Colin Kaepernick answers his critics

[aujeff11 6,243]

 

[AURaptor 1,125]

It is offensive.  Disrespecting the National Anthem does nothing to deal w/ the issue. 

( Much like calling for a boycott of WHITE businesses in a town after a black cop shoots a black man with a gun who doesn't follow officer directions. ) 

 

[Grumps 3,704]

8 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

 

It is possible for two things to be offensive at the same time. Has ANYONE said that dead unarmed black men is NOT offensive? It is a cute cartoon, though.

[AURaptor 1,125]

51 minutes ago, Grumps said:

It is possible for two things to be offensive at the same time. Has ANYONE said that dead unarmed black men is NOT offensive? It is a cute cartoon, though.

The Left reside in the realm of false dichotomies,  year round.  

[aujeff11 6,243]

55 minutes ago, Grumps said:

It is possible for two things to be offensive at the same time. Has ANYONE said that dead unarmed black men is NOT offensive? It is a cute cartoon, though.

I've heard more bitching about the protest than the black peoples dieing from police brutality, you know... the point of the whole protest. The irony.

[cole256 17,084]

18 hours ago, Grumps said:

It is possible for two things to be offensive at the same time. Has ANYONE said that dead unarmed black men is NOT offensive? It is a cute cartoon, though.

 

Have you seen ANYBODY one person that constantly argues anything black regarding race issues say it is offensive?

[homersapien 11,393]

19 hours ago, Grumps said:

It is possible for two things to be offensive at the same time. Has ANYONE said that dead unarmed black men is NOT offensive? It is a cute cartoon, though.

I think you are missing the point.

[Grumps 3,704]

Maybe I am really naïve, but I think it is understood that EVERYONE finds any unnecessary death to be offensive, especially when the victim is young.

[icanthearyou 4,463]

18 hours ago, Grumps said:

Maybe I am really naïve, but I think it is understood that EVERYONE finds any unnecessary death to be offensive, especially when the victim is young.

Then why would someone choose to make their focus the demonization of CK.  It seems to epitomize hypocrisy to acknowledge, and marginalize, simultaneously.

[TheBlueVue 177]

3 hours ago, icanthearyou said:

Then why would someone choose to make their focus the demonization of CK.  It seems to epitomize hypocrisy to acknowledge, and marginalize, simultaneously.

I like Jerry Jones' approach. Bottom line, the NFL is an entertainment business model with customers that, the vast majority of which, are patriotic Americans. CK has the right to do whatever he wishes, thats a given regardless what anyone believes about the effectiveness of his approach. The team owners also have the right to set their policies like Jerry Jones did who, told the members of his team, that as long as HE was signing their checks they'd stand at attention during the anthem. its about not alienating your customers. Its no surprise that TV ratings are down significantly this year. They keep this ish up and they'll be playing to empty houses with very few watching on TV. Then we'll see how those "disenfranchised players" feel them about losing their million dollar pay checks.

[aujeff11 6,243]

25 minutes ago, TheBlueVue said:

I like Jerry Jones' approach. Bottom line, the NFL is an entertainment business model with customers that, the vast majority of which, are patriotic Americans. CK has the right to do whatever he wishes, thats a given regardless what anyone believes about the effectiveness of his approach. The team owners also have the right to set their policies like Jerry Jones did who, told the members of his team, that as long as HE was signing their checks they'd stand at attention during the anthem. its about not alienating your customers. Its no surprise that TV ratings are down significantly this year. They keep this ish up and they'll be playing to empty houses with very few watching on TV. Then we'll see how those "disenfranchised players" feel them about losing their million dollar pay checks.

Not Likely. You're assuming all fans are as bigoted as you. They're not. Kaepernick received negative feedback in the beginning, but since then, he's received more praise. Jerry Jones has the right to do as he pleases as well. 

[icanthearyou 4,463]

32 minutes ago, TheBlueVue said:

I like Jerry Jones' approach. Bottom line, the NFL is an entertainment business model with customers that, the vast majority of which, are patriotic Americans. CK has the right to do whatever he wishes, thats a given regardless what anyone believes about the effectiveness of his approach. The team owners also have the right to set their policies like Jerry Jones did who, told the members of his team, that as long as HE was signing their checks they'd stand at attention during the anthem. its about not alienating your customers. Its no surprise that TV ratings are down significantly this year. They keep this ish up and they'll be playing to empty houses with very few watching on TV. Then we'll see how those "disenfranchised players" feel them about losing their million dollar pay checks.

