Again....opinion not fact. I stated my opinion and made it clear it is my opinion. To ME, the flag and anthem mean something. I still have the flag from my dad's casket

No one is saying they have to be quiet or not protest! They need to do it on their own time! When they get to the stadium, it is on the job. They have enough celebrity status to protest on their own time.

what else should they not be able to do while the anthem plays? When and where should they 'protest'? Keeping in mind a protest doesnt work much unless people in the public WITNESS it.

forced displays of patriotism are a terrible idea that , IMHO, ironically, make the whole display meaningless and pointless

Wacky much?

It shouldn't be about forcing patriotism since it isn't about the anthem.

They are using the anthem to get more publicity and hiding behind the argument of forced patriotism when the protest has nothing to do with that. They are on the job. Anyone else would be fired for protesting while in the job

The protest has nothing to do with the anthem, flag or forcing patriotism. Those kneelers are using the anthem

They have enough celebrity status outside of the arena to make headlines. Regular people protest all the time. They are using the anthem then hide behind it....nothing more

yes, forcing patriotism by ones own standards is as wacky as forcing religion by ones own beliefs.

I respectfully disagree.

They are using the FLAG,a and the anthem, because the whole display is SUPPOSED to be about AMerica, those standing are only interested in the 'good side' of that AMerica,

where else in AMerica will there be such a LARGE PUBLIC Audience to bring attention to? And we know that is a huge consideration in even having the display in the first place. To impress upon the largest audience a certain loyalty/belief/philsophy regarding America.

those kneeling are drawing attention to the parts of America that need to be corrected/improved.

If either truly believe in the GOOD of America, they would BOTH respect each others choice to participate or not.

I know you disagree My opinion is my opinion.

It has nothing to do with the anthem, flag or game so they shouldn't use it. They are opportunists and hiding behind it while making many fans and sponsors angry

They have more celebrity status to protest on their own time than the average person. Some how the average person is able to protest on their own time.


Personally, I think they need to not show the anthem or not show those players. Bet they manage to protest another way if they don't get camera time

and we see how much the 'average person' makes a change or brings about public discourse .... protesting on their 'own time'

Good on them IMHO for using the national stage they have the privilege of using for something other than just 'their job'

visibility is key to conditioning people towards 'patriotism' as it is the key to most public change that occurs throughout history.

Exactly. They are using. But they picked a time they get paid for and using the anthem.

It is "their job". They are at their workplace, in uniform and getting paid

Exactly what are they protesting?

On Kaepernicks part:
execution of unarmed citizens by police officers who are not brought to justice

emphasis on the part where people are not BROUGHT TO JUSTICE for ending a life, a living breathing human American life....

On the part of Many since:
In reaction to the POTUS threats and attacks upon them.

"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 said. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

A week later, prior to the 49ers' final preseason game and with the entire country watching closely, Kaepernick protested the anthem again, but this one had two key differences: 1) teammate Eric Reid joined Kaepernick; and 2) the pair kneeled instead of sitting.
The latter move was a change that was inspired by a pre-game conversation Kaepernick had with Nate Boyer, a former green beret who was trying to hook on with an NFL team as a long snapper. The feeling was that by taking a knee, instead of sitting, Kaepernick could make a statement while still participating in the anthem, rather than disrespectfully ignoring it.

Boyer explained the move to Bryant Gumble during an episode of HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumble."

"We sorta came to a middle ground where he would take a knee alongside his teammates," Boyer said (via CBS Sports). "Soldiers take a knee in front of a fallen brother's grave, you know, to show respect. When we're on a patrol, you know, and we go into a security halt, we take a knee, and we pull security."

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-nfl-players-protest-anthem-colin-kaepernick-2017-9

At one time disrespect of flag and USA could, and did, bring execution. Maybe we just need to turn clocks back a hair... weed some of the degenerates out.

Love it, or leave it.

Ridiculous and wacky!

participating in a tradition or custom is as much proof of 'loving' America as attending church is of 'loving' God


different people have different reasons for participating, or not...

just like the church is the people who attend it, America is the people who live in it. People can care about PEOPLE without idolizing the things or buildings that 'symbolize' them


if we should engage in barbarism because we feel 'offense' at someone holding different beliefs than we do, perhaps we should return to the barbaric use of an eye for an eye and execute ANYONE, in badge or not, who takes a life as well?

,,,didnt think so.

And that's the problem with this country.

No. The problems are intolerance, greed, violence, and ego, idol worship, and lack of love for fellow man

Welcome to the real world.

love it or leave it...

if you don't like the constitutional rights afforded to
all citizens of the U.S. concerning freedom of speech,
freedom of assembly, freedom to redress the government
with grievances and the right to protest..i suggest you
read the constitution and also read the supreme court rulings
upholding burning of the flag, who so ruled it to be legal
not once but twice, with even purist Scalia siding with the
majority...

a discussion on the right time and place for it is always
welcomed and appreciated...but to suggest that degenerates
need to leave the country of their citizenship because they
refuse to honor the flag in some specific manner that you
deem acceptable is the height of ignorance..

we the people are NOT going to be moving backwards in time to
some other era...we learn from our history and move forward
hopefully trying not to repeat mistakes of the past...

we are a nation governed by rule of law....and if you don't
like that, then you are welcome to leave...


sidenote...i wonder how many patriots know that carrying and
displaying the flag in a horizontal fashion is considered to
be a disrespectful act....and also allowing it to touch the ground, of which both, i have seen happen multiple times while watching NFL presentations of patriotism..

I see football players similar to actors or movie stars, too.

Personally, I see football games as a big show from start to finish.
Football uniforms no different than an actor being in costume.

IMO costumed football players at a game not standing during the anthem, or attempting to make a political statement during the anthem, is little different than an actor deciding not to follow the script in order to make their own personal statement.

Personally, I would have no problem with the director, or screen actors guild, or directors guild, or whatever, putting in rules saying "if you as an actor decide to perform a political statement that changes the script, detracts from the final production product, you will be billed for all materials used, or fired."

I have no problem if an actor, deciding to "take a knee" during a scene, being fired for ultimately not completing the movie/show.

I would have no problem if a director completely edited out a scene where the actor decided to "take a knee."

Personally, it would ruin a lot of war and military movies for me if the celebrity star decided to "take a knee" during some scene where they're dressed in a navy uniform, there's a flag waving in front of a sunset or whatever, the national anthem or taps playing in the background.

I would in no way see it as a violation of an actors first amendment rights if a movie director chose not to show an actors personal statement in their final product, or cut that from the show/movie.

Football games just happen to be a live show rather than prerecorded, so their chosen behavior can't really be edited out.
At best just not shown to the people watching on t.v.

I have no problem with "go sit on the bench rather than call attention to yourself, screw up the script, and detract from the show," rules.



And if it's true that celebrities are "on the job" 24/7, being watched, reported on, then it seems kinda indefensible that they decide to "take a knee" for a couple of minutes during the 2-3 hours their "show" is being made, rather than doing something (possibly even more meaningful) during the other 147-154 hours of their 24/7 life.