OT- What will Goodell do? Colin Kaepernick sits during national anthem

[ViperGTS]

My problem is in old battles it was a duty to never let the flag hit the ground. If anything is sacred it's that. To me it's an affront to anyone who has served and especially to those who never came back. Certain things are above free speech. A precious few. Burning the flag in protest is one of them. The SC messed up on that one.

Come at me @QuantumMechanic. Come at me when you've seen the blood on the American flag patches on those who've given it all. Or seen flags being burned by people overseas who aren't any different than the anti-American a-holes who do it here.

You know nothing. Sorry if this has offended anyone's sensibilities. If so there is a safe space somewhere nearby.

 

[ViperGTS]

NFL does not require players to stand for national anthem. Wonder how BB would react?

Go watch Hard Knocks from last week, not this week. Fisher is telling his players what they will do during the anthem. BB most likely does the same.

 

[BritPat]

An interesting one. Here's my take as a 'foreigner'.

I thought Kaepernick's reasons for not standing were justified and sensible. If he was British and he did the same for the same reasons (although I'm not sure we put as much stock into respecting the national anthem as you guys do), he would be backed massively in this country, certainly. In Britain, the story would be his message, not the so-called 'disrespect'.

 

[BritPat]

Go watch Hard Knocks from last week, not this week. Fisher is telling his players what they will do during the anthem. BB most likely does the same.

Without any disrespect meant at all sir, you can't possibly know that.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Actually, they did, including my nephew who's a Marine lifer. Freedom of speech is one of the things they fought for, even if they did not agree with the content.

As I've said, if people want to burn flags and sit on their hands during the NA, that is their right.

My point is that not showing respect to the nation that provides them that freedom for 2 freaking minutes is disrespectful and someone I really don't want to be in the same country with.

 

[oldrover]

Colin Kaepernick sits for national anthem at 49ers game | The MMQB with Peter King

Well, according to MMQB, Kaepernick performed an act of 'bravery'.

I guess these guys think 'bravery' is a day at the beach.

Which... it WAS... a long time ago.

 

[grux]

If he feels that strongly that our Country oppresses black people why doesn't he move to Canada and play in the CFL?

 

[1960Pats]

Wow! What a great thread to start off a beautiful Sunday morning here in the Boston area, where America began.

I didn't care much for Kaepernick before and his anti-American stance doesn't help him get on my good side.

 

[Wordsmyth]

Another whiny, petulant, and "oppressed" douchebag playing the diva. Nothing more to see here, folks. Move along, move along.

 

[p8ryts]

I don't like what he did but I am distressed that my America doesn't seem to allow different ideas or different expressions. One of our most treasured concepts is "freedom of speech" but its being worn down.
Stop being judgemental. Have an opinion, state it, but don't resent that someone else disagrees. If your the one that disagrees thats ok also, but don't assume you are right. "Respect the others opinion".

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Without any disrespect meant at all sir, you can't possibly know that.

I agree with Viper. Considering BB's past with his father coaching all those years at the Naval Academy and Belichick's respect for those institutions ( as well as drafting/signing multiple players from Navy over the years) it is not a stretch to assume that he, like Fisher ( as I take it you did not see the Hard Knocks episode)
instruct players in the Patriots way to act during the National Anthem.....

EDIT- I didn't include letting Ebner go to the Olympics to represent the US and having all the coaches wear the Stars and Stripes sweatshirts...

 

[A man named Brady]

I've been reading a lot of the comments to this story on other NFL forums/Twitter and the responses have been interesting to me. I don't know how people can root for a sports team that is overwhelmingly African American, but somehow have these negative and in many cases downright racist feelings toward African Americans. The amount of N bombs has been appalling

 

[Galeb]

 

[Galeb]

No they went over there so that Colin Kapernick and YOU are free to have an opinion and be able to state it freely. They DIDN'T fight so that everyone can have the SAME opinions.

Unfortunately, since after WWII, the reason they went is dramatically different than the motivations of those who sent them. Protesting the government doesn't automatically mean people are protesting the soldiers.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I agree with Viper. Considering BB's past with his father coaching all those years at the Naval Academy and Belichick's respect for those institutions ( as well as drafting/signing multiple players from Navy over the years) it is not a stretch to assume that he, like Fisher ( as I take it you did not see the Hard Knocks episode)
instruct players in the Patriots way to act during the National Anthem.....

EDIT- I didn't include letting Ebner go to the Olympics to represent the US and having all the coaches wear the Stars and Stripes sweatshirts...

Plus BBs dad served in WWII

 

[GoBlue]

Kaepernick looking for attention. If he doesn't want to stand let him stay in the locker room and just STFU.
Or he could take some of his money and even coerce some of his rich friends to use their money and try to do something so poor disadvantaged kids aren't robbing and killing because they don't know any better

 

[Galeb]

Not only is this "if you don't like it, leave" perspective complete bologna, it violates one of the fundamental principles upon which this nation was founded.

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

The "disrespecting" of our government doesn't imply that some other governments are far superior. If there is a truly benevolent, national government out there, I have yet to find it. They are all infected by the same sickness, albeit to different degrees. In fact, if the vast majority of my family wasn't in this country, I would have left long ago to a somewhat less greedy and aggressive country.

For the record, I do stand for the national anthem. The only reason is because many service men who've sacrificed much take personal offense otherwise. Even though these noble men have been duped into fighting for another's greed, they did so thinking they were fighting for freedom, and a country that they mistakenly believe is just and good. The real tragedy in all of this is that such a viscous and greedy government tricks men of valor into fighting and sacrificing so much for the wealth of a few.

 

[meatface]

backup QB on the 49ers does something, Why should we care?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

It's a free country, a freedom guaranteed by countless thousands who fought and died for the flag that our National Anthem hails. As a result, Colin Kaepernick is free to sit quietly during the National Anthem.

At the end of the day, Kaepernick has to live with the fact that he can no longer make news on the field, so he's left with making news from the sidelines.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I've been reading a lot of the comments to this story on other NFL forums/Twitter and the responses have been interesting to me. I don't know how people can root for a sports team that is overwhelmingly African American, but somehow have these negative and in many cases downright racist feelings toward African Americans. The amount of N bombs has been appalling

You missed the plot.
The African Americans who play for their teams are "good blacks," not "bad blacks."


[For the perception-deprived, the above is intended as sarcasm...you can never be too careful out here...]