Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself.
-- Earl Nightingale [If you do nothing else with this post, listen to Earl]
To my mind, a patriot, a genuine one, is a person who looks objectively at his/her country, sees the the reprobate and righteous, and in turn praises the good and denounces and moves to alter the bad.
Colin is clearly not trying to forsake his citizenship; thus he must necessarily see more good than bad about the U.S. He's doing what people of integrity do: bringing to bear the resources at their disposal to try to effect corrections of that which they see as errant.
"Everyday citizens" (people who hold neither formal nor overwhelming economic power) like Kaepernick do not deserve scorn and ridicule for doing exactly that. One need not agree with them or him; however, they and he deserve our respect for...
(a) unlike so many people -- especially some members here [1] -- who think of political discourse and conversation as entertainment,Colin Kaepernick is not anonymously sitting before a computer screen typing vulgarities and personal slights at every person and idea that offends him or that doesn't align with the partisan rhetoric he heard on his favorite propaganda show. The man is expressing himself peacefully and quietly.
(b) unlike so many who rail about all they think needs correcting yet won't get off their asses and join in discussions among individuals and organizations whereby one can actually be part of effecting positive change [2],
The U.S. has a long tradition of patriots who in their day "stood and were counted," people who openly spoke up about what they felt was wrong with their country and acted to see the ill(s) ended. Just a very few examples and individuals are noted below.
When I consider Colin Kaepernick's actions at a football game, I'm reminded of the "sit in" movement. That man's protest is nothing other than kneeling quietly and waiting for the game to start. Silence is a powerful thing.
- 1668 Quaker Petition against slavery -- Garret Hendricks, Derick de Graeff, Francis Daniel Pastorius and Abraham up Den Graeff
- Boston Tea Party -- Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty
- American Revolution - [you had better know enough of the names that I don't need to list any]
- Civil Rights Movement
- 1919 Chicago Riots -- 1500+ individuals who lost their lives and/or homes
- 1939 Lincoln Memorial Concert -- Marian Anderson, Charlie Russel and Eleanor Roosevelt,
- Montgomery Bus Boycott -- Rosa Parks and thousands of others who daily gave up hours of their lives due to unrecoverable time lost by having to find alternate means of transportation.
- 1963 March on Washington -- Martin L. King, Jr.
- 1965 Selma March -- MLK, Jr., Rep. John Lewis, J.L. Chestnut, Stokely Carmichael, Fay Powell, Hosea Williams, and many others.
- Sit Ins -- I think the Woolworth's Lunch Counter one may be the most famous, but I have no idea of the names of the people who participated in them. I don't know that the things even were formally organized rather than being an organic development.
- Women's Suffrage and Equal Rights Movement
- Seneca Falls Convention -- Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
- 1968 Miss America Protest ("bra burning" -- the protest was real; the bra burning was not) -- Robin Morgan and some several hundred other women
- Vietnam Antiwar Movement
- Anti Globalization/Anti-WTO-IMF Movement
- Labor Movement
- 1939 GM Tool and Die Workers Strike -- Walter Reuther
- Occupy Wall Street Movement
Note:
- If one feels the need, one can scan for posts in the following threads to find an assortment of direct and indirect examples:
- Some examples include but are not limited to organizations noted in the following posts:
-- Policy debate and discussion
-- You're here...You should consider going there and sharing your ideas where it matters...
Aside:
For as much invective and vitriol as is seen on USMB about freedom of expression, one'd think that not one soul here would countenance any sort of recriminations against Colin Kaepernick.
Blacks are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by cops than whites.No one condones the deliberate murder of blacks by racist cops. The problem is that even when a black suspect with a weapon or is threatening the life of law enforcement by resisting arrest or going for the officer's weapon and dies as a result, without reason or fact, the officer deliberately killed a black person due to racism according to Many on that side of the protest.
The size and mass of your protest relative to the frequency of actual racist cops deliberately killing black men without cause is way out of proportion.
Why is holding cops accountable for illegal actions so outrageous?
You asked if it was possible. The answer is no. What is there to expand on?No reasoning skills? No critical thinking? No response? Just, no?No.It's a possibility isn't it?Whitey gets away with? You really are an idiot. So white people are out there committing the same amount of crimes but they just aren't charged.No, they are charged at a higher rate. Since we don't keep stats for how many crimes whitey gets away with, you cannot prove your last statement.They commit crimes at a higher rate as well.
Advanced math.
