Pretty sure "the troops" in WW2 fought to "protect our rights". Don't these rights include not having your life snuffed out by some sack of ****, fascist cop?

So clearly the only "disrespect to the troops" happening around here is by the rightwing scumbags propping up this fascist police state.

This is obvious to anyone with three braincells to rub together, and makes the fact that we've lost the PR battle all the more alarming. http://https://www.google.com/amp/s/...amp/ncna904891

So much for that "liberal media". Isn't the job of the media to inform the public in a historical context? But why do that when you can just parrot some scumbags talking point that a majority of low- information halfwits will snap agree with because it appeals to their stupid emotions.

Will this be moved to the Trump thread?

Some people view the flag as almost a religious symbol.

You can be against kneeling and police brutality at the same time.

So you are arguing that we should be looking to the 1930s-1940s for examples how to socially organize in a manner The Greatest Generation would approve of?

Those people are the emotional halftwits cited in the OP.

How about I am against kneeling for the national anthem on a personal level but respect the right you have to do it and will respect you if you choose to do it or not to

That's, just like, your opinion, man.

But, that is like saying the cross should not mean anything. Or a picture of the troops raising the flag on iwo jima should mean nothing.

Symbols create emotional reactions. I think everyone knows the wall is stupid, but it is a physical symbol that we are tough on immigration. It is equally visceral to left and right.

Yup. And as a consumer you have the right not to watch the games if it bothers you so much.

Pretty clear, all players will now be allowed to kneel for the national anthem without threat of fines or suspensions starting this season.

The problem is that any symbol that holistically represents America can be used for both good and bad connotations. You're never going to find something that everyone can agree on symbolically represents America, and is universally to protest.

yes, because it creates a visceral reaction. Kapernick did it to get max attention because he knew it would piss people off.

I suppose if a protest doesn't piss people off and create visceral reaction then it isn't a good protest.

But, to try to shame the people it pissed off misses the point of both sides.

"The people it pisses off" are the ones who are actually "disrespecting the troops". Kap is the the true patriot who is protesting what "the troops" actually fought against.

this is actually a very important point! To quote an oft-quoted passage:

The whole kneeling during the anthem was just a very poorly thought out idea. Forget about all the idealogy and focus on the pragmatic - people see it as time to respect and be grateful for the country. That's how it evolved, that's what it is. So when someone does the opposite, it's taken as the opposite of respect.

businessdude and vafoongol both make reasonable points. It's a visceral argument, by design.

Calling people morons or emotional halfwits that disagree are missing the whole point.

At this point I think we have come full circle and saying you wouldn't ever kneel to the flag or "All Lives Matter" is in fact protesting against the moral majority.

And low and behold, we should find it no surprise at all that progressives by and large are virulently opposed to protest of their ideology and feel all heretics must be crucified and made an example of.

Yes. The kneeling will be highlighted week 1 of the NFL season. A lot of people will feel good about it. Some people will tune out.

BY week 4, people will still be doing it, but it won't even be covered by the networks. Max, 15 seconds prior to kickoff.

Can't wait for the newly Other progressives to discover the more pagan tortures like the blood eagle, crucifixion is so gauche.

What's your opinion of the military?

if a military person (current or past) says it's disrespecting the flag, i have massive respect for that opinion.

old blood-n-guts (heel spurs) fake tan moron. not so much.

That's pretty clear: anti-kneelers are the ones who hate and disrespect the troops - not us.

i don't think uneducated whites have any clue that trump is their worst nightmare.

as of a year ago, most people i know rolled their eyes at "white male privilege". now it seems turning into an accepted term

white uneducated people, wake up....... biden is your savior, trump is not. reset with a sane republican in 2024. biden will be back to stuff that works for most of the population

LOL. Simply not true. Both sides have a point of view, which is why Kapernick got the most bang for the buck. Trying to silence the other sides opinion is counteproductive to dialogue that will bring us closer together. Simply saying, You are stupid, I am smart, ends in no resolution.

i do think the nfl players should do it once a season, not every game... i think it'd be better for everyone (including the players) that way

They will do it every week because it shows solidarity with the African American community and there will be no reprucussions.

It will be the thing to do, and by Week 5, no one will care anymore, and the protest will have lost all its meaning.

i agree 100%

i'd add:

the united states had 100 years of slavery under the flag, women couldn't vote nationally under the flag for 140 years.

black troops were good enough to fight for the USA in major wars and then came back to hatred/bigotry and institutionalized segregation and lack of voting rights. all under the flag

Smudger, the ironic thing is trump is almost single-handedly keeping all this alive. and will keep it alive in the nfl.

if someone else was president, they would have made all kinds of platitudes to quell the protests and then go back to "business mostly as usual"..... not with trump though