How Kneeling Became a Protest Symbol

[Allison]

Do you honestly think it was the intention of those lovely ladies to disrespect our beautiful flag? It was the exact opposite and I salute them for their patriotism.

Patriotism. That's funny. I highly doubt that is what they had on their mind when they put those bikinis on.

 

[Darklord77]

Patriotism. That's funny. I highly doubt that is what they had on their mind when they put those bikinis on.

Another mind reader! So when Colin Kaepernick kneels can I say : "Social injustice/police brutality. That's funny. I highly doubt that is what the had on his mind when he took a knee"?

 

[tcufrog]

The Flag Code doesn't supersede the Bill of Rights.

 

[Kgbdad]

So then WHY do it DURING the National Anthem WHILE saluting the flag?! Go on TV, pay for your own TV time. Talk about it after the game to the reporters. Makes no sense.

When do you want someone to demonstrate their concern with a social legal issue? The message gets many more eyeballs when it is done then. Why do you think the military pays to have their troops and/or aircraft on TV at that time?

 

[sam_gordon]

Another mind reader! So when Colin Kaepernick kneels can I say : "Social injustice/police brutality. That's funny. I highly doubt that is what the had on his mind when he took a knee"?

Didn't he SAY that's what he was protesting? So why does anyone need to read his mind?

You still haven't explained how you know the girls in the bikinis were honoring the flag.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Another mind reader! So when Colin Kaepernick kneels can I say : "Social injustice/police brutality. That's funny. I highly doubt that is what the had on his mind when he took a knee"?

Umm, no. Because he clearly stated his frame of mind and why he was doing it. There is no guessing there.

But again, how do you know what those two ladies in bikinis were thinking and how do you know it’s patriotism to the flag?

 

[Kgbdad]

Yeah, after 9/11 it shifted. At first, God Bless America was in addition to Take Me Out to the Ballgame but eventually came to replace it. A lot of people stand, with their hands over their hearts and their hats off like it was the National Anthem... and the more aggressively patriotic few are sometimes drunk enough to be belligerently offended by anyone who doesn't do the same. It has made the cheap seats a markedly less enjoyable experience in recent years.

Detroit has cheap seats for major league sporting events? Wow!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Didn't he SAY that's what he was protesting? So why does anyone need to read his mind?

You still haven't explained how you know the girls in the bikinis were honoring the flag.

I should have gotten to the end to see you had already posted what I just typed.

 

[monkeydawn]

So what IS a "legitimate form of protest"?

You will never get it, because you don't want to. No form of protest by him would have been convenient to you, so you will purposely never get it.

At a certain point you have to really wonder if it isnt the How, When and Where of the protests but rather the Why.

Really? You know the flag is not just fabric. It’s a symbol of our freedom.

I agree completely that the flag is a symbol of our freedom. Where we part ways is that I would never value a symbol over our actual freedoms.

There has been a fair amount of attacking and no one has given you the opportunity to say how you have personally support the movement, assuming you agree that black and brown people should not be disproportionately profiled and targeted by the police. What do you approve of and do as an appropriate way to support BLM?

Perfectly fine with that double standard. Both groups are attention whores in one way or another. I will admit that. However, the ladies have patriotic intentions.

I cannot imagine anything more patriotic than fighting for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for our fellow citizens. Which is what Kap was doing in the best way that he knew how, under the advice of those that had fought for our country and whose image is very tightly bound to the flag.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

There has been a fair amount of attacking and no one has given you the opportunity to say how you have personally support the movement, assuming you agree that black and brown people should not be disproportionately profiled and targeted by the police. What do you approve of and do as an appropriate way to support BLM?

While I agree with almost all you’ve said, there was no attacking and quite a few of us asked how she would like to see the protests done instead. I know I specifically asked her where would be the right time and place. And I don’t ask that to be snarky, it’s a legitimate question. I see that same rhetoric over and over again (not just here) and yet not ONE suggestion of what the appropriate manner would be - that would still garner the needed attention.

 

[Darklord77]

Didn't he SAY that's what he was protesting? So why does anyone need to read his mind?

You still haven't explained how you know the girls in the bikinis were honoring the flag.

Well sorry. If "Kap" said so then it must be the gospel. I'm sure he did not have any ulterior motives like trying to draw attention to himself personally.

