Kneeling during the National Anthem is not disrespectful.
Kneeling during the National Anthem is not meant to offend veterans or anyone actively serving in the military.
If either of these responses are your answer for why you don’t approve of athletes kneeling for the anthem then you are a part of the problem.
By using these responses you are choosing disregard the explanations that have been given over and over again. You are choosing to ignore the voices that are calling out for help. You are choosing to ignore the fact that there is a much bigger problem behind it all.
Don’t get me wrong, I can look at it from the other side and see how those misconceptions can be formed. However, if you listen and look at everything that Colin Kaepernick has done since he started this movement, you can see exactly what his intentions are. You don’t have to agree with the method, but you also can’t say that he’s doing it just for publicity or money or disrespect.
Kneeling for the National Anthem is not a sign of disrespect.
According to the U.S. Flag Code, this is:
Kneeling during the National Anthem is not disrespectful.
Disrespectful is a justice system that does not protect law abiding citizens.
Disrespectful is crying about freedom of speech and then trying to silence those who disagree with you.
Disrespectful is taking an oath to serve and protect and then killing innocent civilians, often without a valid reason.
Disrespectful is a country that trains it’s law enforcement to fear certain people because of their skin color.
Disrespectful is knowing that KKK members, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists can walk the streets yelling and holding torches can walk the streets and be left alone while a peaceful BLM protest with silent fists held in the air would be seen as “threatening.”
By no means am I saying that anyone has to agree with this. You don’t have to like it, and you most certainly have the right to voice your opinion. Before you do that, I strongly advise you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
bookmarkchronicles 
Reblogged this on Coalition of the Brave and commented:
This is what’s going on – it’s not about disrespecting the flag, it’s about drawing attention to the plight of people who would otherwise have no voice.
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Thanks, Ben!
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Absolutely right, on every point.
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Thank you!
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I respect their right to protest I just detest the disrespect they kneel as a sign that they hate this nation that affords them the ability earn million upon million of dollars playing a game . I stand for my flag and anthem cause I know their are many who have served this country that can no longer stand cause they either lost their life or were injured defending the rights of this country If you wanna kneel and be that detestable you are free to leave this country and see what real oppression feels and looks like
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They don’t hate this nation they hate the way that people are treated. And as I mentioned I understand how it could be seen as disrespectful to people who have served even thought that was never the intention. Colin Kaep isn’t making million because he’s not playing, he isn’t even signed with anyone. And there is “real” oppression in this country.
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Good he is a shit player with to much drama about him starting the knee to disrespect the nation and flag movement , You people do know its not just black folks that cops kill unjustly ? Or to you it only matters when the persons skin tone is a bit darker then the person shooting . I do not support the racist BLM or the racist cops when they shoot someone based on their skin tone I simply do not see them being disrespectful brats going anywhere to solve this it may make things worse
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First of all, none of this has anything to do with drama or disrespect. If you actually look at what Kaep says and has done you would know that.
Second, don’t use the term “you people” with me k thanks.
Lastly, yeah actually I do know that the majority of people killed by police are white so how come none of you seem to care? Also when an unarmed white person is killed by the police it’s still BLM that raises awareness about it, holds candlelight vigils, and spreads the word.
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Reblogged this on The Patchwork Diaries and commented:
I’m writing my own piece on this issue as well… in the meantime check out Rae’s over at Bookmark Chronicles.
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Thank you
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No problem! I can’t believe the number of people all bent out of shape over this. I, for one, have really opened my eyes. I hope Mr. Kaepernick eventually gets the respect he deserves for starting the movement. It definitely started conversations. It’s a shame so many of the loudest voices missed the point entirely.
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Yes! Well said. Kaep is a good guy, he deserves a lot better
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That was well-put- especially your examples. Another one I heard the other day questioned whether the most vocal of complainers stood at home or doffed their hats when it came on TV.
Now, you know you and I don’t really agree on most issues, and of course this is one of them. May I say why I am against the protest? First, because it was not fair or equal of the NFL to allow this and not allow the Cowboys to salute Law Enforcement as well back on that pre-season game when this all started. Freedom of Speech should have allowed both. So, here I am not so against the protest as against League hypocrisy.
The other is that, as it was originally expressed (at least the way I took it), this started as a protest against Police brutality and unfair treatment by the law. And to me, this is a valid but smaller issue compared to the gang violence and gang crime that causes the vast majority- BUT not all- of police shootings. I feel like focusing on one without the other is a waste of precious time and resources on a symptom instead of the disease. And, the way it has been presented (blame the media here), it has been far more divisive than productive.
Has it started the conversation? Maybe. The right conversation? I don’t know. Patchwork Cat’s post today shows very well that both sides have some issues to deal with. But it starts by actually reading and listening, and being respectful about it. FB and Twitter fail to accomplish what both of you did on this post and on hers.
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I agree that Dallas should have been able to salute police after what happened. Nothing that I’ve said so far indicated otherwise.
Police brutality and gang violence are two completely different subjects and no they do not have to be discussed together. Especially when this movement that Kaepernick started began over a year ago is about the deaths of unarmed civilians and how many POC are often treated less than human.
And I disagree with blaming the media. If people want information, they are capable of seeking it for themselves but choose not to.
Yes this has started a conversation. Is it the right conversation? No because instead of focusing on the issue that Kaepernick is trying to raise awareness for, people are grasping at straws trying to come up with a disagreement.
I have not yet read Patchwork Kat’s post but she and I have had a conversation about this topic and pretty much agree with each other.
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I applaud you so much for writing a post about this. I don’t see anything disrespectful about kneeling during the National Anthem, in a way it’s actually respectful. At Military funerals when the folded flag is being presented to the family, the Serviceman kneels while presenting it. Another thing that a lot of people have to remember, is that teams didn’t start taking the field for the Anthem until after 2009 when the NFL got a shit load of money from the Department of Defense to display more acts of patriotism. I’m also tired of people who don’t want to listen and aren’t understanding the protests, and completely missing the point of what the protests are for.
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Thank you!
Exactly, there are so many factors that go into this but people refuse to look at the whole picture but have so much to say about it. It makes no sense
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It really doesn’t, but it’s just people being ignorant and refusing to listen.
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