Which of these protests during National Anthem are easiest to swallow; sitting, kneeling, linking arms in unity, or other?

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 10:09:49 -0400

We all don't like it. We all stand with pride during the National Anthem. It is a right to Free Speech if one does not. What is the most palatable to veteran community.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Sep 12 at 2016 10:50 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 10:50:27 -0400

None of them.

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 12 at 2016 10:55 AM

SGT David T. — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 10:55:03 -0400

Makes no difference to me. I don't pay attention to professional athletes.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2016 12:04 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 12:04:35 -0400

I'm still AD, but I serve so that Americans have the freedom to stand or not stand, kneel, whatever.
That is the beautiful thing about this country and our freedom. This isn't North Korea after all.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 12 at 2016 1:56 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 13:56:02 -0400

Just another reason I only watch hockey. This won't happen in the NHL. Hell, they stand for the other teams national anthems. Another example of how fortunate we are to live free as Americans. I doubt even the protestors are even aware that in most other countries, these actions would have dire consequences. In America, you only have to be judged by people on social media with way too much time on their hands.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2016 7:11 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 19:11:50 -0400

My response is not covered in the polling: *I* choose to stand for the Anthem. I am proud of the Seahawks for doing things as a team. (I *am* a Seahawk fan!). Sit, kneel, lay down, I don't care what you do. Show enough respect to not interrupt.

Make rude gestures, burn the flag, spit on uniforms of any type, I'll probably have words with you. You are now a part of the problem and chose not to be part of a solution.

Response by LtCol J W made Sep 13 at 2016 8:52 AM

LtCol J W — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 08:52:07 -0400

None of the above. It's my country and I have shed my blood for it. I resent any fool who does not live here and rejoice in freedom. If someone tries that protest in other countries, it does not get good results for them. You fuck withe my country, I will be glad to kick your ass!

Response by SFC Tim Stout made Sep 14 at 2016 9:40 PM

SFC Tim Stout — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:40:33 -0400

Don't play the National Anthem at sporting events, especially baseball, where over 28% of the players are not Americans and the other 72% never served. Besides, if you have 60,000 people in the stands, and a dozen or so do not stand, who cares? Then again, they may not be Americans. As for the troops who appear at those football games, they are not there out of the kind graciousness of the NFL, the DOD is paying the NFL over $6000 per game to have them there. The National Anthem should be reserved for State (US Government) sponsored functions. It does not need to be played before crowds of people who are under the influence of some chemical whether legal or illegal, with the majority of them not having any clue as to what the Anthem stands for, and they probably do not even know the words, and then, what it takes to be a member of the military service.

Those who choose to sit, kneel, or stand on their head heads, they are drawing the wrath of the American people, and as long as they are in the public eye, they will hear more negative comments about them for the rest of their lives. And we will just forget about them unless you are a news reporter you can drag this public nuisance out to infinity.

Response by COL Sam Russell made Sep 20 at 2016 7:47 AM

COL Sam Russell — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:47:07 -0400

Progression--progress--is a constant struggle. We recognize that, as a species, we are fallible. It is the history of mankind, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion. As we progress toward an ideal, be it "Land of the free, home of the brave," or "Liberty and justice for all," or "All men are created equal," or "Liberté, égalité, fraternité," we will always be beset by regression, through our own frailty, distrust, bigotry, &c.

Some studies have suggested that we are wired, from the time we are born, to learn which faces to trust--our parents who look like us and protect us--and who not to trust--strangers who don't look like us. Thus our progressive struggle to be inclusive, accepting, diverse, and trustful of those who don't look like us, talk like us, or worship like us, is, in fact, an internal struggle against our most basic human makeup, a genetic protective mechanism evolved within us over millennia. We literally are wired to be bigoted.

Being inclusive, accepting of diversity, empathetic with those from different cultures, rubs against our innate grain. It is a struggle that every generation before us has faced, often failing miserably, and, more importantly, it is a struggle that every future generation will have to face. Let's hope they do better.

If I were a child psychologist I would include a link to Stranger Anxiety. I'm a historian, so following is a link to a historical look at our ongoing debate over our National Anthem.

https://theintercept.com/2016/09/13/more-proof-the-u-s-national-anthem-has-always-been-tainted-with-racism/

For the record, my upbringing has wired me to look with disdain at any American who doesn't stand during the National Anthem. It's just who I am, and I'm getting too damn old to change.

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More Proof the U.S. National Anthem Has Always Been Tainted With Racism

Our current difficulty in facing our past honestly and soberly strongly suggests that we are still a long way from laying it to rest.