The ostensible justification for kneeling during the anthem is because the United States is a racist nation and this is a way whereby the good and decent people can jar the conscience of us cave dwellers who don’t realize it. It is further asserted that we must allow such actions in the name of free speech. That such an assertions are utter nonsense is neither here nor there. That a player would be fined for merely overly celebrating in the End Zone, but can get away with this, shows what is really going on. Like all large, corporate entities, the NFL is entirely owned by the Progressive left – and thus there isn’t actual free speech (God help the player who kneels in memory of aborted children, for instance), but there are special protections for those who help the Progressive cause. And the Progressive cause is always and everywhere to tear down all things decent and all things that bind decent people into a Constitutional Republic.
This sort of thing goes back a long ways – I identify the defining moment as the debate over the P*** Christ work. Here was something disgusting and outrageous – something which insulted not just Christians, but all decent people. And yet the Progressives cheered it on – because it insulted. That was bad – but what was worse was that the Fredocons of the day also defended the actual thing; defended, that is, the right of someone to make such a vile display. As they are saying today about the kneeling players, so they were saying about the “art”: it must be allowed. It is free speech. We can’t in any way hinder it – even to condemn it in any meaningful way is wrong. The combination of Progressives and Fredocons worked to stifle any real push back against it – and so it went on with ever more outrageous things being done by Progressives under the cover of free speech until we are here today, where we are supposed to roll over for sports stars insulting the symbol of the nation which gave them their opportunity and great wealth.
When Trump inserted himself into the behavior of the players, it was the first time there was any meaningful pushback. I think a lot of people stood up and cheered. Finally, at long last, someone who mattered said what was on all normal minds: this is just wrong. It is a game; you’re supposed to be playing it; this isn’t time for you to be making political statements. Doubling the outrage is the fact that the players making the protest are reinforcing the vile lie that the United States is a racist nation. Trump pushed back – people cheered. And then, in a really beautiful thing to behold, the Progressives doubled and tripled down…to the point where, now, they are essentially saying that one must be an anti-patriot in order to be decent. It is a perfect set up: the issue is starkly set. All those who think the USA is evil will be on one side, all who think the USA good will be on the other. We’ll find out soon enough at the next elections which side is larger. I’m betting that “USA good” is the larger.
As that plays out, however, I think it important to take a moment to really think about those so-called Conservatives who refused the fight all those years…and who are more upset about Trump pushing back than they are about people insulting our flag and anthem. Just what is it they want to conserve? As far as I can tell, merely low corporate taxes and bombing stuff overseas from time to time. Every time the Progressives have done something disgusting to normal people (ie, things like “Bake the Cake” or making the Little Sister of the Poor pay fines), we’ve had plenty of Conservatives say that we can’t really fight back against this stuff. They might issue a mild dissent or rebuke over such things, but they aren’t out there at the barricades fighting back. They aren’t, that is, ever willing to risk their careers and their friendships with Progressives to actually do anything. When, for instance, the Little Sister of the Poor were to be fined for not knuckling under to Obama’s abortion mandate, we didn’t need a Fredocon lecture about separation of Church and State and then no action…we needed people to stand up and shout, “What the heck are you doing, you Progressive idiots!!!???”. We needed someone to get down and dirty with them – to call them out; to insult them; to ridicule the very idea that Little Sisters of the Poor should have this done to them. And we needed fight and fight and fight…we got, mild rebukes and well-wishes that the Little Sister might prevail after a long and expensive court battle.
At bottom, Trump is doing more actual Conservative work than the whole host of Conservatives have done since Reagan was in office – and more and more I realize that Reagan was nearly alone in his battles for Conservatism. Even a lot of his ostensible Conservative allies were forever trying to tone down or explain away Reagan’s vigorous, combative Conservatism. They are trying to do the same with Trump – but Trump is not only as much a fighter as Reagan, but he’s also a lot more rude. Politeness is better than rudeness, but when you’re dealing with people who deliberately look for ways to insult God, faith, family and country, perhaps politeness is played out? At all events, I’m going with Trump’s rudeness – at least it is a battle rather than a debacle.
