. Why didn't anyone think of this before? It's all so simple and obvious.

(Unfortunately probably not a fail in the way that matters, in that all the sportsball addicts out there will say "OK" and go back to supporting the assholes who despise them and say so right to their faces.)

exhelodrvr1 said...

So Trump has raised the level of the discussion. It will fun watching the left squirm to try and avoid acknowledging that.

Brookzene said...

Kneeling during the anthem, which is definitely unpatriotic

That's what you say. But you aren't the one who gets to say what's patriotic or not. We know how fake that patriotism is that people like Trump try to shuck us with. The more you embrace Trump the less your patriotic fervor means anything.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Chuck,
" white christian slave trade "
Dang that autocorrect.

I know that you meant to type "the white Christian, Arab Muslim, black paganism (animism?) slave trade"

mockturtle said...

IMHO, the best way to abolish racism is to ignore race altogether. Rather than opening up [further, ad nauseam] 'discussions' we should all simply refuse to discuss or even acknowledge race.

Anonymous said...

Craig: The number of white men who died on the right side of that war is paltry compared to the crimes that closely related white people committed leading up to the war...

So what's your point, Craig? Not enough dead white men? We need to even up the score?

I hear that approach has been working out nicely for Zimbabwe and South Africa. Truth and Reconciliation, bitchez!

Btw, re your "white Christian slave trade" rage dump: As has been pointed out to you, many non-Christian, non-white persons had essential roles in the triangle trade. But there were also lots of white Jewish guys involved in "our side" of that trade. Some black Christians, too, as a matter of fact. You hatin' on their descendants, too? Where do the descendants of the non-white and/or non-Christian slave trading/owning folks fit in your scheme of collective guilt/collective retribution? Just curious.

I cannot imagine the intellectual dissemblance required to make good on your penultimate sentence.

OT, but you're in need of an extended "conversation" with masters of English prose, to make you "uncomfortable" and ashamed about producing godawful sentences like the one above. Even a brief encounter with Strunk and White would be salutary. (Don't feel bad - it's a common failing in pretentious writers. In attempting to wield the fancy words, they forget what the simple ones mean. Word salad ensues.)

Anonymous said...

Brookzene: But you aren't the one who gets to say what's patriotic or not.

So who does? Looks like a free-for-all to me.

We know how fake that patriotism is that people like Trump try to shuck us with. The more you embrace Trump the less your patriotic fervor means anything.

Ah, apparently you think you get to. I don't think it works that way, either.

Jack Tors said...

Last Sunday, Jerry Jones looked like he had tetanus and horrible constipation

Rick said...

This is about equality,” Rodgers said. “This is about unity and love

No it isn't. This is pressuring fans to take the players side - and thus ultimately Kaepernick's. You don't show unity by asserting you think everyone should support the person who initiated the disunity.

Rick said...

Brookzene said...
Kneeling during the anthem, which is definitely unpatriotic

That's what you say. But you aren't the one who gets to say what's patriotic or not. We know how fake that patriotism is that people like Trump try to shuck us with. The more you embrace Trump the less your patriotic fervor means anything.


Brookzene summary:

You don't get to define patriotism, I get to define patriotism.

The core of leftism revealed.

Meade said...

Like kissing your sister because Colin Kaepernick kissed his sister and now everyone has to kiss their sister because otherwise, what — you hate your sister?

grackle said...

I said kneeling during the anthem was unpatriotic. Here’s a response:

That's what you say. But you aren't the one who gets to say what's patriotic or not. We know how fake that patriotism is that people like Trump try to shuck us with. The more you embrace Trump the less your patriotic fervor means anything.

Like I’ve said before on other threads and as the commentor illustrates wonderfully – to a Lefty the anthem and flag are objects of scorn. They never pass up the chance to besmirch any display that could be interpreted as patriotic. Instead they twist themselves into a pretzel logic – up is down, down is up – with Trump-hatred thrown in as justification for their vilification.

BTW, I recorded and fast-forwarded through Morning Joe this AM. No images of football whizzed by so I assume there was no mention of the Packers/Giants game. No further proof that Trump won is really needed. If Trump had lost the whores on Morning Joe would have been using the game as the lead-off segment.

mockturtle said...

You don't get to define patriotism, I get to define patriotism.

The core of leftism revealed.


Reminds me of a conversation I had a couple of years ago with a Prog. I said I would like to see a return to common sense. She countered that the problem is that common sense is usually wrong! That told me a lot.

BGrear said...

