Colin Kaepernick Sits Through National Anthem Last Night

Larry M · Jun 6, 2018

Jolly-Boo said:
... The rest though, they frighten me. Like, Alex Jones frightening. They are all screaming for Comey to be jailed and don't even know why.

Agreed it is frightening. The right wing narrative is that Comey (and Hillary and Obama) have broken laws, and have mysteriously avoided being arrested for the alleged crimes. These folks don't know which laws were allegedly broken, but that doesn't matter to them. They scream 'Deep State!' and the rest nod in agreement.

Yes, it is frightening that so many Americans buy into this crap - what any intelligent person knows is pure hysterical fantasy.

regdog · Jun 7, 2018

I love this news.

Trump wanted to twist Colin Kaepernick's protest into an anti-America pile of BS, and as he said to Jerry Jones, continue to use it to win with his base. Well now Kaepernick's lawyers are going to subpoena Trump and Pence.

After months of circling President Donald Trump during NFL depositions and discovery, Colin Kaepernick’s lawyers are expected to force Trump directly into the ongoing legal battle between the quarterback and league.

Kaepernick’s legal team is expected to seek federal subpoenas in the coming weeks to compel testimony from Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other officials familiar with the president’s agenda on protesting NFL players, sources with knowledge of the quarterback’s collusion case against the NFL told Yahoo Sports.

Link

MaeZe · Jun 7, 2018

Yes!

Larry M · Jun 7, 2018

regdog said:
I love this news.

Trump wanted to twist Colin Kaepernick's protest into an anti-America pile of BS, and as he said to Jerry Jones, continue to use it to win with his base. Well now Kaepernick's lawyers are going to subpoena Trump and Pence.

Happy to see that.

regdog · Jun 8, 2018

From the neener neener, I know you are but what am I, toddler mentality.

Trump will not invite the NBA champion team to the White House. Umm, both teams had previously said they weren't going.

And, his Trumpness will consider accepting applications for pardons for players who protested during the National Anthem.

No, I'm not kidding about either. Really.

Link

nighttimer · Jun 15, 2018

regdog said:
From the neener neener, I know you are but what am I, toddler mentality.

Trump will not invite the NBA champion team to the White House. Umm, both teams had previously said they weren't going.

And, his Trumpness will consider accepting applications for pardons for players who protested during the National Anthem.

No, I'm not kidding about either. Really.

Link

Slight correction, regdog. Trump wasn't considering applications for pardons for players who protested during the National Anthem. He wanted recommendations for pardons from the players.

"I'm going to ask them to recommend to me people that were unfairly treated -- friends of theirs or people that they know about -- and I'm going to take a look at those applications. And if I find, and my committee finds, that they're unfairly treated, then we will pardon them or at least let them out."

Because of course NFL players like Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Malcolm Jenkins, Torry Smith and others who took a knee or raised a fist have friends of theirs locked up and hoping for a presidential pardon. The Race-Baiter-In-Chief is a little torqued off his desk hasn't been filled with pleading applications by NFL stars hoping to get their jailbird buddies sprung.

In a spontaneous interview on Friday with Fox News on the White House lawn, President Donald Trump said NFL athletes "shouldn't get the politics involved," and added that no players have contacted him after he invited them to submit recommendations for presidential pardons.

"They're saying people are aggrieved. OK. Let me know about it. I'll look at it. If they're aggrieved, I'll pardon them. I'll get them out," Trump said. "Maybe they've called the staff. But I have not personally heard from one. Because I don't know if it's a real issue. I don't think it's a real issue."

Trump also reiterated his long-standing belief that NFL players should stand during the pregame rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. He has criticized players who have kneeled as unpatriotic and disrespectful to military members, even as players have described the gesture as a means of protesting police brutality and systemic issues of racial inequality.

"They're all saying, 'Oh, it has nothing to do with the flag, it's the way we've been treated,'" Trump said earlier in the interview. "In the meantime, they're making $15 million a year. Look, I'm all for the athletes. I think it's great. I love athletics. I love sports. But they shouldn't get the politics involved."