And we must have a battle – and the crucial point right now is cultural. If we lose the culture battle, we’re eventually going to lose everything. It must be established that patriotism is good; that America is good; that the American people are good; that this nation is worthy of our love and devotion…and that faith and family are more important than the latest I-gadget or a growing GDP or our ability to drop a bomb. If we can once again get to a place where love of country; defense of faith; devotion to family are central to our national life, then we’ll win everything…we’ll eventually get all the rest that we want. Lose those things, and how in heck are you going to argue for lower taxes? And what would it matter if you happened to get Progressives to agree to lower taxes? The Progressives wish to destroy all that made America, America – and it starts with destroying our belief in those simple things which make decent life possible: family, faith, respect for law, charity towards one another, unity in times of crisis. A divided, dispirited, hate-filled and dependent population of slaves is the goal of the Progressives – a population, in short, which can be easily manipulated and controlled as the Progressives continually experiment on us. We Conservatives want a united, hopeful people who help each other in charity while working hard for their own improvement. We don’t get that by letting the cultural things slide while working on keeping the corporate tax rate low, folks.
Blogs For Victory 
Re: the National Anthem, which the left detests for obvious reasons. The Anthem is a celebration and affirmation of our history, our freedoms, and our Constitution. It expresses and confirms an allegiance to the Constitution and the American way of life that is designed specifically to prevent our country from ever succumbing to an authoritarian government. So you see the left’s dilemma. Hence their desire to impose group think upon under educated athletes. And the truth is, there are NO VALID GRIEVANCES which should evoke such a disrespectful display to the Flag. All of us should count our blessings to be Americans.
Mark, I loved your phrase, Combative Conservatism. YES.
As they are saying today about the kneeling players, so they were saying about the “art”: it must be allowed. It is free speech. We can’t in any way hinder it – even to condemn it in any meaningful way is wrong.
Actually there is a way that millions of Americans can anonymously condemn it in a meaningful way — stop buying tickets and stop watching it on TV. Enough people do that, and the message will be deafening.
Limbaugh has spent most of the first hour of his radio show today talking about the National Anthem controversy. Professional football is one of his passions, and the Steelers his favorite team. He said, for the first time in 40 years he didn’t watch any NFL games yesterday. He didn’t ask or even suggest that his audience do the same, but Imagine if 10% of his 26 million audience follows his lead and tunes out the NFL. I guess we’d find out mui pronto if principles (and I use that term loosely) trump money.
I also did not watch any games yesterday and have no intention of watching tonights game. I am pretty much done with the NFL
My issue is that disrespecting the national anthem has absolutely NOTHING to do with any of the grievances, real or imagined, that are being used in attempts to justify it.. “Protesting” against the nation as such is simply, inarguable, stupid. Period.
All of this posturing is nothing but typical Leftist virtue signaling. None of the claimed issues of the “protesters” is related to the existence of the United States of America. None of them.
“I object to racism”. Got it. So noted. So what does the existence of the United States of America have to do with racism? Even the relatively small amount and degree of actual racism in this country is not related to the fact that the country exists, nor does it outweigh the multitude of benefits, advantages and graces represented by the country. The very ability to speak out without government reprisal should be enough to make these people grateful and willing to express their loyalty. Not to mention the fact that their very ability to do this so publicly is a factor of being in this country and having the opportunity to make millions and be seen on national TV.
“I just want people to know how hard it is to be minority”. OK, so how does disrespecting the national anthem accomplish this? Hint: It doesn’t. You are mindless sheep following a flock you have chosen.
“I object to police officers shooting black people”. Narrow that down a little to “shooting black people who pose no threat to those officers” and then name the times this has happened. And then address your complaints, when they are valid, to the proper authorities. None of them have anything to do with the existence of the United States of America. And BTW, if you then proceed to base your complaint on falsehoods and lies you are automatically rejected as a serious person and self-identified as a moron. A dishonest moron.
