I hate football...
I can list endless data on why it's a sport that needs to end, beginning with concussions and the permanent damage they cause, much less data on the prevalence of youth concussions not just at games, but at practice.
Like many in our nation, I've been contemplating football, and the outcry and issues over kneeling during football games...
Our nation is made of many voices. I consider different views to slowly come to my own.
First MLB Player Kneels During National Anthem
"The 26-year-old Maxwell was born at a military installation in Germany, where his father served in the Army."
And yet, so many older Americans are absolutely outraged by it. I've heard several compare it to flag burning. I just don't see that parallel at all.
I think the disconnect perhaps stems from experiences during and around the Vietnam War, when veterans and our flag were disrespected by some in the name of protests, which I think most all agree now was wrong. This, however, I don't believe has anything to do with attacking veterans.
The protests, agree or not, stem from perceived disparities in our criminal-justice system, and are about institutional racism, not about veterans or the flag."
Football players refusing to stand can be seen as unpatriotic, self-aggrandizing, and a slap to those serving and have served in our nation's armed forces.
Consider, though, that this could be a generational viewpoint, and that those younger protestors are drawing attention to the fact that this country does NOT even-handedly treat all citizens, and is often, in fact, unjust.
If you live anywhere, you know where good, clean, non-mold-infested schools, lush grocery stores, and sparkling breweries, are... and are not.
Maybe we ALL need to be better citizens and listen, more.
I awoke up this morning, scrolled Facebook, clicked on a real-estate farm ad out of curiosity, and was reminded of the casual, daily, aggressive racism our fellow citizens who are not white face.
Black Lives matter not to put one life or group over another, but to remind us all that historically, as the protesters want us to know, black lives have been fraught with reminders of oppression, violence, and active attempts to subjugate, today. Can we talk about that?
Let's talk about the anthem.
Maybe, growing up, I listened to the star spangled banner and never realized it had a verse, even back then, that many saw as inappropriate.
Jon Scwartz argues, in COLIN KAEPERNICK IS RIGHTER THAN YOU KNOW: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IS A CELEBRATION OF SLAVERY, that:
"The reality is that there were human beings fighting for freedom with incredible bravery during the War of 1812. However, “The Star-Spangled Banner” glorifies America’s 'triumph' over them — and then turns that reality completely upside down, transforming their killers into the courageous freedom fighters.
After the U.S. and the British signed a peace treaty at the end of 1814, the U.S. government demanded the return of American 'property,' which by that point numbered about 6,000 people. The British refused. Most of the 6,000 eventually settled in Canada, with some going to Trinidad, where their descendants are still known as 'Merikins.'"
"But that was back then, lots of people owned slaves, including Francis Scott Key, that doesn't mean that we should replace our national anthem..." Well maybe that it is true slavery was allowed, then, but does that mean that we should have a song that celebrates the downfall of slaves backing the British during the revolution for their freedom, TODAY?
Here's another historical perspective: Maybe Francis Scott Key didn't mean an enslaved African American at all.
But when, TODAY, African American athletes and their white teammates start kneeling in peaceful protest, maybe we as fellow citizens and elders should listen.
They might appear to be pampered high-dollar athletes who shouldn't have a voice in national affairs.
But why shouldn't they? Why shouldn't any of us? This is OUR nation...
They might be "high dollar" but maybe then consider they might have even more to risk than the frustrated teen in poverty lashing out with paint?
Maybe they are risking EVERYTHING to kneel.
Maybe we should listen, and look around, more.
I noticed, as my son enters his teen years edging towards a young man, differences in how his enthusiastic boundary-pushing might be treated differently if he were not white.
I just noticed, and listened, and considered quietly.
So lock arms or kneel, I think it's a great conversation on how people FEEL and an opportunity to LISTEN to what other lives and viewpoints are saying.
Who are we, in freedom, to judge someone who quietly stands or kneels?
Also: I'm not so sure that locking arms means you're anti-kneeling, in fact, I believe it is another sign of protest.
"Well NASCAR isn't protesting... why do football players feel they should talk politics?"
From the NYT:
"At a Nascar race in New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon, The Associated Press reported that no team members appeared to demonstrate while the anthem played. The Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty said that anyone who does not stand up for the anthem ought to be 'out of the country. Period.' He added that anyone at his company who protested the anthem should be fired."
