Colin Kaepernick Protest

[GooberBM]

I really didn't find this situation about Colin Kaepernick protesting against inequalities in America (particularly racially) by not standing for the National Anthem to be a big deal...until White America decided he's unamerican for doing a silent, peaceful protest.

It's weird and hypocritical as shit: McKayla Maroney stink faces on the podium when she "only" wins a silver medal and she gets a meme. Gabby Douglas doesn't put her hand over her heart and she's vilified until she goes on social media feeling pressure to apologize for not being patriotic enough.

Colin Kaepernick finds a quiet, personal way to try to protest injustice he sees, didn't go out of his way to promote it or himself, and he's vilified, including by members of the New York Giants organization who had harsh words for him...while they continue to employ and protect a kicker who is under domestic violence allegations. So being a black man and not standing up for the national anthem (an optional fucking choice, even on the PA they ask you to stand, it's not a requirement), but being an alleged woman beater is okay, if you're white.

And you wonder why he doesn't want to stand up for the anthem....

[El Canuck]

Ironic that such a strong contingent of those condemning this action are the same crowd waving yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flags and going apeshit over their freedoms when a Democratic government so much as farts in their general direction.

[GooberBM]

Hypocritical, more than ironic

[GooberBM]

https://www.facebook.com/TomiLahren/vid ... 907114129/

My favorite, delightful cupcake of stupidity is back at it. Man, she says some dumb shit

[El Canuck]

I can't do it to myself to watch her videos anymore, I value my brain cells too much and her every word chews through them like a feral cat on an open can of tuna.

[GooberBM]

I find that overt, undeniably ignorant spiel more digestible than the subtle discrediting that is coming from predominantly white people, trying to discredit Kaepernick's patriotism as a way to ignore the actual content of his protest.

It's sad and really just proves his point, the more people vilify him, instead of asking the questions of themselves that his protest puts out there

[eobversion1]

https://www.facebook.com/TomiLahren/vid ... 907114129/

My favorite, delightful cupcake of stupidity is back at it. Man, she says some dumb shit

These fucking people man. Right Wing sites reported based on complete and utter speculation that he had converted to Islam and that he came from a troubled background, yadda, yadda, yadda. Like that even fucking matters. They did everything they could to tar and feather him because to them it's not about the truth it's about getting their viewers to doubt the subject of the issue or come up with some kind of misdirection.

Just because she's a girl reading off a teleprompter what a producer wants her to say doesn't mean anyone has to give a fuck and it doesn't mean we're ignorant or sheep if we don't. Ignoring the ignorant and not putting up with the intolerant isn't just a choice it's a necessity.

It's the primary reason why I didn't take that much notice of this as a news story, it's just a man expressing himself based on his beliefs. Of course, people have the right to criticize him and the team can take whatever actions they want to take too, it's their lives and their choices. What I don't get is the doubting of his patriotism because of his background or what he might or might not believe, that's some sinister shit.

[El Canuck]

The word "patriot" has been savagely beaten into an unrecognizable lump by people who are loyal only to their ideology. They are patriotic to their vision of what they want America to be, patriotic to a by-gone era that only really exists on Leave it to Beaver and Happy Days reruns, patriotic to simple solutions to complex issues and patriotic to the pedestal on which their underlying and communally accepted prejudices and bigotry have kept them for centuries.

They were never patriotic to their country, though, because to be a patriot to that is to be more than patriotic to a big chunk of land, a song and a flag, anyone can do that. To really be patriotic, you have to be willing to stand beside your country and ALL the people in it, regardless of the colour of their skin, their religious beliefs, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, political persuasion or financial status. Because patriotism (and the U.K. and Canada, for that matter, because it's not a problem isolated to just America) is not just about border lines, national anthems, flags and pledges of allegiance. It's about being able to stand by your fellow citizen and not just the white, Christian, middle class ones, in both times of trouble and times of peace. If you can't do that, if you can't dignify your fellow citizens who don't happen to be the same as you with the same rights, freedoms and opportunities that you want for yourself and your children, then you are no patriot. If you can't do that, it really doesn't matter if you stand up, remove your hat and put your hand on your heart for the national anthem.

[eobversion1]

Couldn't agree more and they'll be the first to tell you when they think they're rights are being infringed upon too. Like you said, they think they own the definition of Patriotism and that they're the keepers of that phrase when in fact it means whatever is convenient for them at the time.

