Monday, September 25, 2017

If you're free to stand, you're also free to kneel



     The flag in front of my house was tangled Sunday morning, wrapped around the pole.  I hate when that happens, so paused to set it right.
     After doing so, I said the Pledge of Allegiance. It's a powerful little ditty, both nostalgic and prescriptive, something we recited in grade school, but also something outlining the nation as it should be. I'm sure you know it:
     I pledge allegiance
     To the flag
     Of the United States of America
     And to the republic
     For which it stands.
     One nation.
     Hmm-mm-mmm
     That last part is supposed to be "Under God." But "Under God" was inserted by Congress in 1954, trying to show that the Soviet Union isn't the only government that can interfere with its citizens' sense of the divine. Sometimes, feeling charitable, I'll say "Under God." Other times, feeling feisty, I won't. Hey, it's a free country, or used to be.
     I also registered a second protest. Instead of putting my right palm over my patriotic heart, I kept it balled in a fist in my pocket, to show my personal objection to the doofus my beloved country elected president.
     The guy who Friday tried to whip up his aggrieved white guy base by calling on football teams to fire players who register quiet protests similar to the one described above.
     "Wouldn't you love to see one of these N.F.L. owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired! He's fired!'" Trump said.

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17 comments:

  1. I wish every NFL owner & player had knelt today, just to piss off that rotten, worthless, useless, asswipe occupying the White House & desecrating it every second he's in there!

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    1. Trump isn't pissed off about players taking a knee. It doesn't affect him personally, so it's a non-issue. He's just an opportunistic cheerleader, whipping up tribal hatred, so he can hear the crowd roar. He'd rip up the Constitution for that cheap thrill.

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    2. Article 8 under Section 4, “EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS, PLAYER APPEARANCE.” The rule states that

      “Throughout the period on game-day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office. Items to celebrate anniversaries or memorable events, or to honor or commemorate individuals, such as helmet decals, and arm bands and jersey patches on players’ uniforms, are prohibited unless approved in advance by the League office. All such items approved by the League office, if any, must relate to team or League events or personages. The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns. Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and noncontroversial; must not be worn for more than one football season; and if approved for use by a specific team, must not be worn by players on other teams in the League.”

      So giving the black Power sign is illegal in the NFL

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    3. That rule is about printed decals or bands, like what McMahon used to do with his headbands. It does not say a player can't raise their fist into the air, so sorry Big Mike, not illegal.

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    4. Even if it were "illegal," i.e. in contravention of the rules laid down by the League, it would just give the club owners justification for in some way penalizing the players who act on their own, a fine, a suspension, even a firing. It seems most owners are not eager to offend their multi-million dollar minions by doing so.

      john

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  2. I found this from a commentary by Diana Goetsch writing about the Koepernick controversy.

    "Unlike the magisterial "America the Beautiful," "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a pompous battle number. Spurred by a petition bearing 5 million veterans' signatures, Congress designated it the national anthem in 1931, but it wasn't until 1942, and our entry into World War II, that it was played on loudspeakers daily before games.
    Most NFL fans don't recall that players traditionally remained in the locker room during the national anthem — up until 2009. That's when the Pentagon started paying the NFL, and the league moved players out to the field to salute the flag and look patriotic. Likewise, it hasn't taken long for fans to lose all memory of a time when soldiers weren't routinely honored on game day, and few would think to ask why military personnel are any more entitled to a halftime tribute than schoolteachers, or bricklayers or the custodians who clean the stadium."

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    1. "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a pompous battle number.
      and almost completely unsingable for most people given the range. my music teacher father always said "America the Beautiful" would be a much better anthem, and i wholeheartedly agree.

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  3. Trump hates America so much he should do us all a favor and go live somewhere else. His simple-minded use of symbols makes me think of a cowardly child hiding behind a tree that isn't wide enough to stop us from seeing him.

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    1. With regard to Dolt 45 hating America, Neil retweeted this cartoon on Twitter yesterday. From last year, but still right on point:

      https://twitter.com/MatttDavies/status/770752032466669568

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    2. I think you can hate something you don't understand and you can hate something you're afraid of. I believe that Trump is capable of both. Are you arguing that he's not hateful because he's stupid and cowardly? Those are not mutually exclusive.

      Mr. Creosote

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    3. I don't believe it's possible to hate what you can't identify. He doesn't hate America, he's frightened by what he can't comprehend.

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    4. I believe it's possible for some people to hate absolutely anything. It isn't reasonable but it sure is possible. Yes he's frightened. Agreed. Yes, he can't comprehend much. Agreed. Are you suggesting a new defense strategy - not guilty by reason of cowardice?

      Mr. Creosote

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    5. I'm not defending Trump. Just observing.

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  4. On Nancy Nall's blog, a commenter made this point:

    "I wasn’t a big fan of Colin Kaepernick kneeling before the game, but really, how offensive a gesture is that? People aren’t rioting like in ’67 and ’68; people aren’t leading mass protests and calling for insurrection; and what are the players protesting? 40 acres and a mule? Reparations? Income redistribution? No, their main grievance is NOT TO BE SHOT TO DEATH BY POLICE ON THE WAY TO WORK. Is that really too much to ask?"

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  5. I like the photo at the top of the Korean War Memorial. I found that Memorial to be even more haunting than the Vietnam War Memorial.

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  6. If you refuse to stand for the National Anthem and quietly kneel instead, you're an SOB and should be fired.

    If you proudly carry the Confederate Flag(with torches) while chanting "Jews will not replace us!", you're very good people.

    Trumpism.

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