What is the controversy surrounding #takeaknee

[brewer]

Are you concerned I'm fabricating random Colin Kaepernick quotes? 

You don't see any "america is shit to black people."?  So when he says America oppresses black people, and there are bodies on the street and people getting away with murder, you think paraphrasing that as "America is shit to black people" is a stretch.  Oppression and unpunished murder don't rise to your standard of 'shit'?

The fuck america was mine.  But that's because I think if he said "Fuck America" he'd still be justified, let alone his much more reserved "I'm not going to stand up and show pride in a flag or america" that people are trying to walk back and play apologists over.

Why shouldn't it be about the flag or america?  The flag represents this country.  America is the country in which these things are happening.  I can't follow why people are resisting this idea.

bold mine

Nope, just to stupid to provide a link and to engage in a rational discussion. And you must be very fragile to let your emotions cloud critical thought so much. There, there (pats on head). 

I'll say it again, he picked that time (singing of the anthem) to get his protest noticed. It initially had nothing to do with the flag or anthem. A valid protest as far as I'm concerned.

[Minimalist]

This guy, who is the biggest Uncle Tom in the country, told a riveting story of what it means to be black in 'murrica.  Doesn't matter if you are a senator or a homeless veteran with PTSD.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tim-...08d332eaa0

Black GOP Senator Talks About Being Pulled Over By Police 7 Times In One Year

“This is a situation that happens all across the country,” Sen. Tim Scott said, “whether we want to recognize it or not.”

Now I understand that whitey doesn't want to recognize shit, that goes with the territory.  But let's not pretend that the flag doesn't serve other agendas too.






But when that shit gets trotted out your beloved fucktard of a president says both sides are "the same."

[mlmooney89]

Here is the whole poem.

---

O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,  
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?  
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,  
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming;  
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;  
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave  
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?  
 
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,  
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,  
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?  
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,  
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream;  
‘Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!  
 
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore  
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion  
A home and a country should leave us no more?  
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,  
From the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave;  
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave  
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!  
 
O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!  
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land,  
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.  
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just.  
And this be our motto— “In God is our trust; "
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave  
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

---

Just because we picked out the best parts and ignored the bad part is no different than cherry picking the bible in my eyes.

This link explains in more depth the meaning to the lyrics.
https://www.theroot.com/star-spangled-bi...1790855893

And how many people know the whole poem (I sure didn't)? Which parts are racist that are sung at ball games? That's all most people know. When they defend the limited part they know and then are told it is racist (intimating because they defend it they are racist) feels a little bit like hitting below the belt.

So because people haven't read the entire bible to know there are bad parts excuses the bible and what it stands for? Just like the In God We Trust is outdated and needs to be removed I feel like more people should know where that song came from, what it is about, and get a new one. I know it is drastic but oh well.

[Neo-Scholastic]

I'd rather pick off the green peppers than throw away the whole pizza.

[Minimalist]

Which parts are racist that are sung at ball games? That's all most people know.

Fuck, MH.  Most people think the last two words of the anthem are "Play Ball!"

[Silver]

I'd rather pick off the green peppers than throw away the whole pizza.

Why not just order a pizza without green peppers?

[henryp]

Are you concerned I'm fabricating random Colin Kaepernick quotes? 

You don't see any "america is shit to black people."?  So when he says America oppresses black people, and there are bodies on the street and people getting away with murder, you think paraphrasing that as "America is shit to black people" is a stretch.  Oppression and unpunished murder don't rise to your standard of 'shit'?

The fuck america was mine.  But that's because I think if he said "Fuck America" he'd still be justified, let alone his much more reserved "I'm not going to stand up and show pride in a flag or america" that people are trying to walk back and play apologists over.

Why shouldn't it be about the flag or america?  The flag represents this country.  America is the country in which these things are happening.  I can't follow why people are resisting this idea.

bold mine

Nope, just to stupid to provide a link and to engage in a rational discussion. And you must be very fragile to let your emotions cloud critical thought so much. There, there (pats on head). 

I'll say it again, he picked that time (singing of the anthem) to get his protest noticed. It initially had nothing to do with the flag or anthem. A valid protest as far as I'm concerned.

It's odd that you are choosing your explanation of Colin Kaepernick's motivations over Colin Kaepernick's explanation, right?  He very clearly stated why he was doing it and how it's related to the flag, and you're saying that Colin Kaepernick is mistaken about why Colin Kaepernick wasn't standing.

And why wouldn't it be valid?  

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000...nal-anthem

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

http://www.nfl.com/videos/san-francisco-...nal-anthem

"When the flag represents what it's supposed to represent, I'll stand."
"I decided I can't stand for what this represents right now."
"This is about the way people have been treated by this country."

He linked the two by saying how police are government appointed officials.  

Really impressive stuff in my opinion.  So many progressives take easy stances that cost them nothing.  He really put it out there.  But now instead of defending his valid protest of the flag and America, for some reason I still can't understand, people who should be supporting him are still denying he was protesting the flag at all.

The bolded are all direct quotes from Kaepernick.  Not some article's summary or some 3rd party's hot take or explanation.  The second set are from a live video interview I linked for your viewing pleasure.  There is no ambiguity.  There doesn't need to be.  He is 100% in the right in what he did.  There should be no question of the validity.

[chimp3]

The symbolism of kneeling in football:

When a quarterback has the ball he can kneel and call a time out. This is done when the time on the clock would work to the teams advantage. 

In other words, kneeling changes the conversation to our advantage. 

IMHO

[Rev. Rye]

You know, I understand that the term "virtue signalling" is out of favour because there's people who use it as an excuse to dismiss ANY sort of morality that doesn't involve being a racist creature from the Id, but is there really a better term for the sort of conspicuous, but empty, display of morality that does nothing but make the participants look better, like, among the many examples to list, insisting on players in a football game standing for the national anthem?

[Jackalope]

You know, I understand that the term "virtue signalling" is out of favour because there's people who use it as an excuse to dismiss ANY sort of morality that doesn't involve being a racist creature from the Id, but is there really a better term for the sort of conspicuous, but empty, display of morality that does nothing but make the participants look better, like, among the many examples to list, insisting on players in a football game standing for the national anthem?

IMO, that precisely what this is.

The thing of it is, in fetishizing a piece of cloth, they fail to grasp what that cloth represents. It sure as fuck doesn't represent mindless adherence and conformity to rituals of "patriotism" that are - in large part - tools of propaganda. That is not the American ideal I served for. This is peaceful social disobedience and that is often what is required for change for the better, and it is as American as mom and apple pie.