(09-09-2020 06:35 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: (09-09-2020 05:47 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote: (09-09-2020 05:33 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: (09-09-2020 04:35 PM)Rice93 Wrote: (09-09-2020 04:17 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote: I appreciate you going out of your way to find this, 93. Awfully nice of you to use your valuable time. I know you have better things to do.
I don't see where they said they would disrespect the flag.
But I do remember times when the Army has been used against fellow Americans. Not unprecedented. Some might consider the Civil War another example. Or the internment of Japanese-Americans under FDR.
If Army cadets do not stand for the flag and the anthem, they are off my list. Hard to believe that would be the action of team that wears Duty Honor Country on their uniforms, but if so, adios. Same for Navy, Air Force, VMI, Citadel or anybody. And Rice. This is my protest. You go stand with your crowd, I will stand with mine.
Plenty of military people DO NOT consider the act of kneeling during the anthem in peaceful protest as disrespecting our flag or country. Perhaps some Army football players fall into that group. To each his/her own I guess. I support your right to protest in your own peaceful way. I stand with the Rice athletes... the ones that choose to protest as well as the ones who don't.
As I’ve previously tried to explain, both the initial protest by Kaepernick was to bring attention to police brutality (I’ve provided primary sources from interviews with him to show that this was an issue from the start) and the act of kneeling was actually suggested as a way to not be disrespectful by a former Green Beret.
Kaepernick explains
"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 Media in an exclusive interview after the game.
As for the kneeling as opposed to sitting, it may be considered less disrespectful by some. For me, I do not care if you are are sitting, kneeling, lying down, in the fetal position, hanging from the goalposts, whatever, you are not standing. I can barely stand, yet I struggle to my feet and will as long as I am able. Sorry if pride in my country offends you. If these athletes do not stand, it is just to indicate they agree this is a country that does not deserve to be held in honor. JMHO.
Are you actually interested in me providing further details from interviews with Karpernick that expand on that? If so, I can go back through my posts and pull the relevant information. He explicitly talks about police brutality, which was a focus from the outset.
This was the first interview after the first game he sat out. His first words are the ones I quoted. Does that meet your definition of outset?
Later he mentions murder. Is that what you mean by police brutality?
I think of police brutality as when police are brutal - like when they lock a suspect in a freezing room, naked, and beat him with rubber hoses, or when they starve him for weeks.
I oppose those things. I know of nobody who is pro-police brutality, or any other type of brutality. I oppose all forms of brutality.
But what Colin was against was, in plain language, police killing black men because they are black. That is not brutality. As he said, it is murder, and it is the kind of murder you would expect in an oppressive country, such as North Korea or, in his opinion, the USA.,
I don't think we are an oppressive country now. We sure used to be, back when we had segregation and separate but equal. We don't have those any more. Do you think we are still an oppressive country?
I guess, either way, it is a matter of opinion. So if we are an oppressive country, you have the freedom to kneel and express disdain for the country. I have the freedom to stand, and if you kneel, I have the freedom to express disdain for you and you have the freedom to express disdain for my standing. That sure is a lot of freedom for an oppressive country.
You sure are going to a lot of trouble to try and persuade me to kneel.