- Time
- Post link
Uh-oh, get the outrage ready (again).
http://deadspin.com/49ers-safety-eric-reid-returns-to-kneeling-for-the-nati-1798496694
*sigh* It no longer outrages me, it now depresses me. Nothing is sacred anymore.
Relevant:
http://deadspin.com/why-is-john-lynch-so-worried-about-people-who-think-equ-1797938766
Here again is Bennett explaining why he took a seat:
“First of all I want to make sure people understand I love the military — my father was in the military,” Bennett said. “I love hot dogs like any other American. I love football like any other American. But I don’t love segregation, I don’t love riots, I don’t love oppression. I don’t love gender slander.
“I just want to see people have the equality that they deserve and I want to be able to use this platform to continuously push the message and keep finding out how unselfish we can be in society, how we can continuously love one another and understand that people are different. And just because people are different doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t like them. Just because they don’t eat what you eat, just because they don’t pray to the same God you pray to doesn’t mean you should hate them. Whether it is Muslim, whether it is Buddhist, whether it is Christianity, I just want people to understand that no matter what, we need to stay together. It’s more about being a human being at this point.”
Bennett’s message is in favor of peace and equality. Who exactly is on the other side of this divide Lynch is talking about? Is the implication that he will alienate teammates and fans who … don’t think peace and equality are a good thing?
The most frustrating thing about the whole conversation that Colin Kaepernick started last year has been people like Lynch willfully misunderstanding the message players like Kaepernick and Bennett are trying to send. First the talking point was that kneeling for the anthem is somehow disrespectful of the military—what the fuck do the troops have to do with football in the first place?—and now it’s that kneeling will somehow divide the locker room. Who is being divided, though, and from what?
That is just stupid. I agree the military has nothing to do football(other than the fact that military academies play college football). But these guys aren’t protesting football, they are protesting the national anthem. And you know what? fuck whatever message Kaepernick and Bennett are trying to say. When you send a message, no matter how good, just, and/or right, in such a shitty way, don’t expect me to listen to it. And of course peace and equality are good things. True, this alienates teammates and fans that don’t think equality and peace are good things. I don’t give shit about people like that. This is going to alienate teammates and fans who are patriots, people who love this country. You want to protest what is going on in this country? Find another way, put “black lives matter” on your uniform or something. What are they going to do next? burn the flag?
“But I don’t love segregation, I don’t love riots, I don’t love oppression. I don’t love gender slander.” This is problem. He doesn’t understand that is country, its flag and its National Anthem does not stand for these things. They stand for the opposite. The American ideal is the direction opposite of those things. I agree our country has not lived up to the American ideal and still doesn’t and some ways. Many things needed to be fixed and still do. But this country, its flag and Nation Anthem stands for freedom, justice, fairness, equality and peace. While I agree it is their right to do so(and I wouldn’t want it any other way), I will never approve of protesting the national anthem. If that bothers/offends you, frankly, I don’t give a damn.
Huh, whatever happened to
I think there is a big difference between telling black people to shut up about what offends/bothers them, and simply disagreeing with them. Believe me, if I were disagree with an African American in regards to something that offends/bothers them, I would so as politely and as sensitively as I could. I would discuss the situation and choose my words very carefully. I’d also try to be as open minded as I could with them.
There is a big difference between saying people shouldn’t protest the national anthem and saying black people should shut up about what bothers or offends them.
You disagree with African Americans in regards to something that offends/bothers them, but I didn’t see anything polite or sensitive about your post. Nor does it seems like you chose your words carefully or were open minded about it.
You know what? when it comes to protesting the national anthem, fuck politeness, and fuck choosing my words carefully and fuck being open minded.
Why do you care so much about the national anthem and the flag?
Because they represent the systematic repression of white people.
Wait, that’s not right.
*rolls eyes*
