Even a whole New Jersey high school football team and its coaches now refuse to stand during the playing of the National Anthem
Shame on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell! By supporting Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the playing of the National Anthem, Goodell has opened a Pandora’s box of disrespect for our country that has spread throughout the NFL and beyond to the colleges and even to high schools.
From the get-go Goodell supported Kaepernick’s right not to stand for the anthem in protest against the murder of blacks by cops and the oppression of people of color in America. He not only continues to support Kaepernick’s refusal to stand for the anthem, but he also now supports the other NFL players who refuse to do so likewise.
When, during an interview aired Sunday, NBC Today host Matt Lauer asked Goodell if he felt "proud" of Colin Kaepernick and his protest, Goodell replied:
“Listen, I support our players speaking out on issues that they think need to be changed in our society. We don't live in a perfect society, Matt. Our players have strong views about things. So I support our players speaking out against that. But that's what the focus should be on, the changes he wants to see in our society.”
OK, so Kaepernick has the right to stand up by sitting down or kneeling during the anthem. That’s a form of free speech and it’s protected by the Constitution. But Mr. Goodell also knows – or he should know - that free speech can have consequences. Goodell should have fined and/or suspended Kaepernick for projecting a bad image of the NFL by disrespecting our country. That would have been a righteous consequence of Kaepernick’s expression of free speech.
Instead, by supporting the 49ers quarterback instead of disciplining him, the consequence of Kaepernick’s disrespectful behavior has been that it has spread to the other NFL teams, to the colleges and even to high schools.
On Saturday, South Jersey’s Woodrow Wilson High School Played a football game in Camden, N.J. against Highland High School. Woodrow Wilson is almost exclusively black and Hispanic, as is its football team and its coaches. Before the game, coach Preston Brown told his players that he intended to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick. All but two of Woodrow Wilson’s football players then joined him in knelling during the anthem.
It is the duty of all American citizens to stand at attention whenever the National Anthem is played at a public event. Failure to do so is unbecoming of a citizen.
Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the anthem is not only unbecoming of a citizen, but it is also unbecoming of the image the NFL wants to project of its players. Accordingly, Goodell had every right to discipline the 49ers quarterback.
I blame Goodell’s failure to take any punitive action against Kaepernick for this proliferation of disrespectfulness for our country.
Mr. Goodell completely overlooked the fact that Kaepernick’s main beef is against the police whom he accuses of murdering blacks. He compounded that outrageous and libelous accusation by being pissed off because a cop is put on (administrative) leave when he ‘murders’ a black man and gets paid while on that leave.
Colin Kaerpernick could have made his protest on any street corner in the USA where he is free to spit on the flag, stomp the flag into the ground, tear up the flag, or burn the flag. But he should have been fined and/or suspended for disrespecting our country on the playing field!
Having said that, I realize there would have been an outpouring of support for the asshole had he been punished, but at least he would have suffered some consequences for his disrespectfulness and it probably would have prevented other NFL players from joining him.
2 comments:
He is going to regret this down the road.
Stand Up America
An American Veteran is wheeled slowly across a stage. He is given medals, from a grateful government. He will get limited health care and a small monthly income. He lives his life and pushes forward against the odds. He does this out of necessity but mainly because of pride. He was wounded due to his courage, his heart, and his pride of country. He did not ask to be hurt but he knew the risks. He does not and never will blame This Once Great Nation! He was and still is a soldier. More over He Is An American. He will attend he the parades, salute the soldiers, and die trying to stand, when Old Glory passes by. He is the epitome of all that is good and right in this country.
Today, we have people (for lack of a better word) who play children's games for a living and are paid exorbitant amounts of money. These people pick a cause and attempt to blame the entire country for what a minute amount of people may do. These highly paid children refuse to honor the country and flag that has provided their wealth and stature. They do not donate their wealth to the cause but only use the cause to disrespect others. Some hail these as heroes.
A true hero is the one who would give his life for another and not one that seeks monetary gains. Those highly paid propaganda seekers are causing an even widening gap in the society. They seek to divide the people which will open us to attack from both outsiders and from within. This is what our enemy wants. Do not allow America to lay down instead Stand Up America. How many soldiers must die or be injured to protect these protesters? Who is the True Hero?
When the attack comes, as it did on September 11th, who do you want standing with and for you? Do you want the person who kneels against our country or the true hero that is and was willing to give or risk his life to protect America, her people, and Old Glory? I for one will take that Veteran in the wheelchair over the childish athlete who refuses to stand. He has proven that he will Stand For America even if he must use his hands to do it. Old Glory is not just a flag of a country, it is our Symbol of hope and freedom. It has survived many fights and is still here. Make sure we are not the ones that allow it to fall. When Old Glory passes by
STAND UP AMERICA!!
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