Taking A Knee

[OrbitalDawn]

The message itself is odious. To say that it does "nothing to disrupt anything" is patently false. People watch sports to have fun, not to have their political views challenged through political messaging.

So my reading is fine, your understanding of the world is schit.

I'm sure Unhappy is not a sensitive little snowflake like you.

And also he can read properly.

 

[Xarog]

I'm sure Unhappy is not a sensitive little snowflake like you.

Well, I guess if pointing out how utterly incompetent you are when it comes to putting forward a coherent left-wing position is being a sensitive little snowflake, proudly guilty as charged. *shrug*

And also he can read properly.

Why do all of these people keep rejecting my poop flavoured breakfast cereal even though it has been scientifically proven to be safe and nutritous?

:crylaugh:

 

[Oppiekoffie]

Since when was standing for the national anthem part of his job? Was it part of his contract? Was it a regulation by the NFL commission?

Are foreigners also bound by these regulations, should they exist?

In Rome you do what the Romans do. Same in the US. You don't like it there, f**k off.

 

[Dreamboat]

I'm sure Unhappy is not a sensitive little snowflake like you.

Noticed for quite some time that little snowflakes are now trying to call everybody they don't agree with snowflake. Like a fat kid calling a skinny kid fat because the skinny kid called the fat kid fat.

 

[Spliffcat]

The poor, hungry, homeless little darlings, here's a cup of hot milk to tuck you into bed.

Meanwhile Zimbabweans are dying like flies and being murdered by one brother called Bobby. Never mind the rest of the chaos.

 

[ForceFate]

In Rome you do what the Romans do. Same in the US. You don't like it there, f**k off.

Erm...

America wouldn't be what it is today if people followed that.

 

[The_Assimilator]

The message itself is odious. To say that it does "nothing to disrupt anything" is patently false. People watch sports to have fun, not to have their political views challenged through political messaging.

So my reading is fine, your understanding of the world is schit.

Yeah, how dare those uppity negroes do anything as patently unpatriotic as refusing to honour the anthem of the greatest country in the world, because they want to draw attention to systemic and continuing racial discrimination. The very nerve!

Here's a f**king clue, detective dips**t: discriminating against people because they're different is the epitome of being unpatriotic. So using an "unpatriotic" gesture to highlight that is fair play.

Not liking the gesture and not agreeing with it is fine. Wanting to suppress it because it makes you feel uncomfortable for having to confront an inconvenient truth - which is its exact goal - is not.

 

[Craig_]

[video=youtube;t2kqHuOniv0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2kqHuOniv0[/video]

It's very difficult listening to that fake accent. Could've been funny with his real accent.

 

[noxibox]

So patriotic.

Hand is supposed go over the heart right? He was probably trying to remember where humans keep their heart.

The message itself is odious. To say that it does "nothing to disrupt anything" is patently false. People watch sports to have fun, not to have their political views challenged through political messaging.

If that is true why are the military and government so intent on bringing politics into sport?

 

[Xarog]

Yeah, how dare those uppity negroes do anything as patently unpatriotic as refusing to honour the anthem of the greatest country in the world, because they want to draw attention to systemic and continuing racial discrimination. The very nerve!

:erm:

Not really. More like if you're getting paid to put on a show, you should be willing to put on the show insofar as you expect people to pay attention to you.

Here's a f**king clue, detective dips**t: discriminating against people because they're different is the epitome of being unpatriotic. So using an "unpatriotic" gesture to highlight that is fair play.

I never said anything about patriotism though.

Not liking the gesture and not agreeing with it is fine. Wanting to suppress it because it makes you feel uncomfortable for having to confront an inconvenient truth - which is its exact goal - is not.

Not bothering to watch idiots spread a message that doesn't appeal to me is therefore my prerogative. Attempting to inject politics into what is supposed to be entertainment is therefore a dumb move to pull insofar as you're trying to further any political goal. Glad we got that sorted out.

 

[Xarog]

If that is true why are the military and government so intent on bringing politics into sport?

Probably because of all the ideas that government and militaries make, some of them are dumb ones?

 

[noxibox]

In Rome you do what the Romans do. Same in the US. You don't like it there, f**k off.

So what you're saying is they should protest and fight. I agree in principle though that those who hate freedom and the constitution, which is the bulk of the Federal government including pretty much every president they've had for many decades, most state governments and a lot of vested business interests, should f**k off.

 

[Sl8er]

It's absolutely fcking ridiculous that people are freaking out over a song.
More "us vs them".

What I do find interesting, though, is that no one kicks up a stink when politicians sit -in government, on government time- while the anthem is played. Then no one bats an eye.