If the NFL wants to destroy itself by becoming a leftist, SJW, political organization that is their choice. The NFL can't unring that bell. I have been an NFL fan for decades but I never plan to attend or watch another NFL game ever again. I'm done. I know many people who feel the same way.

Witness said...

If the poll allowed multiple options, I'd probably vote for 1 and 4. Sometimes the best option looks really stupid.

MacMacConnell said...

Beaver7216 said...
"For me, this misses the point. People are not required to stand for the anthem. There should never be a law that requires them to do so."

Beaver, get your hands on the Official NFL handbook for rules of conduct on the field during games. During the anthem players are to silently stand on the sideline with helmets in left hand, right hand over heart optional.

The NFL is forbidden from doing politics, they're a 501 tax exempt organization, just like Little League.

The NFL was give release from anti-trust laws in 1961 by Congress because the courts wouldn't allow them to negotiate TV contracts as a group. Congress thought pro sports was a non-political unifying effect on the nation. My how things have changed, will the owners and players like the changes to come if they keep this meaningless protest up?

Ray - SoCal said...

Thought experiment:

Is ________ a Russian troll?

What would be the difference between what he posted, and a Russian trying to cause dissent?

I am sure AA's blog with its popularity has been targeted.

A Russian troll would post on either extreme. Either very pro or von.

hombre said...

Chuck: "In this case, The Trump Effect has been to galvanize what was a minor, tiny-minority protest movement into something far bigger and more divisive and ultimately isolating of the 30% or so of die hard Trump supporters, right?"

Wrong, as usual, Chuck. The "Trump Effect" is to expose. First, the GOPe. Next, the Clinton/DNC crime family. Next, the leftmedia. Now, the GOPe/DNC/swamp surrogates and consorts.

As for "die hard," evidently you weren't watching when Roy Moore won in Alabama despite Trump's endorsement of his opponent. 30%, although a low estimate of the anti-GOPe, anti-Democrat devotees, is certainly substantial. The opening notes of the GOPe death knell are ringing. Time for you swamp lovers to take note and stop your bitching. It's not about Trump. It's about you and McConnell and Schumer and Kaepernick and BLM and Antifa, etc.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Craig, your white guilt line of religious dogma is just that. You feel it, you respond to it, you go through whatever religious observances related to you you need to, but let me do you a favor and save you some time: others don't accept that point of faith and your pleadings are falling on deaf ears. You might as well get frustrated with people for eating shellfish or undergoing IVF. Because it's plainly wrong and relevant to you doesn't make it plainly wrong and relevant to others.

To the people pointing out the illogic of Craig's arguments: never forget you can't reason someone out of a position he wasn't reasoned into.

Todd said...

“This is about equality,” Rodgers said. “This is about unity and love and growing together as a society, and starting a conversation around something that may be a little bit uncomfortable for people. But we’ve got to come together and talk about these things and grow as a community, as a connected group of individuals in our society, and we’re going to continue to show love and unity.

Um, no.

This is about trying to put more butts into the seats and saying whatever you have to do make that happen. It is about "modifying" your behavior enough to fool the rubes while you "wink, wink, nod, nod" to the SJW / BLM crowd that you still have their back.

F--- off...

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

If Trump had lost the whores on Morning Joe would have been using the game as the lead-off segment.

True dat!

Michael said...

Your poll should have an "all of the above" option.

mockturtle said...

Chuck and the media have it wrong. Again, Trump is the effect, not the cause. He is speaking for a slim majority of Americans and a huge majority of football fans. He has the bully pulpit. We do not.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"But Trump blundered into the mix, called some players "sons of bitches" and managed to get the NFL unified against him. Creating a new NFL ritual of protest."

He ordered them to beclown themselves and they sat up, did backflips and barked like dogs? 'Cause that's exactly what what you said.

That Trump, he's an amazing guy.

Freeman Hunt said...

I hope that's the end of this phony news.

A friend was calling this sort of media created story "phony news." It's not fake, but it's not news. It's puffed up unimportance to rile people up over nothing and sell advertising.

Static Ping said...

I have not read through all the comments, but let me put forth how I feel here in a 5 point argument.

1. Kneeling for the national anthem, barring some exceptional circumstances such as a disability, is disrespectful and anti-American. It does not matter what your cause is. I do not care if I agree with it 100%. You do not kneel for the anthem. It's one of the basic and simple requirements to be an American in the cultural sense.

