(October 19, 2017 at 4:14 pm)FFaith Wrote:(October 19, 2017 at 2:59 pm)Brian37 Wrote: CK started this 2 years go, and RIGHTFULLY SO. What CK was doing was no different than when Ali stood up to discrimination, or when Olympic athletes in the 60s and 70s raised their fists during the Anthem. NONE OF THAT back then or CK protest he started TWO years ago was anti American, but saying "HEY we matter as well".
It is NOT going too far, even taking race out of this, to say it is DANGEROUS for a top seat of a western POWER to make demands of forced ritual.
Bowing to a flag are what the NAZIS demanded. And they didn't just base that on political party, they based that on white nationalism.
CK kneeling was not a stunt, it was exactly what any sane empathetic person SHOULD do when their fellow citizen is not being treated well.
OF course one as an employee wants to do the best job they can, but there are still things in life that are worth FAR more than genuflecting in fear of losing one's job. HUMAN DIGNITY is worth far more than any paycheck.
Instead of blaming CK for doing the right thing, tell 45 it is not his responsibility as a western leader to demand blind loyalty or forced ritual.
I'm not blaming Kaepernick. I agree with his main message that blacks need a better shot in life and need to be treated better, and I appreciate that he has sacrificed his own money and possibly career to get his point across. I respect him for that. I'm just saying that I don't think the Jewish commissioner of the NBA is a Nazi. I don't think the former (Jewish) NBA commissioner is a Nazi for implementing the rule that players must stand. Trump didn't demand anything of the NFL. He gave his opinion, but I agree that saying he thinks owners should fire players was an inappropriate thing for a President to say, but I don't think requiring employees to actually act professional on the job like the NBA commissioner does is quite enough to call someone a Nazi. I'd be far more worried about Trump talking about "closing up" parts of the Internet, or the establishment talking about needing to do something about fake news (which is code for "we need to silence anything that contradicts the official bullshit establishment narrative and make sure old media wins the information war"). Employees acting professional at work is not the end of the world.
This isn't about the NBA, this is about the GOP.
Sports figures have historically used their positions of fame to bring focus to social issues. This was going on during the age the Civil Rights movement. I simply find it sad 50 years later that CK and minorities in general are now having to deal with a rise in political scapegoating.
If you agree like I do with CK, then don't get lost in these distractions. It does not matter if you the NBA leader is not a Nazi.
This is where the GOP long term ends up controlling the narrative. I can only speak for myself in saying if I were an NBA player, I would remain seated, even at the risk of a fine, even at the risk of being benched. WHY? For the same reason CK did what he did. Some things are far more important than a paycheck.
The west became more open and more pluralistic because of countless individuals in the past REFUSING to stay silent. And for the past 5 years ONE MAN has sought to destroy that progress and that man is using our highest office to pander to the worst in America.
I am glad you agree with me that CK is doing the right thing, and the right thing is for all those whom value equality to stand with any player, in any pro sports, including the NBA despite their current policy or the intent of that policy. They are ultimately labor just like any truck driver, Walmart worker, they simply make more. I stand up for all minorities, but I stand up for labor too and it still means for all that the better minorities do, the better all of us do, no matter what our paycheck looks like.
I cannot overstate this enough. 45 is toxic, we have seen this script in politics before in past history, and it never ends well when ignored or placated.
Um players protesting using their fame to bring focus to social issues is NOT unprofessional.
"Unprofessional" would be......
1. Perpetuating the secret black Muslim President.
2. They're rapists.
3. McCain is no hero.
4. 17 agencies don't know what they're talking about.
5. Ban an entire religion.
6. 2nd Amendment solution to a political rival
7. Bigots carrying assault riffles are the same as those protesting the bigots.
8. Vilifying the free press which keeps government power in check.
9. Demands of forced ritual.
10. "Sons of bitches" referring to CK and other players.
The sports stars are NOT being unprofessional and you cant have it both ways. You cant agree with CK which is the right thing to do, and say it is wrong for players of another pro sports league, to not do the same thing. They are protesting because they WANT our nation to do better. They are protesting for the same reason Ali, and Olympic athletes did in the 60s and 70s.
The RIGHT thing to do is support the protesters, not the politician using scapegoating and vilification to pander to bigots.
