Thoughts of sports players kneeling for the National Anthem?

Maj John Bell Couldn’t have said it better myself

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - They don't have to suck it up, though. They have the right to call it stupid and boycott the team/league if they want to. The NFL and NBA caving to idiocy out of a misguided attempt to placate the idiots doesn't change the fact that it's still idiocy.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - I've kept my side of the conversation polite and respectful, both toward you and the players who protest, please extend me the same courtesy.

I understand that the NFL reversed its decision. I don't have a problem with that. It is their choice to make. It most certainly is not a place for government to intervene No matter what decision they made, they were going to make someone unhappy. That is why my initial comment says:

"The owner's have to make a business decision, what will hurt them worse; benching people or allowing political activity while representing the franchise." Just as they have a right to make a choice, so do I. When I want to watch a sporting event, I usually go to a high school game.

I made my decision about professional sports a long time ago, well before this controversy raised its head. I haven't watched an NFL game since the Vikings lost to the Raiders in the 1977 Super Bowl. Love Baseball and Basketball, to play, not to watch. When Traverse City had a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team I went regularly. Then the franchise was sold to New Jersey.

I'm not in favor of celebrities, particularly affluent celebrities telling me how to be a better person, or what my social views SHOULD be. I don't like it even when I agree with them.

Thank you SSgt. Tony Lamb for saying it like you did . That’s exactly why we put on the uniform. To protect and defend their right of freedom of expression .

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - The pics identified as inappropriate in your memes almost entirely portray people abusing their work space to engage in political protests on the job and on the clock. Yes, that is not appropriate behavior in the workplace, so there shouldn't be any surprise that it gets a negative reaction. People are free to engage in protests on their own time.

Rioting, looting, illegally blocking traffic, and threatening or assaulting innocent people just trying to go about their business are not legitimate forms of protest.

When protesting, people *should* make an effort to match their protest target and message to the identified issue. Kneeling during the national anthem has zero connection to allegations of police brutality by a few bad cops--it DOES send a message of disrespect for the nation and those who serve.

Saying that "it never seems to be the right time for POC to protest" is just dishonest. Nobody is stopping anyone from engaging in peaceful (and legal) protests on their own time. When it comes down to it, people aren't paying big bucks to attend sporting events to see millionaire athletes engage in political protests--let alone do it in a way that most people consider disrespectful to the nation as a whole.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - So you don't even understand your own memes? If I explain it, are you going to then whine about me "mansplaining" things to you? *eyeroll*

The vetflake here seems to be you, because people saying the kneelers are ridiculous and disrespectful rather than sending a valid message of protest really bothers you. In the end, it's the people who are paying to watch the games whose opinions matter, because they're the ones funding the teams--and people are mostly against players engaging in political protesting at the games.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - since customs and courtesies protocol requires standing and rendering a salute during the anthem, it's pretty laughable for any veteran to attempt to argue that kneeling is not a sign of disrespect. Whether you call it a protest or not, it's still disrespect and it's something that you can be punished for if on active duty. Go ahead and pull that stunt in formation and see what happens to you.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - Yeah...no. See sections 8 and 9. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title4/chapter1&edition=prelim

I completely agree! Most military friends I have are saying they are boycotting sports for the very same reason