I have respect for people who see a wrong, an actual real wrong, and take steps to try to correct it. That would include people like Rosa Parks and Dr. King. It does not, however, include any of the intellectual and moral lightweights piggybacking on this silly exercise in “LOOK AT MEEEEE!!!!! that is passing for legitimate, serious participation in the process of government, or in making things better.
So a few spoiled athletes with, for the most part, absolutely no talent off a football field, have chosen to climb on the virtue signaling bandwagon because they like the attention it brings them. Fine. They do get to do this. No matter how stupid, no matter how frivolous, no matter how shallow their behavior may be, they get to do it.
I object to the craven pandering of the NFL. There are no grownups in the room of the NFL so they can pound sand as far as I am concerned. And if that means not watching a single game (and I admit to not being a fanatical fan, but I have always watched Sunday afternoon football and a lot of Monday night games) then that is fine with me.
The right to protest is not reserved for people using their positions in the limelight to take silly positions designed to make them liked by their peers. People offended by this street theater can protest, too, and apparently a lot of us are.
I saw something the other day that said, basically, the next time any team or league comes to the taxpayers for more money to build another stadium, those taxpayers should take a knee.
Didn’t watch, but tonight I understand the whole Cowboys team – and owner – linked arms and knelt as they went on the field and then they all stood for the anthem. A lot of people got misty eyed about this and were all, “see, that is how to do it!”. But, its still all garbage – the whole premise behind the kneeling is the infamous lie that America is a racist nation. That is what is irking me and will probably lead to me never watching an NFL game again…we have Progressives lying and the response of the NFL is to ratify the lie. To make out as if the lie were true and, ultimately, to insist that I ratify the lie. I won’t do it – and I can’t see myself watching an NFL game without having that lie gnaw at the back of my mind.
These people don’t even know what a racist nation is – that if the United States were racist, you’d never have heard of Martin Luther King. That there never would have been a Civil Rights Act, let alone a 13th or 14th Amendment. That there would be no non-white doctors or lawyers. For crying out loud, we elected a black man President! That there are racists among us is absolutely true – but America is not, has never been and never will be a racist nation. From the first moment of our national existence, we have continually expanded the concept of human rights while also continually expanding the definition of whom they apply to. We’re at a point now where we’re essentially conceding that people not born here and who arrived illegally have at least some right to stay here!
Anyone who asserts the United States is racist is lying – whether it is a conscious lie or not is immaterial: it is still a lie. And I will not participate in it.
Here’s one apparent fact – considering that Russia and the NFL are the top media topics, the FEMA efforts must be going very well in Houston and Florida, otherwise the media would be hammering Trump over that too, so thank you Mr. President for an efficient and effective FEMA.
Things are pretty bad in Puerto Rico and through today the MSM has been trying to gin up a Katrina over it…gingerly, because they are worried that they’ll just end up providing another hurricane stage for Trump to shine on. It won’t work – lots of aid is already flowing there and it’d take little effort for Trump to set up a visit there.
This is what is coming to the NFL:
When the Mizzou football team chose to embrace the racial protests gripping the campus in November 2015, The New York Times cheered the players for “lending heft” to the activists’ cause. Two years later, the Times had to admit that all the hysteria and the administration’s decision to cave to it turned out to be exactly what many predicted it would be: an absolute “disaster” for the university. Freshmen enrollment dropped a stunning 35%, forcing the school to shut down seven dorms and lay off over 400 employees. As for the football team, which saw millions in donations disappear overnight, well, it’s a full-fledged dumpster fire.
http://www.dailywire.com/news/21480/update-two-years-after-embracing-racial-protests-james-barrett?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=062316-news&utm_campaign=dwbrand
Chatting with a friend today who didn’t watch a minute of football this weekend, and this guy is a football FAN. He said it wasn’t a big protest on his part, he just decided there was other stuff he wanted to do instead of helping finance the NFL.
