National anthem protests

[trojanfan12]

Kapernick and many other players ARE putting up cash too,

Kaepernick said he was donating a million dollars to "good causes." To my knowledge, he has never said what "good causes" and when he was asked about it shortly after everyone started talking about his protest, he seemed caught off guard by the question. His response sounded more like someone trying to make it go away than someone who had actually planned something.

Maybe he's picked his good causes and started sending money. If so, good for him.

 

[trojanfan12]

Kapernick and many other players ARE putting up cash too, just need to Google it. As far as is the anthem the right venue, that's tougher, but you have to pick something that will get noticed. If you protest something no one cares about, you aren't making an effective protest. Kap picked a way that he knew would get lots of media attention. I think it's working as intended.

It took awhile. No one noticed until the 3rd time he did it. I don't think it's working as intended because I don't think he thought it out that far.

As for getting noticed, why the hell does he need to get noticed? Does he think that there are actually people who need to be made aware that racism exists? Does he think that someone who is a racist is going to stop being a racist because he decided to sit during the national anthem?

 

[trojanfan12]

The cliche is so true, when you are a teenager/young adult your parents (and other older adults) don't know shit. Then you become a parent and realize how wrong you were. Same as it ever was.

From the time I was about 13 until about 21, my parents got dumber every year. They stayed that way until I got married and started raising kids. By the time I was about 30, I was amazed at how much they had learned.

 

[msgkings322]

It took awhile. No one noticed until the 3rd time he did it. I don't think it's working as intended because I don't think he thought it out that far.

As for getting noticed, why the hell does he need to get noticed? Does he think that there are actually people who need to be made aware that racism exists? Does he think that someone who is a racist is going to stop being a racist because he decided to sit during the national anthem?

Then why protest anything? Why protest the Vietnam War, doesn't everyone know that's happening? Why protest apartheid, that's not hidden...why have Tea Party or Occupy protests?

You are better than this, you don't really think BLM and other protesters think they can end racism do you? They are trying to call attention to a problem, and it's working. Maybe you don't think it's a problem though.

 

[bksballer89]

I love the NBA

 

[trojanfan12]

Then why protest anything? Why protest the Vietnam War, doesn't everyone know that's happening? Why protest apartheid, that's not hidden...why have Tea Party or Occupy protests?

You are better than this, you don't really think BLM and other protesters think they can end racism do you? They are trying to call attention to a problem, and it's working. Maybe you don't think it's a problem though.

There was a time when protest was necessary because many issues were new or being addressed for the first time. There is nothing new to protest. Protests don't accomplish anything anymore. Action does.

People don't need to be made aware of issues anymore. Especially the issue of racism. I ask again, exactly who was made aware that racism exists?

It's not working. Kaepernick and his protest are barely talked about anymore. There is still a report here and there that some athlete knelt or raised a fist during the national anthem, it's met with a collective yawn and they move on to the next story.

Personally, I'm a heck of a lot more interested in what Cousins is doing than Kaepernick sitting down during the national anthem. What Cousins is doing actually has the chance of eliciting real change.

 

[msgkings322]

There was a time when protest was necessary because many issues were new or being addressed for the first time. There is nothing new to protest. Protests don't accomplish anything anymore. Action does.

People don't need to be made aware of issues anymore. Especially the issue of racism. I ask again, exactly who was made aware that racism exists?

It's not working. Kaepernick and his protest are barely talked about anymore. There is still a report here and there that some athlete knelt or raised a fist during the national anthem, it's met with a collective yawn and they move on to the next story.

Personally, I'm a heck of a lot more interested in what Cousins is doing than Kaepernick sitting down during the national anthem. What Cousins is doing actually has the chance of eliciting real change.

They are not protesting 'racism'. They are calling attention to some pretty obvious overuse of deadly force by police against black people. Now you can certainly argue that some of the cases have been blown out of proportion, where a menacing thief like Michael Brown is made into some kind of sweet gentle martyr, but most have not (like the guy shot in his car reaching for his ID, or the one shot multiple times in the back while running away, etc.). A boiling point was reached and the protests began. You gotta do something.

What's new about this is the internet and social media. In the old days black people would get unjustly killed, lynched, whatever, and the whole country doesn't know much about it. Now they do, instantly, often in real time on video.

I completely agree that there needs to be more than protests. There needs to be constructive action, like Cousins', or Carmelo Anthony's, or Michael Jordan's (you can Google those, and many more examples of concrete positive actions being taken).

There's nothing more American than protesting injustice. Ask the Founders.

