found online by Raymond
From JoAnn Williams at Biased Unbalanced and Politically Incorrect:
Pious hypocrisy and flag-waving indignation obscure the intent behind athletes taking a knee during the national anthem or pledge of allegiance.
Taking a knee is a peaceful demonstration against a government that claims liberty and justice for all. Demanding fair treatment is not unpatriotic.
Athletes have every right to take a knee to protest perceived racism and inequities in America, if their leagues allow them to do so.
I, as a former consumer of professional sports, have the desire to watch the competition of sports without the political virtue signaling from largely ignorant athletes.
As such, I also have the right to no longer watch nor support the NFL, NBA, or MLB.
That’s true, Darrell. That is your right.
Fortunately, these conversations and discussions aren’t about your right to selfishly consume or to spitefully or petulantly not consume different entertainment. If you want to watch sports without political virtue signalling, man, I don’t know what sports you’d be consuming. From the Pledge of Allegiance, to the occasional military aircraft flyover, to the parachutists, to the Military and/or Police-centric events, to special paint or uniform logos and schemes, to advertising special charity nights for BLM or Military or Police causes. You’re hard pressed to find something not signalling a political virtue. I’m sure you recognize saying the damn Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of every single sporting event is the very epitome of virtue signaling, right? Or is signaling virtues only a negative thing when it’s a virtue you don’t agree with or are indifferent to?
That’s not even taking into consideration the fact that, in this modern age of hyper-politicization, everything can be made to appear political. You know, like someone taking a God damned knee during an anthem that’s unnecessarily performed at the beginning of every sporting event. He wasn’t holding up a fist. He wasn’t extending that ubiquitous middle finger at the end of the fist. He wasn’t turning his back on the flag. He wasn’t shouting obscenities. Bringing attention to “perceived racism and inequities” by simply kneeing is now a freaking political issue. I suppose it would have been alright to you if, since Kaepernick consulted a Military Veteran before his protest, if he performed this attention grabbing act to bring further awareness to how poorly treated Military Veterans can be in our country. For some reason, I imagine that kind virtue signaling would have been acceptable to you. Though I also, for similar reasons, imagine you’d deny that for the sake of argument.
Enjoy your professional darts, billiards and bowling. I’m sure those are still Caucasian enough for you avoid unnecessary virtue signaling over perceived racism. One day I hope you are open to perceiving it so you start using less dismissive language when describing actual racism.
Oh, and no offense to professional darts, billiards, and bowling players and organizations intended. I simply perceive a lack of diversity in their fan-bases and participants. Not an indictment, just a perception.
Trey,
Black guys taking a knee are “sons of bitches”, not because of what they are protesting, but because of what Trump and his racists on the Right SAY they are doing. They SAY they are attacking the troops and disrespecting the flag, neither of which is true, but racist hate has never required truth, compassion and reason.
This is their pattern. They ignore, twist and misrepresent what others say in order to fit us into their pre-conceived “hate boxes”.
Above all, they believe they know more about what we think than WE do.
Authoritarians have all the answers.