NASCAR is not a sport made up of great variations of voices.
Did you know that NASCAR's audience is 94% white, and economically skewed towards middle and blue collar? Probably not a surprise. Is this group is listening to others' voices that are not just like them?
"NFL Fans Come From All Backgrounds
1 in 4 NFL fans has an income above $100k. This places the NFL behind the NHL (33%) and the PGA (27%).
26% of NFL fans make $40k or less annually. Only the NHL (21%) and the PGA (25%) have a smaller low income demographic.
77% of NFL fans are Caucasian, compared to 15% being African-American/Black and 8% being Hispanic.
The 55+ age demographic is the largest percentage off the NFL fans demographics at 37%. Another 34% of NFL fans are in the 35-54 age demographic.
At 68,000 fans per event, only NASCAR at 98,000 fans per event eclipses the NFL for attendance."
I like NASCAR as much as football.
(Turn left... turn left... turn left...
Don't get me started on the environmental issues...)
But wait, folks.
EVEN NASCAR BEGINS TO LISTEN, DISCUSS, DIALOGUE, CONSIDER...
"OH MY GOSH I AM SO TIRED OF ALL THESE SPORTS PEOPLE TALKING POLITICS THEY SHOULD JUST SHUT THE HELL UP AND DO THEIR **JOB**."
NO ONE HERE condones looting or violence.
When NASCAR and the NFL are talking politics, why shouldn't this be a national conversation?
And last I checked, not a one of you expressing the sentiments above was a political scientist.
No, you're a dog groomer. A work from home mom. You work construction. You work hard, every day, and I love and respect you.
So can we spend a little love and respect for anyone else wanting to have a national conversation on inequality, on injustice? Let's listen.
I can list endless data on why it's a sport that needs to end, beginning with concussions and the permanent damage they cause, much less data on the prevalence of youth concussions not just at games, but at practice.
Like many in our nation, I've been contemplating football, and the outcry and issues over kneeling during football games...
"Kaepernick’s anthem protests began during the 2016 preseason, under a different president and largely unnoticed at first, in the wake of several high-profile incidents in which black Americans were killed during interactions with police officers. Initially, Kaepernick protested by sitting down.
'I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,' he told NFL Media at the time.
'To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.'
After his seated protests drew scrutiny, Kaepernick began kneeling instead, a change that he said allowed him to show respect while continuing to press his point. Several N.F.L. players joined him in solidarity, as did athletes in other sports and leagues."
Our nation is made of many voices. I consider different views to slowly come to my own.
First MLB Player Kneels During National Anthem
"The 26-year-old Maxwell was born at a military installation in Germany, where his father served in the Army."
"More and more I think the controversy around this is largely a generational thing. People my age don't think kneeling silently in protest during the anthem is a sign of disrespect to those serving in the military, as evidenced by this son of a veteran joining the protests.
And yet, so many older Americans are absolutely outraged by it. I've heard several compare it to flag burning. I just don't see that parallel at all.
I think the disconnect perhaps stems from experiences during and around the Vietnam War, when veterans and our flag were disrespected by some in the name of protests, which I think most all agree now was wrong. This, however, I don't believe has anything to do with attacking veterans.
The protests, agree or not, stem from perceived disparities in our criminal-justice system, and are about institutional racism, not about veterans or the flag."
Football players refusing to stand can be seen as unpatriotic, self-aggrandizing, and a slap to those serving and have served in our nation's armed forces.
Consider, though, that this could be a generational viewpoint, and that those younger protestors are drawing attention to the fact that this country does NOT even-handedly treat all citizens, and is often, in fact, unjust.
If you live anywhere, you know where good, clean, non-mold-infested schools, lush grocery stores, and sparkling breweries, are... and are not.
Maybe we ALL need to be better citizens and listen, more.
I awoke up this morning, scrolled Facebook, clicked on a real-estate farm ad out of curiosity, and was reminded of the casual, daily, aggressive racism our fellow citizens who are not white face.
Black Lives matter not to put one life or group over another, but to remind us all that historically, as the protesters want us to know, black lives have been fraught with reminders of oppression, violence, and active attempts to subjugate, today. Can we talk about that?