What about the general population complaining? Do they stand every. single. time. the anthem is played? I'm going to guess "no".
Reminds me of Pavlov's dog. Every time that "bell rings," they all start salivating and frothing.

 

[thestaggy]

Yep, been following the sport since 2006 so I'm pretty up-to-date with what is going on.

Steelers’ Villanueva Takes a Stand, but Might Agree With Kaepernick’s Mission

When Alejandro Villanueva, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting left tackle, arrived at West Point for cadet basic training in the summer of 2006, he already stood out — and not just because he was bigger than anyone else.

Even in a corps of cadets that typically includes a decent number of valedictorians, class presidents and team captains, older students thought Villanueva was unusually “squared away” for a new plebe.

“He was never in trouble, and he always seemed to be doing better than everyone else,” said Capt. Daniel Harrison, who, three years ahead of Villanueva, was his company commander during part of that summer’s basic training.

Typical of Cadet Villanueva, recalled Harrison, was that he was the first plebe to take off his gas mask and breathe the burning air during a mandatory tear-gas drill. “Even then he seemed to be a leader among his peers,” Harrison said.

Villanueva, now 29, starred at West Point, where he started at left tackle every game in 2008 but played as a receiver in 2009, leading the team in catches and receiving yards.

The next few years were even more of a whirlwind: winning a Bronze Star for valor as a platoon leader in Afghanistan; completing Ranger school, the Army’s premier leadership course and one of the most challenging tests in the military; serving two more tours in Afghanistan in the elite Ranger Regiment; and eventually winning a starting job and a four-year, $24 million contract with the Steelers.

Now, Villanueva has one more bit of fame: He was the only member of the Steelers to walk out of the tunnel during the playing of the national anthem before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. He held his hand over his heart while the song played. His teammates remained several feet behind him, just inside the tunnel — notably not on the field, in protest of President Trump and his comments about the N.F.L.

In past interviews, Villanueva has expressed solidarity with the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s sideline protests over racism toward African-Americans. But he has also previously questioned whether Kaepernick’s approach inadvertently suggested a lack of appreciation for service members whose sacrifices have made such protests possible.

But he also said he has not been offended by N.F.L. players taking a knee during the national anthem recently, saying, “I don’t think as a veteran, I take offense.”

“Nobody thinks that when you’re taking a knee, you’re offending the flag,” he said. Similarly, he said, “I don’t think anyone standing for the flag is not respecting the fact that there is a lot of injustices and racial divide in our country.”

Some sanity in all of this.

 

[bwana]

What I do find interesting, though, is that no one kicks up a stink when politicians sit -in government, on government time- while the anthem is played. Then no one bats an eye.

Eyes were batted however this was a very rare occurrence... and they weren't sitting during the national anthem so it's not really relevant, now is it.

 

[Sl8er]

Eyes were batted however this was a very rare occurrence... and they weren't sitting during the national anthem so it's not really relevant, now is it.

I'm sure it happens more often than you think.

Whatever the case may be, it's still pathetic.

 

[Xarog]

I'm sure it happens more often than you think.

Whatever the case may be, it's still pathetic.

Do you have any evidence whatsoever that the politicians who failed to stand were doing so consciously and explicitly in order to convey a political message?

 

[bwana]

I'm sure it happens more often than you think.

Whatever the case may be, it's still pathetic.

Then surely you have a photo of it happening, even once?

 

[konfab]

As Randhir points out, the military paid the NFL.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/national-anthem-military-contracts-nfl



What are the 'sides' you're seeing here? The NFL and the players aren't on the same side necessarily.

Of course, Trump has used his bully pulpit to enforce right-think, got people fired/suspended from their jobs and bullied private businesses into toeing the politically correct line.

Not a surprise the usual folks complaining about the left threatening free speech have been entirely silent on this.

I think the government should cut all funding to the NFL as it is a waste of money, so I hope you can agree with me on this. As for free speech, last time I checked, these players don't need a $600 000 dollars worth of security if they want to go and speak at Berkeley. Trump hasn't really done anything to stop them other than tell them that he doesn't like what they are doing.

My, my - how quickly your sympathy for the poor/working class dry up when it's not about white Trump supporters.

Don't try act as if you care about that basket of deplorables, and last time I checked, they are not the ones telling everyone how badly the US is oppressing them.

And yes I don't have that much sympathy for poor people of any race if they are living in a country with as much welfare as the US. Since you live in South Africa, you would probably understand this without much difficulty.

 

[Sl8er]

Do you have any evidence whatsoever that the politicians who failed to stand were doing so consciously and explicitly in order to convey a political message?

Nah, they probably do it because they're "politicians" and politicians don't give a fck about anything but themselves -pretty much like your normal run of the mill politicians.