The president has taken a deep interest in the subject since September, when he used an expletive at a rally to describe NFL players who kneel during the national anthem. He has tweeted about the NFL or the importance of standing during the national anthem a total of 34 times over the past nine months.

"They're all saying, 'oh, it has nothing to do with the flag, it's the way we've been treated.' In the meantime, they're making $15,000,000 a year ... they shouldn't get the politics involved."

Trump is actually right about one thing. This isn't a real issue. It never was about fishing for pardons. Or disrespecting the flag. Or not standing for the fucking anthem.

It was about Black people dying and cops getting away with killing them. Do I really need to go down the List of the Dead? Do I really need to explain to a fool like Trump why Kaepernick took a knee (and none of the Philadelphia Eagles did).

Nah. Not worth it. Never ask the oppressor for permission to protest your oppression. You'll never get it, but even if you do, it will be protesting the way they want under their terms. THEY will tell you if your grievance is legitimate. YOU don't get to make that decision for yourself.

So, why bother? :Shrug:

regdog · Jun 16, 2018

Thank you for the correction.

At the end of the day, Trump doesn't care one iota about patriotism, the flag, or anthem. He cares about himself and ego. To keep his support, he will whip his fanatical, base into a frenzy. One thing he is exceedingly good at is manipulation, he knows exactly what buttons to push for his base to rally to him.

Larry M · Jun 16, 2018

regdog said:
Thank you for the correction.

At the end of the day, Trump doesn't care one iota about patriotism, the flag, or anthem. He cares about himself and ego. To keep his support, he will whip his fanatical, base into a frenzy. One thing he is exceedingly good at is manipulation, he knows exactly what buttons to push for his base to rally to him.

He "loves the poorly educated," who flock to him.

Lyv · Jun 16, 2018

My neighborhood makes a big deal of Fourth of July. Have our own parade, two days of activities, every local politician shows. There's flag raising with the anthem. I'm reaching out to friends to ask them to join me in taking a knee (hoping I can be healthy enough to go). There's always been this unspoken agreement to keep politics out of it, even when there are highly contested local races going on (We take politics seriously here. Every candidate for every office will come to your house), but some folks broke that agreement two years ago with "Hillary Prison 2016" shirts (they strutted around chests out). Even if they hadn't, this is important. Anyone doing anything locally?

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 16, 2018

Lyv said:
My neighborhood makes a big deal of Fourth of July. Have our own parade, two days of activities, every local politician shows. There's flag raising with the anthem. I'm reaching out to friends to ask them to join me in taking a knee (hoping I can be healthy enough to go). There's always been this unspoken agreement to keep politics out of it, even when there are highly contested local races going on (We take politics seriously here. Every candidate for every office will come to your house), but some folks broke that agreement two years ago with "Hillary Prison 2016" shirts (they strutted around chests out). Even if they hadn't, this is important. Anyone doing anything locally?

My neighborhood also has a big Fourth of July parade and picnic, with all our local politicians in front (Some of them love goofy cosplay, too). Back when he was a state senator Barack Obama would push his youngest in a stroller with them. Music, floats, food, costumes, games in the park, black cowboys doing stunts on horseback.

I can’t recall the national anthem ever being played.

Lyv · Jun 16, 2018

Alessandra Kelley said:
My neighborhood also has a big Fourth of July parade and picnic, with all our local politicians in front (Some of them love goofy cosplay, too). Back when he was a state senator Barack Obama would push his youngest in a stroller with them. Music, floats, food, costumes, games in the park, black cowboys doing stunts on horseback.

I can’t recall the national anthem ever being played.