It’s Monday night and I don’t even know if the Broncos won or lost. Or care.
I might, however, watch the Cowboys to support Jerry Johnson and his gutsy stand. We need more men who act like men.
I did discover that the Chargers lost but only because a fan works with me and he watched the game. I didn’t know or care until then…and I wasn’t even sure who was playing tonight until social media started showing the Cowboys kneeling.
After reading the statement from Jerry Jones, I did tune in to watch the first part of the game and while both teams handled the issue with slightly more class, I agree with Mark that the entire premise is bullshit and ridiculous. This is the same damn thing as “Hands up, don’t shoot” which was another leftist lie that damaged the country.
I learned that 31 Broncos “took a knee” on Sunday. Buh-bye, Broncos.
I have yet to hear a single “interviewer” ask a single “protester” just what the national anthem has to do with the alleged cause the disrespect is allegedly protesting. The absolute lack of connection between respect for this country and its flag and anthem and any of the “causes” these pampered prima donnas are posturing about seems to be irrelevant.
I also note the fact that nearly every single reference to what Trump says claims he demanded that these morons be fired. So far I haven’t seen anyone pointing out that this is not what he said.
This is Erik Erickson’s comment on the phenomenon:
“…what of those who took the knee? They did not stop a single young man from getting shot in Chicago. They did not raise a single soul out of poverty. They did not stop any child from being abused. They did not help a single Puerto Rican facing the destruction of their livelihood. But they made the players feel good about themselves. They divided the nation. They brought politics into something most Americans turn to in order to shut out politics. That just increased the divisiveness of it. And the homeless vets in the country stayed homeless. Donald Trump stayed President. And more Americans tuned out of another area of the national conversation where they used to go to escape the yelling. The players could use their millions and their names to raise real issues. They could have marched in the streets. They could have used their fame to draw media attention to the starving. The could have joined together and flown to Chicago and demanded an end to young men killing young men and worked to end gangs. They could have used their fame to connect with those young men and mentor them. Instead, they put their knee on the ground before playing a game to make money. All it did was further divide the nation. Instead of trying to find a way to steer us all to our better angels and focus on the injustices and problems that really do exist, the millionaires decided to protest the flag and anthem of the country that made them millionaires and cheered them on. They, led by Colin Kaepernick, took the easy way out. They virtue signaled without doing the hard labor of affecting real change.”
I’m not sure how tone deaf one has to be to make this comparison.
Joy Reid is a special kind of stupid, hence her prominent role at MSNBC.
I’m not sure “tone deaf” is the right description. I would suggest that she is merely illustrating a depth and scope of ignorance that is stunning. She clearly does not know why people kneel in church. which says pretty much all anyone needs to know about her—that and the fact that the only thing that matters to her is finding/inventing new ways to be hateful.
As Cluster points out, these are the qualities that make MSNBC a perfect home for her. Seriously, in any rational world would this mean-spirited ignorant bigot have a job, much less a national platform?
Off topic but I just have to mention this:
FLAGSTAFF, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – Arizona Snowbowl fired up the snow guns this weekend, marking the earliest artificial snowfall in the country! Not to mention this being the earliest start to the snowy season in Arizona. The resort started to launch the snowmakers on Saturday night and continued through Monday morning. Opening day for the skiing season is scheduled for Nov. 10
So we all know that the sun has now entered what is called the Maunder Minimum, meaning a period of time of much lower sun spot activity following a period of high sun spot activity which we have just gone through over the last couple of decades, and I am thinking we are seeing the results of that now at least in AZ. The high temperature in Phoenix yesterday was 87 degrees, and we are dropping into the high 60’s over night. We usually don’t see temps like this until early October. I do think the planet will be going through a cooling period over the next decade or two – isn’t climate change awesome!!!
http://www.azfamily.com/story/36449062/arizona-snowbowl-is-the-first-to-start-snowmaking-in-the-country
Just saw this article from the NYT. Read this excerpt and just let it sink in a little. The depth of stupidity has far surpassed any level I thought possible:
The owners by and large are a white, conservative group of billionaires, several of them big-dollar donors to President Trump. They have generally discouraged their players, about three quarters of whom are African-American, from anything that overshadows throwing passes and making tackles.