Their neighborhoods aren't as heavily policed
They are less likely to be stopped by cops
They arent followed around when they enter the mall
If charged they are more likely to have the resources to buy their way out
I think it is easier for whites to get away with crimes
You should also hold off on the insults you are portraying your self as the idiot.
Well.... urm... good talk pale. I'll check in in a few months and see if you have expanded your vocabulary at all.
Was Rosa Parks protesting Greyhound?They are protesting the flag, which represents the United States. In which our great troops defend daily. In which those dumbass athletes are disrespecting. So should white athletes disrespect the flag protesting against racist black cops? In your theory, all white people should've keeled during the anthem for eight years, because we had a racist black president.
It pretty much is.Saying America embraces racism, is being a traitor to this country.I'll stand proudly.. You can be a traitorous piece of shit if you choose to do so.
The country doesn't run like the navy, and for very good reason.What happens when a black woman wants to spread her protest to the military?
Fact Check: Did Navy oust black sailor who didn’t salute the flag?
Immediate justice.
Prove that or stop lying.No. The point is BLM as an organization does not promote such things. If someone who is a BLM supporter also supports those things it doesn't reflect the organization as a whole.Site BLM, the organization not a lone nut, advocating for anything of the sort.Blacks are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by cops than whites.
Why is holding cops accountable for illegal actions so outrageous?
Site the cases and review where the action was processed and deemed to be illegal? BLM and Antifa have a shared belief that even if a subjective interpretation of an action is racist, fascist, or illegal, they then have the right to commit violence en masse and be protected by The Constiution for it.
Thank you for siting another tactic. When the violence gets out of hand or there is a backlash from the public, all of the sudden, the violence was "a lone nut". Agitation, root cause.
If a kkk member saved a black kid one day would we say the whole organization is redeemed?
black lies matter is a racist, violent organization.....it supports marxism, the belief system that murdered close to 100 million innocent men, women and children, and it was created over lies...
Usually repubs love those. Guess they have to be white and spoiledKapernick is nothing more than a spoiled child
If Kaepernick and other pro athletes want to take a knee during the national anthem as a form of protest that is their right those who find this to be disrespectful act also have the right to criticize them. If they want to bring politics into the forefront of sports they better understand not everyone will agree with them and be ready for the blowback that will come from it.
No matter the platform, blacks sticking up for blacks receive blow back in America. They were ready for it.If Kaepernick and other pro athletes want to take a knee during the national anthem as a form of protest that is their right those who find this to be disrespectful act also have the right to criticize them. If they want to bring politics into the forefront of sports they better understand not everyone will agree with them and be ready for the blowback that will come from it.
No matter the platform, blacks sticking up for blacks receive blow back in America. They were ready for it.If Kaepernick and other pro athletes want to take a knee during the national anthem as a form of protest that is their right those who find this to be disrespectful act also have the right to criticize them. If they want to bring politics into the forefront of sports they better understand not everyone will agree with them and be ready for the blowback that will come from it.
But he is half white like your hero ObamaUsually repubs love those. Guess they have to be white and spoiledKapernick is nothing more than a spoiled child
Blacks are charged at a higher rate, is the only thing youd be able to prove. That does not prove that they committ crimes more often, just that they are punished more often.That's because whites have a larger population. In relation to population size, blacks are killed at a higher rate.What's that based on?Kaepernick and those that support him don't care about the white ones. It doesn't fit their narrative.
More whites are killed by police each year than blacks. Interesting that he only kneels to protest the blacks being killed.
Math.
In relation to population size, blacks are criminals at a higher rate.
Math.
The owners can do that the NFL can put a rule in saying kneeling during the anthem is not allowed somehow I doubt they will the ones who can have the biggest impact are the fans if they stop watching and going to the games and people's bank accounts start taking a hit I suspect you would see a change in attitude pretty quick.If Kaepernick and other pro athletes want to take a knee during the national anthem as a form of protest that is their right those who find this to be disrespectful act also have the right to criticize them. If they want to bring politics into the forefront of sports they better understand not everyone will agree with them and be ready for the blowback that will come from it.
The NFL owners...can order them to not do it......this is not a 1st Amendment issue since it is on the job. The NFL needs to learn a lesson, people need to completely tune out of the games until the NFL stops this insulting of their audience...
Totally different.Was Rosa Parks protesting Greyhound?They are protesting the flag, which represents the United States. In which our great troops defend daily. In which those dumbass athletes are disrespecting. So should white athletes disrespect the flag protesting against racist black cops? In your theory, all white people should've keeled during the anthem for eight years, because we had a racist black president.