Yeah, the NFL owners are really a patriotic bunch.  Do you have any idea what they charge the government for the so-called military appreciation tributes?

Your right about one thing though, it is all about money.

[aujeff11 6,243]

11 Browns players knelt during the National Anthem today including Ricardo Louis. Others stood by, in support, with their hands on the shoulderpads of players that knelt and that group included Shon Coleman. 

Couple take aways:

1. This issue hasn't died yet. 

2. The Browns are still mathematically eliminated from the playoffs even at 0-0.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20409319/eleven-cleveland-browns-players-take-knee-circle-national-anthem-monday-preseason-game

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Folks need to get over this.  The entire point of protest is to make you think, to provoke thought and to highlight a problem.  It's supposed to shake people out of complacency.  Instead of folks getting worked up over who's kneeling and whatnot, they need to be looking at why they are kneeling.  What problem are they trying to get your attention about?  It's not like these guys are joking and clowning around during the anthem, shouting slogans, making offensive hand gestures or holding up signs.  It's a simply, unobtrusive gesture to express their feeling that America is failing to live up to its ideals and the things that people have fought and died for.  Whether you agree with that view is immaterial, it's that it's a legitimate and respectful way to mark one's feelings on the state of things.

Hell, we have people who are perfectly ok with folks parading around with the flag of a treasonous nation whose primary cause was maintaining the "states' right" of slavery, but guys can't quietly take a knee off to the side of a crowded sideline to express their dismay at the state of racial matters in America?

[DKW 86 7,431]

NFL viewership was down 9% last year. I suspect it will be down even more this year. People go to the NFL, a bunch of extremely lucky grown men getting to play a kids game and make $Ms of bucks doing it, to get away from life. They do not go there toll get an in-yo-face lecture by these overpaid players. Do the players kneel for Dog Abuse? NO. Do the players kneel for Domestic Abuse? NO. Do they kneel for Drug Abuse? NO. Do they kneel for bad education in black neighborhoods? NO. Do they kneel for the 63 Shot in Chicago last weekend, almost all black men? NO. They really arent activists. They are just showmen. NO ONE would criticize them off the field doing this, NO ONE. Doing it on the field has been another net negative for the NFL and will continue to be so.

Do this off the field. Do it greatly off the field. All you are doing now is pissing the fan base off. If you are looking for a perfect government, nation, etc...Well, good luck with that. I support the idea 100%. The methodology is all wrong and has been shown to be so. The fans reaction to CK proves that. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

8 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

Folks need to get over this.  The entire point of protest is to make you think, to provoke thought and to highlight a problem.  It's supposed to shake people out of complacency.  Instead of folks getting worked up over who's kneeling and whatnot, they need to be looking at why they are kneeling.  What problem are they trying to get your attention about?  It's not like these guys are joking and clowning around during the anthem, shouting slogans, making offensive hand gestures or holding up signs.  It's a simply, unobtrusive gesture to express their feeling that America is failing to live up to its ideals and the things that people have fought and died for.  Whether you agree with that view is immaterial, it's that it's a legitimate and respectful way to mark one's feelings on the state of things.

Hell, we have people who are perfectly ok with folks parading around with the flag of a treasonous nation whose primary cause was maintaining the "states' right" of slavery, but guys can't quietly take a knee off to the side of a crowded sideline to express their dismay at the state of racial matters in America?

Agreed. I've defended Kaepernick's right to take a stand since the beginning. Check the OP. He needed to narrow down the message a bit though. 

-Even though my original takeaways were meant to include some humor, I forgot to add that the first white player knelt during the anthem yesterday as well.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

1 hour ago, DKW 86 said:

NFL viewership was down 9% last year. I suspect it will be down even more this year. People go to the NFL, a bunch of extremely lucky grown men getting to play a kids game ad make $Ms of bucks doing it, to get away from life. They do not go there toll get an in-yo-face lecture by these overpaid players.

Kneeling on the sideline isn't a lecture, nor in your face.

 

1 hour ago, DKW 86 said:

Do the players kneel for Dog Abuse? NO. Do the players kneel for Domestic Abuse? NO. Do they kneel for Drug Abuse? O. Do they kneel for bad education in black neighborhoods? NO. Do they kneel for the 63 Shot in Chicago last weekend, almost all black men? NO. They really arent activists.

