Thoughts on Kaepernick & the national anthem

[Leon]

I voted number 1. I think he is pathetic. He should be protesting the parents of the blacks who haven't obeyed police officers, were criminals and got killed because of their own actions. That is what he should be protesting.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Given LT's track record with the law, I would much prefer Kaepernick.

This from an article (two days ago) on LT's latest brush with the law, a drunk driving arrest.

It’s hardly Taylor’s first mugshot. He fell asleep at the wheel on the Garden State Parkway in 1989, failing a breathalyzer test but beating the resulting DUI charges two months later.

Subsequent arrests were for misdemeanor property damage in Honolulu, trying to buy crack cocaine in Florida and South Carolina, falsifying his 1990 income tax returns and failing to pay child support. In 2009 he was arrested for patronizing a 16-year-old prostitute in a Ramapo, New York hotel, ultimately receiving a no-jail sentence after insisting he had no idea of her age. “I don’t card prostitutes,” he later said.

[Peter_Spaeth]

The President has weighed in.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016...community.html

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

The President has weighed in.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016...community.html

There definitely is a division among military, at least. Some veterans support him, others don't.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

The President has weighed in.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016...community.html

The president has been so off base on soooooo many topics recently, that I think no one really gives two hoots what he thinks anymore.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

The president has been so off base on soooooo many topics recently, that I think no one really gives two hoots what he thinks anymore.

Lets try to keep this as "apolitical" as possible, please. I fully understand the political system but if we give our own views it's not quite as political ....at least to me.

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

The president has been so off base on soooooo many topics recently, that I think no one really gives two hoots what he thinks anymore.

Agree a million % and i wont get started on our fearless leader

[EvilKing00]

Just from my point of view:

I as well as many people i know are business owners i hire anyone who will make me money. White, black, yellow or blue. I could care less. Only color that matters to most if not all business people is green.

More people need to understand this.

[Jantz]

The point that most people are missing is the fact that Kaepernick is wearing a uniform while doing all this. He is wearing a uniform of a professional football player. He is on that field to play football and do the best that he can for his team. That's what he is getting paid to do. He is not getting paid to display his own personal beliefs on the field. Football is a team sport, not an individual sport.

I agree that he is allowed his own opinions, views on life, religious beliefs, sexual preferences and so on, but not on the field. If he wants to sit while the National Anthem is playing, that's fine, but do it on his own time, not while he is in uniform.

I'll bet he is only doing this nonsense when the cameras are on.

My vote was for choice number 1 in the poll. It was the only choice close to what I feel should happen to him. Personally if he wants to sit, then the 49ers should let him sit for the rest of the year. Allowing him to play would be nothing more than justifying a wrong with a wrong.

(veteran)

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Leon

I voted number 1. I think he is pathetic. He should be protesting the parents of the blacks who haven't obeyed police officers, were criminals and got killed because of their own actions. That is what he should be protesting.

So you're saying there's absolutely no difference in the way police (or anyone for that matter) treat white people and, as you so eloquently put it, "the blacks"?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by dgo71

So you're saying there's absolutely no difference in the way police (or anyone for that matter) treat white people and, as you so eloquently put it, "the blacks"?

Stick your full name out here and you can continue this debate. thanks...and yes, just as I am white (caucasion but "white" is fine) there are some folks who are black, it's only derogatory if you say it in such a manner. He has a right to do and feel how he wants to just as I do. I actually don't have a problem with his act of doing it but I feel the way I do about it. I hope that makes sense.
Again, I will be happy to continue the discussion with you after you put your name out here...nothing personal at all....

[dgo71]

Name fixed. Didn't realize that was such a big deal...

Also, no offense, but since you're white your opinion on whether or not "the blacks" is offensive doesn't matter. You don't get a vote as to the offensiveness of terms that don't apply to you. For example, I don't personally find the name "Redskins" offensive, but since I'm not a Native American, my opinion on the matter means nothing. It's easy to not be offended when you're not a part of the group that is being offended.

All that aside, since it's not really the point, black people continue to face unfair oppression from people in positions of authority, and that was the entire point of Kap's protest. To say the people who were abused by police are at fault because they didn't act a certain way is patently false and a willful blind eye to the fact that racism exists. Obviously I'm not saying this is the case 100% of the time as nothing in life is so easily categorized, but comments like yours, whether it was your intention or not, only help perpetuate the myth that racism is a thing of the past.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by dgo71

Name fixed. Didn't realize that was such a big deal...

Also, no offense, but since you're white your opinion on whether or not "the blacks" is offensive doesn't matter. You don't get a vote as to the offensiveness of terms that don't apply to you. For example, I don't personally find the name "Redskins" offensive, but since I'm not a Native American, my opinion on the matter means nothing. It's easy to not be offended when you're not a part of the group that is being offended.

Wow!

What a double standard!?! By that reasoning, since you're not black, you don't get an opinion of whether or not there's a difference in the way police treat white people or black people. Nor do you get any opinion on racism. If Leon doesn't get any vote as to the offensiveness of terms that doesn't apply to him, why do you get a vote about oppression or racism if they don't apply to you???

[Leon]

Thanks for putting your name out here. It isn't a big deal but is an important part of our forum, hence the rule in bold letters at the top of every page...though this isn't exactly that, it is the reasoning behind it. (simple accountability)

There is no doubt that racism does exist today. Anyone who doesn't think so is not being honest with themselves. That being said there are more opportunities for everyone today than there ever has been. It is hard to deny that by looking at the President, AG, Supreme Court etc.. etc.....
However, I firmly believe parenting is the biggest issue facing our nation today. If it could be taught and taught and taught it might make a lot of the problems go away.
And if you feel the criminals who got shot by not obeying an officer's command, were only shot because of their color...and not because they disobeyed a command, then that is part of the problem, to me. Let's debate why they were being criminals? (*see my parenting point)

I can guarantee if I didn't obey cops in the past I very well might have ended up dead too. Just as anyone of any color would.

Originally Posted by dgo71

Name fixed. Didn't realize that was such a big deal...

Also, no offense, but since you're white your opinion on whether or not "the blacks" is offensive doesn't matter. You don't get a vote as to the offensiveness of terms that don't apply to you. For example, I don't personally find the name "Redskins" offensive, but since I'm not a Native American, my opinion on the matter means nothing. It's easy to not be offended when you're not a part of the group that is being offended.

All that aside, since it's not really the point, black people continue to face unfair oppression from people in positions of authority, and that was the entire point of Kap's protest. To say the people who were abused by police are at fault because they didn't act a certain way is patently false and a willful blind eye to the fact that racism exists. Obviously I'm not saying this is the case 100% of the time as nothing in life is so easily categorized, but comments like yours, whether it was your intention or not, only help perpetuate the myth that racism is a thing of the past.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Leon

There is no doubt that racism does exist today.

And there is no doubt that it works both ways...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5S2E26BWoo

[Leon]

1000%...the video is not there for me but my thousand percent is I agree it goes both ways...

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

and there is no doubt that it works both ways...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vrwjzz4hse

[Topps206]

It looks like Megan Rapinoe, female soccer player, kneeled in support of Kaepernick.