2. Furthermore, Colin Kaepernick's antics were explicitly anti-American. He admitted freely as much to whomever would ask. There is no ambiguity here. The exercise is tainted beyond rehabilitation.

3. There is no way to make kneeling acceptable. Supporting Black Lives Matter is not anti-American. Opposing racism is not anti-American. Hating Trump is not anti-American. Advocating for any and all of these positions is not anti-American. Kneeling during the anthem is anti-American. There's no getting past this. At all.

4. These attempts at a compromise simply do not work. Anyone with a half working brain knows that the only reason that these "unity" exercises or the prior excuse that this was a time of "prayer" are being performed as a substitute for the kneeling. Basically, all they have done is instead of a minority of the players kneeling, now basically everyone is doing the equivalent of kneeling but pretending that they are not. If 1 out of 5 players flipped the fans the bird before each game and after an outcry teams decided to kneel in unity, that's just a replacement for flipping the bird with now the tacit endorsement of the entire team. If 20% of the players wore white Klan hoods and burned a cross before each game and then as a compromise the entire team decided to wear green hoods and burn squares instead... no, that would never happen because the other 80% would find it so offensive that they would not engage in it.

5. There only way out of this is to apologize for the kneeling. They have to be explicit that it was wrong. They do not have to say that the things the players were demonstrating against were wrong, but they have to make it clear that kneeling during the anthem is not acceptable. Then, after they do that, they want to do their "unity" nonsense then whatever. What they are doing right now is trying to find a way to say "f*** you" in a slightly different way. Perhaps with a French accent this time. That's the ticket.

The non-apology is not accepted.

Mark said...

Where were these people when Kid Rock wore a poncho made out of a flag at the Super Bowl 2015 halftime show? Cutting a hole in a flag and wearing it ... and now he is a Republican running for a seat in Congress.

What a fucking joke these snowflakes are, so upset about taking a knee.

Real American said...

There already was a "solution" - it was that everyone stand for the anthem, face the flag (or if no flag, the music) and remain standing until the end. This was a grand tradition that unified all Americans of every race, religion, sex, economics, occupation, politics, etc. It didn't matter. Standing for the anthem shows a basic level of respect for our country. It doesn't mean you agree with all actions by the government or private citizens. It is more basic than that. This tradition is the very essence of unity.

Unfortunately, it was Kaepernick (later joined by other assholes) who decided that their political cause du jour was more important than the unity occurring during the playing of the anthem. It was these players who broke the unity and urged divisiveness for political reasons. They did it to get attention for their politics. It got attention precisely because it was offensive to so many people. They hijacked the crowd who were certainly not watching for the politics.

And these asshole player faced a backlash, including being ripped by our President. Whether one thinks these players have a just cause (and I don't. I think they're full of shit.) it simply is not the appropriate time, place and manner for players to inject their politics.

And I'm not offended by the locking arms nonsense these players are doing because they're standing for the anthem, but I do think they're missing the point. No one gives a shit whether the players are unified in their distaste for what Trump said about them. We want players to show respect for the anthem and our country like we do. Do politics on your own time, not at football games. It is thus not a solution as it is still trying to be political (anti-Trump.)

The only acceptable solution is for the players to go back to status quo - stand for the fucking anthem and show some fucking respect and do politics on your own time and your own dime.

Rick said...

Mark said...
What a fucking joke these snowflakes are, so upset about taking a knee.


Another person trying to pretend the issue is disrespect because of the action ignoring the intent. Kneeling is offensive because it's intended as such.

It's too bad there aren't any honest left wingers around, but with the education system as it is the odds are stacked against them.

mockturtle said...

Don't feed the trolls. It only encourages them.

readering said...

The solution is to have the players enter the stadium after the national anthem.

readering said...

And don't televise it.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

The fact that the overwhelming majority of fans at the game last night did not follow Rodgers' directive is revealing.

Those are hardcore Packer fans. The last thing they want to do is give up NFL football. But the hands held over hearts and the chant of "USA, USA!" should have sent a message to a well-meaning but apparently rather dim QB.

"Rodgers, we love you. But we want you to STFU and play ball. You think you we'll do whatever you tell us to do. Let this serve as a warning."

Anonymous said...

So much stuff to comment on. The following is just a brain dump.

Oh my, I'd love to go to the Althouse Alehouse. Would she work the bar or greet customers at the door? Would she wear one of those Bavarian leather bustiers?

I'll humblebrag a bit and say I'd visit the Alehouse but wouldn't drink.

