The Anthem

[greg775]

So Colin Kaepernick sits during the National Anthem at the Niners game. He's not getting a lot of flak because of his explanation: He can't support a country that commits so many wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States.

Now don't forget for a minute how Gabby Douglass got slammed on Twitter for merely not putting her hand over her heart during the Anthem (which was absurd; Gabby got unfairly hammered on that one). Now a week after the Olympics, Colin is pretty much escaping harsh criticism ostensibly because people are afraid to criticize him lest they be considered insensitive to the recent police actions against African-Americans.

 

Hmmm. This is a tricky one. Colin should be getting roasted on many levels.

1.) Football is a team sport. He just thrust ALL the attention on himself. As they say it's a huge distraction for that team. 2.) Whenever somebody goes after the flag, it is usually an unwinnable situation because you are offending our great men and women of the military past and present. He can say all he wants about treatment of minorities but not standing at attention for the anthem?? You are attacking the soldiers who lost limbs serving our country and gave their lives. Usually these athletes that take a stand cannot survive such behavior because they are personally slapping our military personnel in the face. Watch the Military when the flag is present. Have you been to a military funeral? If the anthem is played ... wow, such respect.

 

Should be interesting to see how this plays out. They play the anthem at sports events for a reason. He is a public figure. What if half the crowd supports him and sits. Should there be a movement now? Because of Colin, when the Anthem is played is that a challenge to all of us to SIT DOWN in support of African Americans and minorities?? You can't defend Colin on this one. At best (for him) he starts a movement where half stadiums sit during the anthem and all black playes and minorities sit in defense of his position. At the worst he gets booed/jeered/threatened if the Military people are upset enough.

 

I give Colin an F for his efforts and I think he purposely waited until the Olympics were over to do this.

 

Comments?

Edited August 28, 2016 by greg775

[Quin]

If you think Kapernick is avoiding criticism for this, then you're incredibly tone deaf.

 

It's his right to do what he believes. Let's not pretend that our country has treated people of color well throughout history.

[greg775]

If you think Kapernick is avoiding criticism for this, then you're incredibly tone deaf.

 

It's his right to do what he believes. Let's not pretend that our country has treated people of color well throughout history.

 

Two responses: 1. Do a google on him. Crickets. Silence. Nothing much criticizing him.

2. Why does he have a right to do what he believes? This is a team sport isn't it? I seem to remember Sox fans throwing a hissy fit anytime Ozzie did something about Ozzie. The second Colin K sat down the whole game was about him. It'll be about him all week. Are team sports fans in favor of stuff like this happening?

 

As far as our country having a bad record treating people of color ... our country also has heroes diving into the flood waters of Louisiana to pull a woman and her pet out of her sinking car. Hell, he makes 12 mill a year. Not a bad perk for playing sports in our country. And again, the anthem signifies a lot to the military heroes.

Edited August 28, 2016 by greg775

[Quin]

Two responses: 1. Do a google on him. Crickets. Silence. Nothing much criticizing him.

2. Why does he have a right to do what he believes? This is a team sport isn't it? I seem to remember Sox fans throwing a hissy fit anytime Ozzie did something about Ozzie. The second Colin K sat down the whole game was about him. It'll be about him all week. Are team sports fans in favor of stuff like this happening?

 

1. Go on Twitter. Plenty criticizing him.

2. Ozzie's oftentimes selfish actions are not in the same stratosphere as Kapernick using his platform to point out injustice in this country.

[greg775]

1. Go on Twitter. Plenty criticizing him.

2. Ozzie's oftentimes selfish actions are not in the same stratosphere as Kapernick using his platform to point out injustice in this country.

But didn't his platform of pointing out injustice in this country serve as a slap in the face to our military and those who do GOOD in this country?

[Quin]

But didn't his platform of pointing out injustice in this country serve as a slap in the face to our military and those who do GOOD in this country?

 

It's not like he went to a military event and told people to go f*** themselves. His employer provides him with the right to not stand during the anthem. It's his American right.

 

It'd be more a slap in the face to American liberties to tell him to stand up for something he doesn't personally believe in.

[Middle Buffalo]

Athletes get criticized when they don't take stands (Michael Jordan) and when they do (Muhammad Ali). Whether they are correct or wrong, it is their right to protest. That is one of the freedoms that our soldiers have afforded us.

 

You can disagree with him. That is your right.

 

The flag represents both things.

[greg775]

It's not like he went to a military event and told people to go f*** themselves. His employer provides him with the right to not stand during the anthem. It's his American right.

Yes but the National Anthem is about our military who protected our freedoms. If you are going to sit during the anthem you better expect a knuckle sandwich when you go out in public and run into some military men and women who lost buddies in wartime. Basicallly Colin is flipping the bird at the USA which is not a great idea when you live in the USA. It's pretty lazy to just sit down during the anthem as a protest for the treatment of African Americans and minorities. s***, why aren't hordes of African American players joining him seated on the bench?? He's the only one so far.

 

Athletes get criticized when they don't take stands (Michael Jordan) and when they do (Muhammad Ali). Whether they are correct or wrong, it is their right to protest. That is one of the freedoms that our soldiers have afforded us.

 

You can disagree with him. That is your right.

 

The flag represents both things.

Good point except this stand is pretty childish. There are better ways to protest this issue than flip the bird at members of the military. He's not even a starter. My guess is the Niners would like to dump his ass.

 

I hope you guys take the time to read what this army vet said about Colin. He lists things he could do in protest instead of insult the military.

 

http://ijr.com//2016/08/681907-army-ranger...ut-natl-anthem/

Edited August 29, 2016 by greg775

[Quin]

1) What gets people talking more Kap writing in to his Congressman (which as we all know would do nothing in this country) or not standing during the anthem?