[GooberBM]

That's what really makes this situation important. It's not that he decided to protest something by the strength of his convictions (which is important, but not the big thing). It's not even that people have a problem with his method of protest. It's that people are working so hard to avoid even the concept that there's something worth protesting by drawing attention to everything except the point he was trying to make.

They don't even understand that that's the exact reason why he decided to not stand. It's not that there's injustice in the world, because there always will be injustice. Humans are imperfect creatures. But for too long, people have just swept the many injustices (in the many categories Nucks named) under the rug and ignore and dismiss their existence. The energy going into the character assassination of Colin Kaepernick is amazing and disturbing to witness

[eobversion1]

The energy going into the character assassination of Colin Kaepernick is amazing and disturbing to witness

That's wrong. It's not like he's trying to make a celebrity out of himself or anything. Specifically trying to undermine someone for highlighting an issue, purposefully trying to arouse suspicion in attacking that person is an unparalleled level of human ugliness.

[El Canuck]

They're making the case for him.

"When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say." - Tyrion Lannister

In this case his tongue is his very character and reputation on which he has to be heard from above most.

[eobversion1]

They're making the case for him.

"When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say." - Tyrion Lannister

In this case his tongue is his very character and reputation on which he has to be heard from above most.

Which is it's a very dangerous thing to take professional shit-stirrers, charlatans, and snake oil salesmen seriously. People like Ann Coulter don't actually believe what they say, what normal human being could? They just love the attention they get for saying it. Treat them like streakers at a sporting event. Media coverage and attention is like oxygen to them. Ignore them and they'll go away. Too much offense is taken at them which is giving them what they want.

[GooberBM]

The problem is who is going to cut off their oxygen?

The conservative right movement has thrived, on a message-based "entertainment" level, more than any other political leaning (in American politics as that is what I can speak upon) where Fox News is THE single biggest news entity, in terms of audience pull, in the country and the extent that if/when Donald Trump fails in his Presidential bid, he's got all of the resources and connections to create his own news/entertainment conglomerate that will further expand his own personal brand to the legions of "followers" (his distinction, not mine) that he's indoctrinated over the last 14 months.

Ignoring them will not accomplish the goal of stopping their rhetoric from spreading. It takes direct action from people, standing up and saying that they don't agree with how things are, think things can be better, and wanting to find ways to make them better.

Colin Kaepernick at least hit that first mark. The fact that we can't even approach the second and third statements, of him or ourselves, is the failing we have as a society

[eobversion1]

It takes direct action from people, standing up and saying that they don't agree with how things are, think things can be better, and wanting to find ways to make them better.

I would argue that Hillary Clinton's speech last week did just that.

But what can you do when all who oppose are dismissed as a part of the liberally biased media or branded a Social Justice Warrior? (caring about others is such a negative trait huh?)

The polarization and fragmentation of Kaepernick is case and point. How can we agree that he had every right to highlight that issue, and that it is an issue when because of the websites we visit every day we can't agree which way up is?

[El Canuck]

Ah yes, the "liberally biased media" excuse. The go-to reason to write off anything and everything the right wing crowd don't agree with in the news. I also love the attempt to make "social justice" into disparaging words. Their new phrase is to call left wing leaning, adult males "cucks" which is short for cuckold. (an etymology which I have no doubt many are entirely unaware of)

"I hear their screaming, as they cling to their antiquated, patriarchal ideologies, massaging their bruised, emasculated egos. Are they grown men or children amidst a tantrum? If not for the pitch of their wailing I would be unable to discern between them at all." - Marigold Tullivan.

[GooberBM]

It's a militant avoidance of having a conversation to the nth degree.

In America, we've dealt with this about slavery, about women's rights, about the rights of the disabled, religious rights. And it's at the heart of "Make America Great Again". The entire premise about that is that where we have advanced to now is not as good as things were...when things were even more overtly unbalanced in the direction of the few.

As human beings, it shouldn't be a question that we want equal rights and fair opportunities for everyone, and we should continue to strive to reach that ideal. Not progress backwards and take that off the table for people

[eobversion1]

Demagogues gonna demagogue.

[GooberBM]

https://twitter.com/charlotteirene8/sta ... 8958117888

Can't win for losing, man

[eobversion1]

They don't get the concept of irony in any way whatsoever, it's where their projection comes from.

https://twitter.com/PabloTorre/status/7 ... 1420512256