These are the same owners who allowed junk science produced by league-sponsored doctors to paper over the growing scientific consensus that repeated head hits are linked to long-term brain damage. They have warred repeatedly, aggressively and publicly with players over labor issues.
And as for Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who inspired the anthem protests by kneeling in order to raise awareness about racial oppression and police brutality toward African-Americans, no owner has deemed him worthy of job, despite widespread handicapping that, while not in his prime, he certainly still is of a caliber to play.
The owners are white. OK, well in a country where over 60% of the population is white that makes sense and really doesn’t need to be pointed out. I will bet that in Nigeria, most business owners are black. And re: “overshadowing throwing and tackling” – well yes, most business owners do want their employees to focus on the job.
It’s been known since the beginning of time that repeated head hits may have a negative impact on the brain, hence the ever evolving helmets, rules of play, and the million dollar salaries.
And re: Colin Kaepernick, he IS IN HIS PRIME, he is only in his late 20’s. The reason he is not an NFL quarterback, is because of his slow delivery, inaccurate throws, low completion percentage, and his inability to lead a a team to a win. Just saying.
From a letter I sent to the Denver Broncos, after learning that 31 players took a knee on Sunday.
Pick a profession, any profession. Whether it is being a teacher or a plumber or an accountant or a lawyer or a mechanic or a professional athlete, the basic rules are the same. They are to understand what it takes to be skilled in this profession, to work to achieve that skill level, and to meet its standards. Period. Do that and anyone can be an equal part of society. I have worked with too many people of color, including American black people and black people from countries other than the United States and many Latinos, to buy into the whine that skin color alone is what counts. And I know plenty of white people who have not been willing to follow the basic rules I mentioned above, who are failures in life. People like successful football players of all colors should be spreading this message.
But no, they are spreading the culture of victimhood by saying, in one way or another, that it is the fault of America that their brothers and sisters are disadvantaged. Ask successful black people why they are successful, and they will tell you the same thing Johnson and Marshall and all the other “protesters” SHOULD be saying—-that to be successful in any nation, in any career, in any endeavor, one has to first understand the rules and demands and expectations of that area of endeavor, and then work hard to meet those demands and expectations.
I also said: Your own field of endeavor is a meritocracy. Unless you want to change the very nature of football to allow anyone to play regardless of skill or dedication or effort, then stop trying to force that kind of mentality on the rest of the country.
There will be no response
Re: reporters like the NYT idiot, let’s not forget what Obama’s Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said about them:
All these newspapers used to have foreign bureaus. Now they don’t. They call us to explain to them what’s happening in Moscow and Cairo. Most of the outlets are reporting on world events from Washington. The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old, and their only reporting experience consists of being around political campaigns. That’s a sea change. They literally know nothing.
One of the few times the Obama administration was right.
Steve Schmidt makes me violent. I honestly would love to drag him out on to the street and beat the living daylights out of him.That’s the old bar bouncer coming out in me.
https://www.mrctv.org/videos/msnbc-trumps-racist-almost-shouting-rally-n-word
Ever wonder why “journalists” are so biased? Take a look at what they are taught—-in this case at a prominent journalism school.
PERINO: Not only that. I got a call last night from a young woman, a college associate here at Fox News. She is amazing. I won’t name the college she goes to now. It’s a prominent journalism school. They had set up an interview with a prominent political figure coming to campus. She went to her advisor, the professor, said this basically asked for guidance and advice and he got to know her a little bit and he found out she had worked at Fox News and he lost it, told her she would have to go somewhere else for help. That everybody worked at fox should be incarcerated. She called me and said what should I do? I encouraged her to see the Dean.