 

2) Here's the third verse of the national anthem. We tend to only sing the first verse, so people don't know the third.

 

"And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion

A home and a Country should leave us no more?

Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

 

Yup, that verse is flat out celebrating the death of slaves and was penned by an anti-abolitionist.

 

He's taking a stand for people that don't have a voice and for an issue much larger than football and anyone mad at him for that is drastically missing the point.

[bmags]

I would say that writing to your congressman and voting do far more than people imagine. Especially when it comes to requesting services for navigating government.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Good stuff on Kaepernick here: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/08/29/baf...ick-2-americas/

[Big Hurtin]

I still don't understand what makes sporting events the place to sing the national anthem. You don't see this at other events.

[chw42]

I still don't understand what makes sporting events the place to sing the national anthem. You don't see this at other events.

 

I don't think they have anthems overseas before non-national sporting events. It is kind of weird how we have them before pro sports games. But then again, American nationalism reigns. People eat it up.

 

Edit: found this nice gem from a year back. http://www.sbnation.com/2015/11/4/9670302/...-report-million

Edited August 29, 2016 by chw42

[Kyyle23]

It's Kaepernicks right to sit, his message needs to be reviewed not his decision to sit. I only hope that he would continue the message and talk more about it, because it only comes off as a one time attention wanting stunt.

[chw42]

It's Kaepernicks right to sit, his message needs to be reviewed not his decision to sit. I only hope that he would continue the message and talk more about it, because it only comes off as a one time attention wanting stunt.

 

If only he did this back when he was actually good. Then people wouldn't be making fun of him with the "he'll be sitting all year on the bench" jokes.

 

I've wondered about this from the start. What if Kaepernick just forgot to stand or didn't feel like it and is just using the oppression thing as an excuse? And now he's in too deep?

Edited August 29, 2016 by chw42

[Kyyle23]

If only he did this back when he was actually good. Then people wouldn't be making fun of him with the "he'll be sitting all year on the bench" jokes.

 

I've wondered about this from the start. What if Kaepernick just forgot to stand or didn't feel like it and is just using the oppression thing as an excuse? And now he's in too deep?

 

I mean, it's hard to say any of this because we have no idea what his politics are or what he is about outside of the football field. Back when he was good, we didn't have this massive backlash against police and the black lives matter movement in the limelight like it is now.

 

Sometimes people change their way of thinking and take a different path for the rest of their lives due to an event or events. We can't hold it against him because he didn't say anything before because maybe he didn't feel as strongly about it. We can only look at what he does going forward

[greg775]

A presidential candidate just recently called our former Secretary of State "The Founder of ISIS", and Colin Kapernick is getting roasted and told to leave the country if he won't stand for the National Anthem.

 

We've got much bigger problems than the QB for the 49ers

He not only didn't stand for the Anthem he blasted the USA in his quotes. This country is full of good people as well as bad. We've had a lot of heroes in recent natural disasters like floods and his comments are insulting to the USA.

[StrangeSox]

greg it sounds like you want the national anthem to be a "safe space"

[LittleHurt05]

Everybody is using the anthem as another way to NOT talk about police violence and racial tension.

[knightni]

Two responses: 1. Do a google on him. Crickets. Silence. Nothing much criticizing him.

2. Why does he have a right to do what he believes? This is a team sport isn't it? I seem to remember Sox fans throwing a hissy fit anytime Ozzie did something about Ozzie. The second Colin K sat down the whole game was about him. It'll be about him all week. Are team sports fans in favor of stuff like this happening?

 

As far as our country having a bad record treating people of color ... our country also has heroes diving into the flood waters of Louisiana to pull a woman and her pet out of her sinking car. Hell, he makes 12 mill a year. Not a bad perk for playing sports in our country. And again, the anthem signifies a lot to the military heroes.

That's pretty ignorant. Why do you have the right to do what you believe?

 

Our country is not the problem. It's the people who don't see that there is a problem, that are the problem.

 

 

[bmags]

Everybody is using the anthem as another way to NOT talk about police violence and racial tension.

 

Yeah this is how I feel. He wants to do his thing, not going to attack him. But the anthem and flag protests are not my recommended places of protest as it is the surest way to get people to talk past you.

[southsider2k5]

Yeah this is how I feel. He wants to do his thing, not going to attack him. But the anthem and flag protests are not my recommended places of protest as it is the surest way to get people to talk past you.

 

It is also the absolute easiest way to get attention, which is why many through time have done it.

[bmags]

It is also the absolute easiest way to get attention, which is why many through time have done it.

 

NBA players wearing I Can't Breathe was much more effective as it allowed them to focus on their message where this quickly boiled down to "Why don't you support vets" and "Why don't you leave the country". The NBA protests also received plenty of attention. Just a less effective choice of protest in the modern media environment.

[greg775]

That's pretty ignorant. Why do you have the right to do what you believe?

Well, it is a team sport like I said. Coaches generally push the buttons of "one for all and all for one." A quarterback is a leader. It seems kind of counterproductive to have the QB do this one thing that thrusts so much attention on himself in the preseason. I would think odds are there are a ton of athletes who probably would love to sit out the anthem as well. They just don't do it.

 

Now as an Ozzie supporter, I love outlandish behavior and didn't mind him thrusting all the attention on himself. Maybe I should have minded that more, but I do feel he did a lot of that to take the heat off his players and let them play ball while he took a lot of the headlines by saying wild stuff.

[southsider2k5]

NBA players wearing I Can't Breathe was much more effective as it allowed them to focus on their message where this quickly boiled down to "Why don't you support vets" and "Why don't you leave the country". The NBA protests also received plenty of attention. Just a less effective choice of protest in the modern media environment.

 

 

Eh, that just turned into All Lives Matter in about half a second.