National Anthem Protests?
By Bensen32
@Bensen32 (28320)
United States
September 25, 2017 10:45am CST
So all this talk of the NFL and the National Anthem protests this weekend really got me thinking and I thought I should express me opinion on it and see what you think about it. Again, another one of a possible touchy subject.
First to be fair I have to say I served 5 years in the Marine Corps, served in a combat zone and got out with an Honorable Discharge. My family have served in the military as far back as we know in WWI and still serve today.
With that said, I see players kneeling or sitting during the National Anthem. Now I see entire teams not coming out on the field until the Anthem is over. I wont point out any individual and address this as a whole as I see it.
I served to defend our freedoms and our way of life. When it comes to the freedom to speak your mind, to protest something you don't agree with, yep I served to defend that. So with their "protest" of kneeling or sitting or staying in the locker room, I think they have every right to do this. They are "standing up" for what they believe in, they are "speaking out" for what they believe is worth saying. This is what America is all about, your right, your freedoms.
Now just as they have the right to do those things there are other rights that we as Americans have. I have the right to think they are going about this wrong, I have the right to think they are disrespecting America, and the men and woman who have served and died for this county. I have the right to not watch football or purchase anything related to the NFL.
The owners have a right to bench or fire any player who participates in this sort of thing. The Commissioner of the NFL has the right to fine these players. The networks have the right not to televise these games. The news has the right not to cover these people and what they are going.
So what can or will I do? I don't agree with these players, teams and I decided one the first game of the season when a player was sitting and they showed him on my TV. I turned off the TV and have not watched one game this year and wont watch one. Even my favorite team from when they came in the league in 1976 decided to stay in the locker room for the Anthem this week.
What can I really do? I have no forum to protest them. I don't get shown on TV every week. Well I did the only thing I thought I could do, yesterday I posted on social media that I could no longer be a fan of the team, and on their social media let them know why I was un-following them and could no longer support them as a team.
7 people like this
5 responses
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
26 Sep 17
Thank you for your service first of all @Bensen32 . I do believe in freedom of speech; however.....I am sick and tired of this Black Lives Matter crap!!!! Martin Luther King Jr. would be rolling over in his grave right now. He fought for the rights of the Blacks and now they think they don't have to follow any rules. Do you know why cops get mad??? It's because when you get pulled over and they ask for your license & registration, they don't want to hear a bunch of rhetoric: "Why do you want to see my license?" "What did I do?" "You're prejudice!", etc., etc., etc. Then when the cop has to pull the person out of the car because they REFUSED to cooperate, then the person 'thinks' they can fight the cop instead of complying. BOOHOO!!! If they would have done what they were suppose to, there wouldn't have been a problem.
2 people like this
@Bensen32 (28320)
• United States
26 Sep 17
First, your welcome, it was my honor.
I don't know about all that, I can speak for what it is like to live in America as a black man as I am not. I can say I have seen both white and black act in this say way and have seen both treated fairly and unfairly. I'm not going to say there are not racist out there in the police field but sometimes your actions bring it on you no matter your color.
I want to point out I never said I am against "WHAT" they are protesting, I am against when (during the Anthem) they are protesting.
If they have issue with the government did they take anytime during the off season to go protest in front of any one of the government buildings? Did they try to get any face time with any of the local, state or federal officials? Did they write letters (e-mails) to the officials? Did they use any of their connections to get on radio/TV to make their points?
Seems as @dgobucks226 said below, it's just the flavor of the month.
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
25 Sep 17
So you agree you fought for their right to do it, but by doing it they are disrespecting people that fought?
I don't see the logic in that statement.
By the way...when the National Anthem comes on your TV, do you stand at attention and place your hand over your heart?
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (36589)
•
26 Sep 17
@Bensen32 I hate commenting on these political posts because it solves nothing in my view, (just causes those with differing opinions to make rude, asinine statements), which is why I am responding by the way. So, for me I support your opinion about protesting in a different forum. Disrespecting the flag and National Anthem by kneeling solves nothing. Is it really going to change a person's opinion? It is just divisive! Does disrespecting our symbols and customs solve any problems? No, it just makes both sides dig in even more in their opinions. What is needed is a dialogue. The players can protest until the cows come home, in the grand scheme of things it will just be the "flavor of the month," until someone realizes how silly this all is... BTW thank you so much for your service and keeping us safe 
@Bensen32 (28320)
• United States
25 Sep 17
Yes, @JolietJake I served to fight for our rights, just cause I don't agree with what they are doing doesn't mean I think they should lose the right to do it. Also, just cause you have the right to do something doesn't always mean you should do it. Maybe they should find another way to protest?
Actually, when it comes on the TV for the start of a game or something I stop talking and if I happen to be standing I stop walking and will stand for the whole thing, if I am sitting at home I don't stand but I stop talking. I will admit I never have put my hand on my heart I stand at attention though and when I was in uniform I saluted.
2 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (37961)
• Toccoa, Georgia
25 Sep 17
I am very offended what they did and I agree, I have the right to boycott the NFL and I have a right to express myself on social media about it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40239)
• United States
26 Sep 17
I don't even know what they're protesting. I think it's an improper way to protest. You don't have to like the government, or every single thing about the USA - but if you live here and enjoy the various freedoms that we are founded on - the do not disrespect the whole flag. Find a respectful way to protest those specific situations that you are disliking. Oh and if you really do hate the USA as a whole - then move somewhere else.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40239)
• United States
27 Sep 17
@Bensen32 Totally ridiculous if you ask me. It seems more like attention grabbing than an actual protest of anything, I agree.
1 person likes this
@Bensen32 (28320)
• United States
26 Sep 17
Pretty much, they are not getting their message out to well just from kneeling maybe more of them should be putting it out there what exactly they are protesting. Do they have any kind of plan to make changes? Or is their only plan, to kneel or sit during the Anthem?
This has been going on for about a year now and well i'm not sure anything has changed since it all started.
1 person likes this
@William21001 (2637)
• Havre De Grace, Maryland
26 Sep 17
This is taken in a weird way its not the country its the government that runs the country so i believe there might be another way to show your displeasure with the country government. They are only doing this to show the displeasure with the treatment of minority's. Cops treat people of color like crap in america so this is what this protest is about. It is being taking out to serious and taken in the wrong way.
1 person likes this
@William21001 (2637)
• Havre De Grace, Maryland
26 Sep 17
@Bensen32 They was hoping this would open the worlds eyes to the problems but maybe they could have did it in a differnt more respectable way.
2 people like this