I'd also stop watching the NFL except I did that years ago just after the advent of the AFL. They removed the mud from the game and to this (at the time) 8 year old's thinking mud was great but football no longer was.

New Troll Craig must have, "Tous Aux Barricades, Mes Amis," running through his head in a continuos loop. Get that man a musket.

Althouse is, as others have commented too smart to think what she thinks about this issue. There is no solution. I know she wants one so she can contiune to enjoy watching an occasional game, one where a new powerful virtue signalling has been created but that won't happen. Standing without hand over heart is still disrespctful. And I agree with Scott Adams, they do look like a chorus line with the linked arms. Sheesh!

The NFL has revealed its Matrix, the question for everyone is: "Red Pill or Blue?"

I read a Limbaugh quote the other day, talking about the hallucination is over. Same thing.

Chinua Achebe, writer of, "Things Fall Apart," was unavailable for comment.

Watch for ratings and ticket sales to fall further.

To go one further perhaps people should be encouraged to go to their usual tailgate spot but don't go to the game, same for people who have lavish spreads in their homes, keep doing that but don't watch.

And this is the end of football shirts and accompanying NFL gear.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

ace wrote this about the GOPe squishes at NR but it applies to Chuck as well:

"AllahPundit, a now-unlinkable NeverTrumper, was fond of saying "Trumpism Corrupts."

Indeed it does -- but it seems to have primarily corrupted the NeverTrumpers themselves, who are now taking 180-degree-opposite positions than they used to claim to believe in just because of the happenstance that Trump also took that position.

Oh, and he said "son of a bitch" while saying it. How crude. How common. How vulgar and how scandalous. Let's join Brooke Baldwin in a cry-therapy Puddle Pile.

Nationalism -- which every conservative used to believe in -- is now a species of #Racism, just like the left always claimed, according to these folks corrupted by their hysterical reaction to Trump."

mockturtle said...

Darrell is right: I'm done with NFL football. It doesn't matter what they do now, the toothpaste is out of the tube and it ain't going back.

Jim at said...

"Trump lost this one. He told the NFL what to do, they said "fuck you""

Only a drooling imbecile thinks the NFL came out ahead in this and not Trump.

Drago said...

Mark: "Where were these people when Kid Rock wore a poncho made out of a flag at the Super Bowl 2015 halftime show? Cutting a hole in a flag and wearing it ... and now he is a Republican running for a seat in Congress"

LOL

Please tell me you weren't really even trying with that one!

Beaver7216 said...

Mac McConnel at 9:19

What i wrote was there is NOT a criminal issue here. AND that it is against NFL rules. Therefore the NFL should punish the violators of NFL rules.
It is rude to not stand, like the camera people, but it is an NFLviolation. Not illegal.

tim in vermont said...

Please tell me you weren't really even trying with that one!

The thing is that he was. They think that we are simple troglodytes, yet they find it impossible to pin down the rules by which we think, which by the way, are not rules. This makes them angry because dammit! They are smarter than us!!!

tim in vermont said...

I have to say though that there was some borderline racism in this thread. One has to have sympathy for the players and what they have been through, whoever is at ultimate fault, which is no-one and everyone.

I suggest watching the NFL channel show "A Football Life" which is not political in any sense, but takes the players as they and the people around them see their own lives. Each is an individual and there is no effort that I can see to impose a template on their lives. The John Riggens one was a classic, and he was, as you know, white, and there was no effort to drag politics into it, the Jerry Rice one was also a classic, and he talked about his experiences growing up on an Alabama farm, Curtis Martin grew up in the "hood" and his life was depicted through his own words, and the words of his friends and coaches, with zero editorializing, and I dare you to watch it without coming away with some sympathy for what many of these men have been through.

What I resent is calling the national anthem racist. I really deeply resent that. I don't think any players said that out loud, they can think whatever they like, but as many people have said, everybody has a right to their own opinions, but not their own facts.

Still I won't be watching the NFL this weekend.

tim in vermont said...

What a fucking joke these snowflakes are, so upset about taking a knee.

What a joke these snowflakes are, upset over a symbol like a statue of Robert E. Lee!

What a joke these snowflakes are, upset over a bunch of syllables uttered by preacher in Obama's church. "God Damn America!!!" Just a bunch of phonemes: \ gäd \ ˈdam \ ə-ˈmer-ə-kə, why should anybody care?

J said...

Backing the play of a commie symp cop killer supporting person like Kaepernick does not endear the people to the plutocrats on the NFL.players coaches or owners.

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