Let’s discuss the issue of pro-athletes kneeling when the flag is raised and the national anthem is sung. It came to the public attention again when Drew Brees said he considered it disrespectful to kneel before NFL games during the National Anthem. A firestorm of hateful dialogue swept over him from black athletes. It occurred to me: we’re not talking about Gospel truth, where God is right and every human being is wrong. We’re discussing social issues between two sides, each of which has contributed to the problem. However, in matters of opinion, freedom of differences should be expected, not name-calling or bludgeoning rebuttals. We still need the position of the man disagreeing with his neighbor, but saying he would defend to the death his right to say it.
Blacks seem unable to acknowledge that right. As if they’re the only ones with a valuable opinion on flag loyalty. Again, only when both sides have an equal voice can common ground be reached. While they represent 81% of athletes in the NFL, they don’t represent the majority opinion of 300 MILLION people in America. Those millions also have the right to be heard. The savage attacks by pro blacks led Brees to first qualify, then retract, his criticism. He even admitted he “missed the mark.” Maybe he doesn’t know that “missing the mark” is a description of sin. Even given that he made a mistake, he didn’t sin. However, another issue is at stake here. When someone takes a stand for what he believes is right—he should have the fortitude to defend what he said. If he doesn’t, he shouldn’t say it. Furthermore, listening to explanations from Lebron James et al, Brees came to the conclusion that the kneeling wasn’t about the flag. Really? When it’s done publicly when the national Anthem is played and the flag is raised? How inconsistent can you get and still claim to be rational? But...accept their position for a moment. If it isn’t the flag, let pro players find other ways to express their displeasure with America. Like...boycotting luxury home builders...but no, the athletes live in those mansions. Or protesting before yacht builders...but no, they sail those luxury ships. Or protesting before luxury automobile builders...but no, they drive their cars. Or boycotting luxury clothing manufacturers...but no, they wear their fashion-plate duds. In other words, they kneel in a public venue and get attention, but the ostentatious act is but cheap sympathy, costing nothing they want to keep as a lifestyle. In conclusion I add a statement I sent to the Union-Tribune for their Reader’s Write column. They didn’t accept it. Here it is in full. Cowardly NFL owners bank billions annually as owners. Black athletes demand toleration of their intolerant views, but show no tolerance of NFL peers who express appreciation of the flag. Since...black athletes have a career under the flag, make millions under the flag, buy mansions under the flag, drive expensive cars under the flag, expect soldiers serving under the flag to keep them free and policemen to keep them safe, etc., etc., etc., shouldn’t they honor the flag and Anthem supporting it? That would be entirely RATIONAL if the issue hadn’t become so EMOTIONAL. Fini
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