Wow, that's cooler than ours. Obama being there alone elevates it. I'm suspecting your neighborhood is more populated than mine. Mine is pretty small and suburban. We've been here since 2002 and they've always done the anthem. It's sometimes a local kid singing it and sometimes it is bad. I do love how good or bad, you can feel the crowd willing them through it, and we give that kid a rousing ovation. I don't know who's doing it this year.

regdog · Jul 8, 2018

From the : Since the North Korea Summit is a Bust, People Hate Me For Kidnapping Kids, Cohen is Flipping; I Need to Rally My Base Files

Trump once again is attacking the NFL for its anthem policy.

“I don’t want to cause controversy but how about they passed this stupid thing. You don’t have to do this anymore. If you don’t respect the flag or if you don’t like the country — or whatever it is — just go into the locker room,” Trump said at a Montana campaign rally.

“I think in many respects that’s worse. Isn’t this worse than not standing, you know? I think that’s worse,” the president added.

He doesn't want to cause controversy! :ROFL:

It's what he LIVES for.

Link

ElaineA · Jul 19, 2018

The Miami Dolphins today: Miami Dolphins players who protest on the field during the national anthem could be suspended for up to four games under a team policy issued this week.

I heard about it on the Racist Watchdog Twitter account. Apropos.

SWest · Jul 19, 2018

Uh. And what does the franchise do once, like, a lot of players aren't playing...?

ElaineA · Jul 19, 2018

Hopefully fold. This smells so foul.

MaeZe · Jul 19, 2018

If there was enough room in the stands and aisles, wouldn't it be nice if a large segment of the fans took a knee during the anthem?

ElaineA · Jul 19, 2018

I stood with everyone else, then deliberately sat down once the song started at the Seahawk opening game last year. (It's the only one I went to.)

frimble3 · Jul 19, 2018

ElaineA said:
I stood with everyone else, then deliberately sat down once the song started at the Seahawk opening game last year. (It's the only one I went to.)

Atta girl! And did anyone give you your ticket money back and insist that you leave for this show of disrespect?
Didn't think so.

frimble3 · Jul 19, 2018

I have, since reading through this thread, paid more attention to the beginnings of sporting events.
Why is the supposed 'disrespect' of black athletes politely kneeling in protest during the anthem a huge, big, deal? Spectators eating, drinking, talking on their little phones, and taking pictures with said little phones during the anthem can hardly be called 'respectful'?
How can anyone not call it racism?

I've been watching the crowds, and while some, of all races, stand respectfully at attention, hands on hearts, and more just sort of stand there, quietly; a lot seem to be thinking it's like a commercial break on TV - time to get things done - they don't show a view of the washrooms during the anthem, but I'll bet they're busy.

I might understand if the stands were full of still, respectful, people, staring intently at the flag. Then, athletes eating and carrying on, just like any other workday, might be offensive, but, given the current nature of the crowd, men kneeling silently to protest injustice in their country is the epitome of respect for the principles on which your country was founded.

(Oh, and I never watched a single game all the way through.)

MaeZe · Jul 19, 2018

The power of racist propaganda amplified by a racist leader.

This was never about the national anthem. It's a backlash against the Black Lives Matter movement, which sucks in itself given the protestors have an incredibly important cause behind the movement.

Denying the problem of police killing unarmed black men and boys like Tamir Rice, first it was blue lives matter and knee-jerk defense of the police instead of dealing with the issue of police conduct (which has so many ways it could be fixed so this doesn't happen). Then it was all lives matter, an excuse to diminish the problem as if police were shooting all manner of unarmed young men and boys when they obviously aren't.

Some of the shootings are heartbreaking, like Tamir and that poor man who had a gun off the shelf he was going to purchase in a Walmart. Some were disgusting like unarmed men shot in the back. Sorry, I get upset remembering what I watched in those videos.

Back to the problem. What racists and Cadet Bone Spurs are doing is making the issue about the flag and soldiers because that successfully buries the real issue in a flood of dishonest framing.

neandermagnon · Jul 19, 2018

frimble3 said:
I have, since reading through this thread, paid more attention to the beginnings of sporting events.
Why is the supposed 'disrespect' of black athletes politely kneeling in protest during the anthem a huge, big, deal? Spectators eating, drinking, talking on their little phones, and taking pictures with said little phones during the anthem can hardly be called 'respectful'?
How can anyone not call it racism?