 

[trojanfan12]

They are not protesting 'racism'. They are calling attention to some pretty obvious overuse of deadly force by police against black people. Now you can certainly argue that some of the cases have been blown out of proportion, where a menacing thief like Michael Brown is made into some kind of sweet gentle martyr, but most have not (like the guy shot in his car reaching for his ID, or the one shot multiple times in the back while running away, etc.). A boiling point was reached and the protests began. You gotta do something.

I completely agree that there needs to be more than protests. There needs to be constructive action, like Cousins', or Carmelo Anthony's, or Michael Jordan's (you can Google those, and many more examples of concrete positive actions being taken).

There's nothing more American than protesting injustice. Ask the Founders.

I wasn't aware that anyone wasn't aware that those things have happened. Yes, you do have to do something, but protests (especially the one's that turn violent) accomplish nothing and often only do the opposite of their supposed intent and drive people farther apart. That is what happens when people use things like the Michael Brown incident to start protesting. Far too often these protests are just knee jerk reactions with no real thought or evidence that it is something to be protested.

Change does not occur because of protest. Change occurs because of action and there is nothing more American than taking action. That is the lesson to be learned from the founders.

 

[msgkings322]

I wasn't aware that anyone wasn't aware that those things have happened. Yes, you do have to do something, but protests (especially the one's that turn violent) accomplish nothing and often only do the opposite of their supposed intent and drive people farther apart.

Change does not occur because of protest. Change occurs because of action and there is nothing more American than taking action. That is the lesson to be learned from the founders.

Agreed re violent protests, it's beyond stupid for people to riot and destroy their own neighborhoods when protesting. I understand why it happens, the people that do have no hope and nothing to lose and sometimes just want to be angry. It's sad and stupid.

But peaceful protests are ok with me. Maybe you are aware of some things without any protests that draw media attention, but most aren't. And if you have been so aware of it, have you done anything to help?

Most action for change only comes after the need for change is made clear....with some kind of message being sent, often through (hopefully peaceful) protest. That's not only the lesson of the Founders (wasn't the Boston Tea Party a similar type protest....even more so with actual property destruction not just sitting during a song) but of MLK too.

 

[trojanfan12]

Agreed re violent protests, it's beyond stupid for people to riot and destroy their own neighborhoods when protesting. I understand why it happens, the people that do have no hope and nothing to lose and sometimes just want to be angry. It's sad and stupid.

But peaceful protests are ok with me. Maybe you are aware of some things without any protests that draw media attention, but most aren't. And if you have been so aware of it, have you done anything to help?

I don't need protests to know what should be changed/needs work. I have a couple of issues that are "near and dear to my heart," specifically child abuse (worked at a residential treatment facility for abused kids for over 10 years) and lupus (which my wife has) and yes, I donate time and money when I can.

 

[msgkings322]

I don't need protests to know what should be changed/needs work. I have a couple of issues that are "near and dear to my heart," specifically child abuse (worked at a residential treatment facility for abused kids for over 10 years) and lupus (which my wife has) and yes, I donate time and money when I can.

That's awesome, I donate to child abuse charities too. I just don't see why anyone would have a problem with peaceful, non-destructive protests

 

[trojanfan12]

That's awesome, I donate to child abuse charities too. I just don't see why anyone would have a problem with peaceful, non-destructive protests

Yeah, working where I did, it really opened my eyes to the issue of child abuse. It also gave me a whole new perspective re: my parents and how great they really were.

It's not so much that I have a problem with peaceful protests, I just don't think they accomplish anything anymore.

 

[LAD]

I think people on all sides are too emotional to step back and look at what is really going on. The violence is being perpetrated as if they are connected in some type of discriminatory pattern. The reality is that the more negative feelings people harbor against police, the less likely they are to cooperate and the more likely they are to get shot. That is equally true for people of all skin colors. But, if one race feels targeted like media wants everyone to believe, then interactions will continue to get worse. It is a self fulfilling prophecy.

I would imagine this is true both ways. Because young black males are portrayed a certain way there are a lot of police that have already stereo typed them before the interaction even takes place- and neither side, the black male, nor the police- have patience for one another which means tensions are high thus creating a very volatile situation.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Here is my perspective on those that refuse to respect our flag and national anthem

 

[True Lakers Fan]

The same principal for our national anthem - Yes our nation has some bloody history and a history of crimes against humanity, but if these athletes believe it is so horrible here in the USA, tell them to quit the NBA or whatever and go live in Europe and see how long they make it when they refuse to respect their values