Let's talk about the anthem.
Maybe, growing up, I listened to the star spangled banner and never realized it had a verse, even back then, that many saw as inappropriate.
Jon Scwartz argues, in COLIN KAEPERNICK IS RIGHTER THAN YOU KNOW: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IS A CELEBRATION OF SLAVERY, that:
"The reality is that there were human beings fighting for freedom with incredible bravery during the War of 1812. However, “The Star-Spangled Banner” glorifies America’s 'triumph' over them — and then turns that reality completely upside down, transforming their killers into the courageous freedom fighters.
After the U.S. and the British signed a peace treaty at the end of 1814, the U.S. government demanded the return of American 'property,' which by that point numbered about 6,000 people. The British refused. Most of the 6,000 eventually settled in Canada, with some going to Trinidad, where their descendants are still known as 'Merikins.'"
"But that was back then, lots of people owned slaves, including Francis Scott Key, that doesn't mean that we should replace our national anthem..." Well maybe that it is true slavery was allowed, then, but does that mean that we should have a song that celebrates the downfall of slaves backing the British during the revolution for their freedom, TODAY?
Here's another historical perspective: Maybe Francis Scott Key didn't mean an enslaved African American at all.
But when, TODAY, African American athletes and their white teammates start kneeling in peaceful protest, maybe we as fellow citizens and elders should listen.
They might appear to be pampered high-dollar athletes who shouldn't have a voice in national affairs.
But why shouldn't they? Why shouldn't any of us? This is OUR nation...
They might be "high dollar" but maybe then consider they might have even more to risk than the frustrated teen in poverty lashing out with paint?
Maybe they are risking EVERYTHING to kneel.
Maybe we should listen, and look around, more.
I noticed, as my son enters his teen years edging towards a young man, differences in how his enthusiastic boundary-pushing might be treated differently if he were not white.
I just noticed, and listened, and considered quietly.
So lock arms or kneel, I think it's a great conversation on how people FEEL and an opportunity to LISTEN to what other lives and viewpoints are saying.
Who are we, in freedom, to judge someone who quietly stands or kneels?
"Well NASCAR isn't protesting... why do football players feel they should talk politics?"
From the NYT:
"At a Nascar race in New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon, The Associated Press reported that no team members appeared to demonstrate while the anthem played. The Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty said that anyone who does not stand up for the anthem ought to be 'out of the country. Period.' He added that anyone at his company who protested the anthem should be fired."
NASCAR is not a sport made up of great variations of voices.
Did you know that NASCAR's audience is 94% white, and economically skewed towards middle and blue collar? Probably not a surprise. Is this group is listening to others' voices that are not just like them?
"NFL Fans Come From All Backgrounds
1 in 4 NFL fans has an income above $100k. This places the NFL behind the NHL (33%) and the PGA (27%).
26% of NFL fans make $40k or less annually. Only the NHL (21%) and the PGA (25%) have a smaller low income demographic.
77% of NFL fans are Caucasian, compared to 15% being African-American/Black and 8% being Hispanic.
The 55+ age demographic is the largest percentage off the NFL fans demographics at 37%. Another 34% of NFL fans are in the 35-54 age demographic.
At 68,000 fans per event, only NASCAR at 98,000 fans per event eclipses the NFL for attendance."
(Turn left... turn left... turn left...
Don't get me started on the environmental issues...)
But wait, folks.
EVEN NASCAR BEGINS TO LISTEN, DISCUSS, DIALOGUE, CONSIDER...
"OH MY GOSH I AM SO TIRED OF ALL THESE SPORTS PEOPLE TALKING POLITICS THEY SHOULD JUST SHUT THE HELL UP AND DO THEIR **JOB**."
 |
| (Another Facebook gem.) |
When NASCAR and the NFL are talking politics, why shouldn't this be a national conversation?
And last I checked, not a one of you expressing the sentiments above was a political scientist.
No, you're a dog groomer. A work from home mom. You work construction. You work hard, every day, and I love and respect you.
So can we spend a little love and respect for anyone else wanting to have a national conversation on inequality, on injustice? Let's listen.
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