This is a bogus argument - that unless you get personally involved in ALL injustices, your actions or statements about a particular injustice is somehow invalid.  You can call attention to a specific problem without taking on the entire universe of possible problems.  If I focus on racial reconciliation but don't spend an equal amount of time on reconciliation between the straight and LBGT communities, that doesn't mean my motives for racial reconciliation are somehow to be called into question.  If I express my pro-life beliefs primarily in fixing our adoption processes, that doesn't mean my views on abortion are not genuine if I don't spend an equal amount of time lobbying for Roe V. Wade to be overturned.

 

1 hour ago, DKW 86 said:

They are just showmen. NO ONE would criticize them off the field doing this, NO ONE. Doing it on the field has been another net negative for the NFL and will continue to be so.

The entire point of protest is that it's not something that happens where no one notices.  MLK and other non-violent civil rights leaders didn't organize sit-ins on the steps of black churches or march through black neighborhoods.  No, they walked into lunch counters and other places of business that refused to serve blacks or segregated them into a back room and planted their butts right on the seats white customers were there to use - right in the middle of a business day.  They marched right up to the capital steps, right down the heart of the white business district on Dexter.  

Again, you don't have to agree with their views, but to say that the simple act of kneeling on a sideline like this is somehow a form of protest that's out of bounds is to ignore history and to completely miss the point of what a protest is for.

 

1 hour ago, DKW 86 said:

Do this off the field. Do it greatly off the field. All you are doing now is pissing the fan base off. If you are looking for a perfect government, nation, etc...Well, good luck with that. I support the idea 100%. The methodology is all wrong and has been shown to be so. The fans reaction to CK proves that. 

Yeah, it's pissing off the fanbase because they're being unreasonable and obstinant.

[AUDub 11,158]

Kaep's getting black balled, I believe.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Just now, Bigbens42 said:

Kaep's getting black balled, I believe.

That's part of it.  Part of it too is that the contract a team would have to pick up to sign him is substantially more than other QBs on the market.  And CK hasn't shown that he's starter material his last few opportunities, so he'd be a pricey backup.  

 

[PUB78 1,358]

2 hours ago, Bigbens42 said:

Kaep's getting black balled, I believe.

As he should be. Swore off the NBA last year and the NFL, except for Carolina.

[AUDub 11,158]

4 minutes ago, PUB78 said:

As he should be. Swore off the NBA last year and the NFL, except for Carolina.

Meh. I don't really care. Owners are well within their rights to do it. Just find it laughable that guys like Joe Mixon can find a job after what he did versus Kaep protesting during the anthem. Apparently it's the more egregious crime

[alexava 6,973]

I was a little critical of this guy at first. For obvious reasons, like mentioned above viewership down and now he can't find a team. So he's hurting his his company and his ability to make a living. But after the BS in Virginia, peacefully taking a knee for a couple minutes a week don't sound too bad.  It might be all our faults for constantly railing on it. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

The hypocrisy of the NFL leads back to their POS commissioner. The scumbag fined Deangelo Williams for raising awareness to breast cancer after Deangelos mom died of breast cancer. Why? Because the NFL couldn't make money off of it. 

[ArgoEagle 1,790]

Two viable solutions to this problem:

1. The NFL makes a decree that any player who is offended by the playing of our National Anthem will remain in the locker room til after the playing of the Anthem is completed. Then they may come out and play football (which is why all the fans there paid good money to be there anyway.)

2. If any player (s) choose to come out onto the field and kneel during the playing of the Anthem, they will immediately be exported to the Canadian Football League, where they can stand for the playing of O Canada!

Either way the ones of us who are fed up with the grandstanding will not be subjected to this foolishness any longer.

[homersapien 11,393]

14 minutes ago, ArgoEagle said:

Two viable solutions to this problem:

1. The NFL makes a decree that any player who is offended by the playing of our National Anthem will remain in the locker room til after the playing of the Anthem is completed. Then they may come out and play football (which is why all the fans there paid good money to be there anyway.)

2. If any player (s) choose to come out onto the field and kneel during the playing of the Anthem, they will immediately be exported to the Canadian Football League, where they can stand for the playing of O Canada!

Either way the ones of us who are fed up with the grandstanding will not be subjected to this foolishness any longer.

Canada doesn't play their national anthem before sporting events.

There is really no reason for us to do so either.