What is the controversy surrounding #takeaknee

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

I don't live in united states but I've noticed there's been a lot of controversy surrounding this. As far as I know rugby players that are against racism is kneeling down before the game as a sign of protest. I saw a video of us president donald trump calling the protestors sob's, what's up with that? Why is there a lot of controversy surrounding this, why are people angry?

[Foxaèr]

Footballers are taking the knee to protest Trump exacerbated racism in the U.S.
Football fans are complaining because they're insanely overly patriotic and think the knee protests are disrespectful to 'Murica.
And Trump, rather than focusing on other important issues, would rather argue like an immature brat with footballers.

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

But why is it considered disrespectful, don't people literally print us flag in underwear, shirts, brassiere etc

[FatAndFaithless]

But why is it considered disrespectful, don't people literally print us flag in underwear, shirts, brassiere etc

And plenty of people are buying beer and hotdogs at the concession stands too while the anthem is being played.

[TheBeardedDude]

But why is it considered disrespectful, don't people literally print us flag in underwear, shirts, brassiere etc

It isn't disrespectful. In fact, the initial protest that started it all last year by Colin Kapernick was intended to be a protest of police treatment of minorities where they took a knee instead of sitting explicitly because they thought taking a knee would be a respectful way of protesting (respectful to military personnel and what the flag stands for).

There are several reasons why it is perceived to be disrespectful by some, including:
1) some people just flat-out don't like to see minorities protesting police (even if they'd admit that they too don't like the heavy-handed policing that happens)
2) some people believe that police are something you don't protest. Somehow, in their mind, respecting police means never being critical of police nor calling out bad police and bad policing practices. If you want to get a sense of just how warped conservative "respect" for the police is in the US, look up the awful shit Joe Arpaio did as sheriff and then realize that they kept electing hm for basically 2 decades
3) many just flat-out never bothered to find out why Kap or the players this weekend protested and instead assumed that the conservative narrative that they were protesting the flag (and by extension, protesting America) was true, lies are rather effective on the ignorant who willfully remain ignorant instead of looking up the facts
4) a lot of people clearly don't realize that the rights we have in this country to protect our individual freedoms (such as freedom of speech and freedom of expression), also means protecting us from participating if we so choose. It isn't freedom if you are being compelled to participate. Meaning that the soldiers who fought for our rights were fighting so people would stand for the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem (in the mind of the conservative), when in reality the soldiers fought for our right to stand or kneel or sit or not come out of the locker room or etc etc.


It is one big misdirection. The Whitehouse (and conservative pundits in general for more than a year) paints this as a protest of the flag, when it is not and has never been a protest of the flag. It is/was a protest about police treatment of minorities, and this weekend it also became a protest of Trump

[henryp]

But why is it considered disrespectful, don't people literally print us flag in underwear, shirts, brassiere etc

3) many just flat-out never bothered to find out why Kap or the players this weekend protested and instead assumed that the conservative narrative that they were protesting the flag (and by extension, protesting America) was true, lies are rather effective on the ignorant who willfully remain ignorant instead of looking up the facts

I was under the impression Kap was absolutely protesting the flag, in that the flag is a symbol of America, and in the America black people experience, they get shat on.  I thought he said something to that effect way back when.  If his protest were unrelated to the flag/anthem, it'd just be a dick move to pick that time to protest.

I flat out bothered to look it up to see if my suspect memory was misremembering.

"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.

I do agree with the bolded portion of your post though.

[TheBeardedDude]

3) many just flat-out never bothered to find out why Kap or the players this weekend protested and instead assumed that the conservative narrative that they were protesting the flag (and by extension, protesting America) was true, lies are rather effective on the ignorant who willfully remain ignorant instead of looking up the facts

I was under the impression Kap was absolutely protesting the flag, in that the flag is a symbol of America, and in the America black people experience, they get shat on.  I thought he said something to that effect way back when.  If his protest were unrelated to the flag/anthem, it'd just be a dick move to pick that time to protest.

I flat out bothered to look it up to see if my suspect memory was misremembering.

"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.

I do agree with the bolded portion of your post though.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/opini...ml?mcubz=0

He was not protesting the flag. He chose the national anthem as the moment to engage in his protest as a way of making a statement. You grossly oversimplify what the protest is and why the timing of during the national anthem was chosen.

edit to add: When Kap said: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he was discussing what the flag stands for (a country that is supposed to be about freedom and equality for all) and noting a specific example of how that representation is failing in a spectacular way with respect to minorities

[henryp]

I was under the impression Kap was absolutely protesting the flag, in that the flag is a symbol of America, and in the America black people experience, they get shat on.  I thought he said something to that effect way back when.  If his protest were unrelated to the flag/anthem, it'd just be a dick move to pick that time to protest.

I flat out bothered to look it up to see if my suspect memory was misremembering.

"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.

I do agree with the bolded portion of your post though.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/opini...ml?mcubz=0

He was not protesting the flag. He chose the national anthem as the moment to engage in his protest as a way of making a statement. You grossly oversimplify what the protest is and why the timing of during the national anthem was chosen.

edit to add: When Kap said: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he was discussing what the flag stands for (a country that is supposed to be about freedom and equality for all) and noting a specific example of how that representation is failing in a spectacular way with respect to minorities

I think our disconnect is that I think Kapernick's protesting the flag is justified and doesn't need to be hedged.  Because once you start spinning it, and making excuses, and writing opinion pieces saying what he really meant, and etc... you end up with the pile of meaningless shit we saw this sunday.

[Brian37]

I don't live in united states but I've noticed there's been a lot of controversy surrounding this. As far as I know rugby players that are against racism is kneeling down before the game as a sign of protest. I saw a video of us president donald trump calling the protestors sob's, what's up with that? Why is there a lot of controversy surrounding this, why are people angry?

45 is pandering to the bigotry of the past. There should be no controversy, everyone should support the players because they are trying to bring light to social inequality. Some stupidly think that because we have had a black president, inequality does not exist.

[TheBeardedDude]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/opini...ml?mcubz=0

He was not protesting the flag. He chose the national anthem as the moment to engage in his protest as a way of making a statement. You grossly oversimplify what the protest is and why the timing of during the national anthem was chosen.

edit to add: When Kap said: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he was discussing what the flag stands for (a country that is supposed to be about freedom and equality for all) and noting a specific example of how that representation is failing in a spectacular way with respect to minorities

I think our disconnect is that I think Kapernick's protesting the flag is justified and doesn't need to be hedged.  Because once you start spinning it, and making excuses, and writing opinion pieces saying what he really meant, and etc... you end up with the pile of meaningless shit we saw this sunday.

Except it still isn't the flag being protested. The protest isn't that superficial