I've been watching the crowds, and while some, of all races, stand respectfully at attention, hands on hearts, and more just sort of stand there, quietly; a lot seem to be thinking it's like a commercial break on TV - time to get things done - they don't show a view of the washrooms during the anthem, but I'll bet they're busy.

I might understand if the stands were full of still, respectful, people, staring intently at the flag. Then, athletes eating and carrying on, just like any other workday, might be offensive, but, given the current nature of the crowd, men kneeling silently to protest injustice in their country is the epitome of respect for the principles on which your country was founded.

I agree wholeheartedly. And furthermore, how is it that a country can be so gung-ho about freedom of speech then act like it's treason when a few athletes politely exercise their freedom of speech?

Or does America mean "freedom of speech" only literally? As in technically you can say what you want but if you do anything, however polite and respectfully, as any form of protest against the status quo you're vilified?

Or is it that freedom of speech is only for white people? Given how many white supremacists and other bigots whine "freedom of speech" every time they're called out for their bigotry, I'm inclined to think they really do think freedom of speech is just for them. Freedom of speech - the way I've always understood it for my whole entire life - is to protect the voices of those who are oppressed so that they can speak out about it without fear of reprisal or further oppression.

neandermagnon · Jul 19, 2018

MaeZe said:
The power of racist propaganda amplified by a racist leader.

This was never about the national anthem. It's a backlash against the Black Lives Matter movement, which sucks in itself given the protestors have an incredibly important cause behind the movement.

I agree.

More proof that USA doesn't have freedom of speech.

I've heard the UK be criticised by USA people for not having proper freedom of speech, because we have laws against hate speech. But people in the USA don't have the freedom of speech to even do a simple protest against racism, and how much freedom of speech you have depends on your skin colour. How the fuck can the USA claim to have any kind of freedom of speech?

If only white people have freedom of speech ***it bloody well doesn't count as freedom of speech***!

LoaderBot · Jul 20, 2018

It makes absolutely no sense for players to be protesting during the anthem anymore (not sure if it ever did, but that’s another discussion). It's not only counterproductive to the supposed cause but downright harmful to both the sport and black communities who as a result are further alienated.

Even if Colin Kaepernick intended to protest against police brutality, players have to recognize that the conversation has been hijacked. It's now a matter of the anthem, the flag, the military and so forth. Whether they like it or not, future protests will not further the discussion about police brutality. That ship has sailed and any player who does not recognize it is, frankly, dumb or remarkably uninformed.

The NFL is a TV-show, it’s entertainment. As such the costumer/fans indirectly decide. The NFL feels like their product is being damaged by the protests, which it is according to polls, as such they have every right to cater to their customers. Players have a right to protest, but freedom is a two way street. If their employer feels like it goes against a mandatory code of conduct, then I'm sorry. No protesting. Players are free to create their own league where they make their own rules if they want to.

I would argue that no industry has done so much for the black community as American football. Hip-hop, Hollywood etc. can’t hold a candle to the amounts of black millionaires created by the NFL. And that’s just money. James Harrison said as late as yesterday (on “speak for yourself”) that football basically saved him. It taught a troubled teenager from a rough neighborhood about hard work, accountability, the meaning of brotherhood etc. Why would players seek to damage that product? Right or wrong, they need to understand that every time they protest, the product is damaged as more and more people throw dirt at the NFL. Players are doing a disservice to not only themselves, but future players and their communities as well.

Players need to stand for the anthem for five minutes, sixteen times a year. Every free moment can be spent utilizing their considerably resources, by virtue of the NFL, for the furthering of specific causes. A gesture during an anthem does nothing. A meeting at their local city hall might bring actual change. Police brutality is a serious problem and should be addressed, but this is not the right way as made evident.

