OK now for a perplexing question

[Whatwave22]

lets say your kids team decides to kneel at tbe national anthem ect.now your kid is caught between not kneeling to not disrespect family members that have fought and died for that flag and all it represents to him and his family.
But still wants to support his teammates.
What do you tell them?
Bite the bullet? For team solidarity?
Stand proud ?do what you feel you need to do?

[Whatwave22]

i also understand this topic may be to controversial for this board .so delete if you feel its necessary.

[Rebel-Fan-74]

Personally, I don't think disrespecting the National Anthem and the country is a proper place for protesting. I'm all for freedom of expression and standing up for inequality, real or perceived. I think multimillionaires could better use their time and talents and yes, their money and status in more productive ways..... like LeBron James and his work in Cleveland. I'm not a fan of the NBA or the Lakers or James, but the work with kids he does is beyond question, and is an example for others to follow. I would much rather see those athletes do something along this line instead of just kneeling. Much more productive and uniting for all people.

If my grandson came to me under the circumstances you mention, I would share those thoughts with him and tell him that I would prefer that he not kneel. However, the final determination would be his parents for now, and his when he gets older.

[Onion Rings]

what if the whole team including the coaches kneeled?

[DeCav]

I’ve always been mystified by the reaction to kneeling on one knee during the anthem.

Yes, the tradition is to stand tall with your hat off and your right hand over your heart.

But when someone is knighted, he kneels out of respect.

When a player is down on the football field, the more serious the injury seems the more likely his teammates will kneel. I’ve seen Dorman players kneeling in solidarity (AND PRAYER) when a player from the OTHER team was down and a stretcher was being rushed onto the field.

In sports, has it not been a gesture in a desperately worrying situation when not doing the predictable thing (such as huddling to prepare for the next play while a fellow player is in an unknown state of health, or safety, essentially the future of something (an athlete?....a country?).

When I take Communion, the body and blood of Christ, as a Lutheran we kneel. My whole life, kneeling whether on one knee or two was drilled into me as a sign of reverence, respect, and recognition of something meaningful or sacred.

An NFL player realizes this and protests in the most respectful, peaceful, and discreet way he can think of and an alarmingly percentage of the population (largely privileged and not concerned with the plight of some other Americans) just lose their minds over it.

I believe if Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, George Washington, Frances Marion, or any founding father saw anyone on their knee during the national anthem they might say, “Get up man! You don’t serve a king anymore!” The offense to the founding fathers might actually be that someone kneeling during the anthem was showing too much respect instead of not enough.

Honestly, I really feel it is a psychological victory for minorities. If the original plan had been to just stay in the locker room until after the anthem, it’d have been way more offensive and had a more volatile reaction. As a result the powers that be reacted by mandating at one point that players that wish to protest just stay in the locker room.

(When I was misbehaving I was sent to my room. Well that’s where all my toys were.)

For the record if a player was just sitting on the bench drinking a Gatorade during the national anthem, or shooting a bird, jawing, or actively disrupting the moment I’d have a problem with. Would still be allowed constitutionally I think but I would find it offensive.

Luckily we live in America where peaceful protest is protected.

“But they’re working for us!”, I hear some people say.

Yeah, they’ve been doing it for a long time.

It’s progress of a sort I suppose that a grandfather can give counsel and then let the child make up his own mind and the child isn’t punished either way (for the most part).

Consider the Victory formation. What is the last gesture of the Victory formation? Taking a knee. When we see our team’s QB taking a knee in the last few minutes of the 4th quarter it means (excepting anticipation of overtime) that we’ve won.

In closing if I was a coach it might be against the rules....

But if I knew the other QB was about to take a knee?

I’d be tempted to strike up the national anthem on the off chance that the other QB might be prevented by his politics from taking a knee during the anthem. How do you get away with that? Have the linebackers and secondary sing the national anthem at the top of their lungs.

Pop Warner would approve!

[DeCav]

what if the whole team including the coaches kneeled?

That’s called consensus and as long they went out and whooped the other team’s ass?

I think eventually it wouldn’t bother people so much.

Remember when blacks weren’t allowed to play at all?

People got over that also when their team started winning.

[cavaliereagle]

DeCav, the things you mentioned kneeling for, it's always been customary to kneel for. It has never been customary to kneel for our National Anthem! I will never be okay with this. This is not what I fought and bled for. This is not what our ancestors died for. Yes, I fought for people's rights to do things. However, I never expected the country I love to be hated and disrespected in such a way. I also will not try to make excuses for their behavior! I do, as always, respect your opinion Brother!

[SF Band dad]

Just about every pregame I've seen in SC has the national anthem played before the teams run onto the field, let's just keep it that way.

.... however, to answer the question, I have never thought that protesting during the anthem is appropriate and I would advise any of my relatives against it.

The USA!! A country so great that even those that hate it won't leave.

[cavaliereagle]

Just about every pregame I've seen in SC has the national anthem played before the teams run onto the field, let's just keep it that way.

.... however, to answer the question, I have never thought that protesting during the anthem is appropriate and I would advise any of my relatives against it.

The USA!! A country so great that even those that hate it won't leave.

Agreed!

[Damefan]

I think you ask a very good but difficult question in the times we live in. I was once faced with the question of my daughter going to prom with a very intelligent and well thought of black athlete player years ago. I was told I couldn't let this happen by many of my friends that found out about it because we were in a small town and it wasn't proper.

I had always raised my kids that there was no color except in those that were prejudice and my family had already experienced enough of that coming to this country from Germany and Ireland back in our family history. I allowed my daughter to go to the prom with the young man because they were friends and it was just that. When it was over they went to their separate parties and had a great experience. I could have made a big deal about it and blown it out of proportion but I didn't and some others did and the blowback they got was bad.

My point is I explained to my daughter the potential ramifications of her actions so she was aware of what could be coming by other people's perceptions. She knew whatever her decision I would always love and respect her and I allowed her to make the final choice. Kids need to make big decisions with parameters before they leave the house. I always tried to teach my children how to make choices growing up so when they were out in the world they at least understood how to process the decision making ability worked. Have the conversation with your child and help them to be able to make an informed decision for themselves. My wife's motto has always been: "I do me, You do you"!