http://theresurgent.com/dana-perino-college-associate-told-by-a-professor-that-we-should-all-be-incarcerated
Amazona, as you know from off-blog communications, I got into a tiff with my grandson a couple years ago when he responded to something about Fox News that my wife had posted on Facebook. His response was something to the effect that only white, christian, Republican extremists watch Fox News. I told him that comment was repugnant and not reflective of someone who was an Eagle Scout, and that he should apologize to his grandmother. He refused, saying he had the right of free speech (apparently a one way street in his case). It took a year before our relationship was anything approaching normal, and I still resent what he said. I have often wondered what his reaction would have been if I had said only queer and tranny loving Leftists would be affiliated with the Boy Scouts. I suspect someday we’ll have that conversation, when he’s matured a bit.
Spook, we have also discussed my issues with my uber-Lib cousin. After one big blowout (which she initiated) I have had a lot of time to think about how to handle the next one. And there will be a next one, I am sure.
One of her statements was that all Republicans care about is money. Another is that everyone who voted for Trump is a racist. She also has some sort of serious attitude about Baptists, which I didn’t get into. I looked up the definition of “bigot” and while I don’t agree with the basic defintion (which is someone with rigid ideas and opinions, which I don’t think translates into bigotry if it doesn’t condemn those who don’t share those ideas and opinions) but Merriam goes on to say it also includes damning groups of people with whom you disagree.
So I feel quite comfortable in calling out not only my cousin but any Lefty who makes these sweeping pronouncements as bigots. (I’m sure that will go over well.)
It’s a word the Left tosses around quite carelessly, while failing to see its presence in their own attitudes. The examples of Leftist bigotry are so many, we could only touch on a few. The accusation of racism levied against all who voted for Trump is one, of course. So is the characterization of people who watch Fox. People who didn’t vote for Hillary are sexists. People who support traditional marriage hate all gays. They exhibit anti-Christian bigotry and have all sorts of hateful characterizations for any group with which they don’t agree. It goes on and on. It is part of the whole Identity Politics mentality of the Left, which only sees (and identifies) groups or demographics instead of people.
BTW, it seems that your grandson is convinced that only white, Christian Republican extremists want to see more than one side of any issue. To some extent he may be right.
One of her statements was that all Republicans care about is money. Another is that everyone who voted for Trump is a racist
This line of thinking comes directly from academia and the media and they have beaten this false and destructive narrative into the small little minds of Americans for so long now, it has become an unquestioned truth to many. The biggest challenge we have in this country is stupidity. Social media, celebrity culture, academia and the media have all played huge roles in dumbing down our society to the point that many Americans now are nothing more than malleable mushes of nothingness. They subscribe to group think and virtue signaling and know essentially nothing of the actual issues they fret over, but it does make them “feel” better about themselves, and that’s all it is. Progressives have simply become a massive group of emotionally challenged 12 year old girls.
My wife has a friend from way back who is a liberal but a pretty reasonable guy, or at least I thought. He text her the other day saying how “upset he felt” over Trump’s comments on the NFL, and that it ruined his weekend. Really? His weekend was ruined over what someone said? I am embarrassed for him. In re: to money, I can tell you first hand that in my experience in real estate, the liberals are the tightest and most financially selfish SOB’s on the planet. And that’s the truth.
Here’s a good example of how clueless media pundits are, and how massively ignorant they are of everyday Americans, or America in general for that matter. Remember when Trump would say “big league”? That’s a sports reference to mean that something is at the top of it’s game. It’s big league, and you will hear that in any town from Iowa to Montana to South Dakota to Tennessee. It is a very well known and common phrase. Well the media thought he was saying “bigly” – because they are stupid.
Game. Set. Match.
by RICH LOWRY September 28, 2017 6:00 PM @RICHLOWRY
By the way, I don’t think in all the back and forth on NRO about kneeling and the National Anthem that anyone has noted how the NFL game operations manual stakes out an entirely common-sensical position on the matter:
The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.
Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/451988/it-should-be-pointed-out-players-and-coaches-we-continue-be-judged-public-area-respect