TLDR; Players need to recognize that the discussion has been hijacked to be about patriotism rather than police brutality. Further protest will only hurt the product that has made them, and countless other disadvantaged young males, millionaires and, more often than not, men with admirable characters.

Ari Meermans · Jul 20, 2018

LoaderBot said:
It makes absolutely no sense for players to be protesting during the anthem anymore (not sure if it ever did, but that’s another discussion). It's not only counterproductive to the supposed cause but downright harmful to both the sport and black communities who as a result are further alienated.

Even if Colin Kaepernick intended to protest against police brutality, players have to recognize that the conversation has been hijacked. It's now a matter of the anthem, the flag, the military and so forth. Whether they like it or not, future protests will not further the discussion about police brutality. That ship has sailed and any player who does not recognize it is, frankly, dumb or remarkably uninformed.

The NFL is a TV-show, it’s entertainment. As such the costumer/fans indirectly decide. The NFL feels like their product is being damaged by the protests, which it is according to polls, as such they have every right to cater to their customers. Players have a right to protest, but freedom is a two way street. If their employer feels like it goes against a mandatory code of conduct, then I'm sorry. No protesting. Players are free to create their own league where they make their own rules if they want to.

I would argue that no industry has done so much for the black community as American football. Hip-hop, Hollywood etc. can’t hold a candle to the amounts of black millionaires created by the NFL. And that’s just money. James Harrison said as late as yesterday (on “speak for yourself”) that football basically saved him. It taught a troubled teenager from a rough neighborhood about hard work, accountability, the meaning of brotherhood etc. Why would players seek to damage that product? Right or wrong, they need to understand that every time they protest, the product is damaged as more and more people throw dirt at the NFL. Players are doing a disservice to not only themselves, but future players and their communities as well.

Players need to stand for the anthem for five minutes, sixteen times a year. Every free moment can be spent utilizing their considerably resources, by virtue of the NFL, for the furthering of specific causes. A gesture during an anthem does nothing. A meeting at their local city hall might bring actual change. Police brutality is a serious problem and should be addressed, but this is not the right way as made evident.

TLDR; Players need to recognize that the discussion has been hijacked to be about patriotism rather than police brutality. Further protest will only hurt the product that has made them, and countless other disadvantaged young males, millionaires and, more often than not, men with admirable characters.

And I would argue that a sporting event is an inappropriate venue for playing the national anthem, but that too is a personal opinion.

The fact remains that when we start restricting where and when the exercise of First Amendment rights is permitted we've effectively lost those rights.

Lyv · Jul 20, 2018

LoaderBot said:
TLDR; Players need to recognize that the discussion has been hijacked to be about patriotism rather than police brutality. Further protest will only hurt the product that has made them, and countless other disadvantaged young males, millionaires and, more often than not, men with admirable characters.

Football made them men with admirable characters? Like, all these players are "disadvantaged young males" who otherwise wouldn't be "men with admirable characters" and they just should be grateful and do what their white owners want them to do when they want them to do it, and since bigots tried to reframe their protests, they should just move on, even as unarmed black men, women, and children are still being gunned down in the street and having the police wielded like a weapon against them for walking, swimming, couponing, and anything else white people like me can do without fear (or even concern)?

Yeah, I'll keep taking a knee in support any time I am where the pledge is recited or anthem played. My white privilege, which I would like to end, means I don't have to worry about anyone criticizing me or calling the police or crediting some job I held with molding my character.

Also, what Ari Meermans said.

Colin Kaepernick Sits Through National Anthem Last Night

The Scavengers

The Scavengers

No Gods No Masters

The Scavengers

I meant to do that.

Sophipygian

I meant to do that.

The Scavengers

All about that action, boss.

In the garden...

All about that action, boss.

All about that action, boss.

Heckuva good sport

Heckuva good sport

Nolite timere, consilium callidum habeo!

Nolite timere, consilium callidum habeo!

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter

I meant to do that.