Lets see. The two lovely ladies were not burning, defacing, laying on the flag, or kneeling. They were giving a thumbs up while wearing red white and blue bikinis with an actual U.S. flag behind them. Even the FBI could draw the conclusion that they were showing patriotism. I think the only other thing they could have been doing is having a marching band playing America the Beautiful while a bald eagle flew around them.

 

[b2k1121]

There you go, you just proved my point. The first thing you go to when someone has opinions that differ with yours is hurling insults. So I'm stupid and ignorant? Right out of the playbook I was talking about: you don't agree so you must be evil argument. Having strong opinions and not willing to go along with this particular group-think makes me a dimwit I guess.

No, saying your opinions are set in stone and will not be changed regardless of any new information being presented makes someone a dimwit.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Well sorry. If "Kap" said so then it must be the gospel. I'm sure he did not have any ulterior motives like trying to draw attention to himself personally.

Lets see. The two lovely ladies were not burning, defacing, laying on the flag, or kneeling. They were giving a thumbs up while wearing red white and blue bikinis with an actual U.S. flag behind them. Even the FBI could draw the conclusion that they were showing patriotism. I think the only other thing they could have been doing is having a marching band playing America the Beautiful while a bald eagle flew around them.

Why is Kap in quotes. That’s who did the action. That’s who spoke the words. It is pretty clear cut.

Going to guess you don’t spend a lot of time on Snapchat or Instagram? My guess is those were more that than any type of patriotism. But since they haven’t said that, neither of one us can speak to their motives.

But I do love the irony of one clearly stating their intentions as being suspect, but the one we know nothing about being the one that is definitively what you say.

 

[monkeydawn]

While I agree with almost all you’ve said, there was no attacking and quite a few of us asked how she would like to see the protests done instead. I know I specifically asked her where would be the right time and place. And I don’t ask that to be snarky, it’s a legitimate question. I see that same rhetoric over and over again (not just here) and yet not ONE suggestion of what the appropriate manner would be - that would still garner the needed attention.

I'm not going to go through the almost 200 replies to this thread to pick out a few specific examples but I read them all in one shot and it felt attack-y at times. ICR specific names of people that came off as aggressive so I dont know if I would include you in that category.

 

[Kgbdad]

And if you're a Christian, it's idolatry, and will get you in pretty deep doo-doo with the Big Guy.

Not only Christian, but to any follower of an Abrahamic Religion.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm not going to go through the almost 200 replies to this thread to pick out a few specific examples but I read them all in one shot and it felt attack-y at times. ICR specific names of people that came off as aggressive so I dont know if I would include you in that category.

I was aggressive and don’t regret it. I’m tired of people who refuse to understand.

 

[Kgbdad]

This flag wearer is way more problematic than the bikini wearers or Kap’s pig socks,

 

[monkeydawn]

Why is Kap in quotes.

Only replying here because of what you just said to me.

To me, this could be taken as attacking. Are you trying to belittle the person by questioning him over something so mundane that isnt even germane to the point you are trying to make? I am not saying that is without a doubt what you were doing, just that this can come off as a micro-aggression to even someone that shares the same stance as you. Little bits like this have been sprinkled throughout this entire thread and I could understand the person I quoted as feeling attacked being that there are about 3 people with that stance and the rest of us are opposed.

I hope you can understand where I am coming from as I type this...

 

[sam_gordon]

Well sorry. If "Kap" said so then it must be the gospel. I'm sure he did not have any ulterior motives like trying to draw attention to himself personally.

Lets see. The two lovely ladies were not burning, defacing, laying on the flag, or kneeling. They were giving a thumbs up while wearing red white and blue bikinis with an actual U.S. flag behind them. Even the FBI could draw the conclusion that they were showing patriotism. I think the only other thing they could have been doing is having a marching band playing America the Beautiful while a bald eagle flew around them.

So the person who we actually have a statement about why he did what he did must be lying, but the two who we don't even know who they are much less have a statement about what their thoughts were that day are totally patriotic. OK, gotcha!

 

[monkeydawn]

I was aggressive and don’t regret it. I’m tired of people who refuse to understand.

I can understand where you are coming from. Anyone who has been in it for a long time must be well past tired.

I feel like I need to do a better job listening, empathizing and acting. On the DIS boards I feel that the best shot I have of making a difference is being part of a real dialog. This cannot happen if we allow aggressions to turn into insults. No one will listen then or the thread may get shut down. Maybe the people replying cant/ wont change their minds or listen openly. But there are likely others reading along and they just might. That's mostly who I type to.