tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post1084059061432827847..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Take a kneeBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36918082344884477042017-10-08T19:30:38.853-07:002017-10-08T19:30:38.853-07:00“The fans will be back. All of them. Every one...T...“The fans will be back. All of them. Every one...Two weeks later they’re all back commenting as if nothing ever happened.”<br /><br />Perhaps, you’re correct...but that thinking also tends to show a certain lack of respect towards your fans and admirers.. To say nothing of the insensitivity it may trigger. An insensitivity that you embrace towards some, but not likely not towards others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87745934457392638872017-10-05T12:38:12.446-07:002017-10-05T12:38:12.446-07:00People generally misunderstand the First Amendment...People generally misunderstand the First Amendment. What it says is that the government will make no law abridging the freedom of speech et al. It doesn't say employers can't sanction their employees over the things they say or that private individuals can't hold other individuals in contempt based on the exercise of their free speech. It just says that the government can't put them in jail or otherwise sanction them for the things they say. I work for the government and I can absolutely be suspended or fired for saying things which are unacceptable to my employer. The same is true of private corporations or for that matter any other employer. If you don't think so try making an overtly racist remark at work and see how it plays out. The First Amendment doesn't guarantee you freedom from an adverse reaction it only guarantees you freedom from governmental sanctions.kenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09216705763011665828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44647202106469610802017-10-04T10:18:25.082-07:002017-10-04T10:18:25.082-07:00Peter makes the point that Trump is somehow the fa...Peter makes the point that Trump is somehow the fault of the left ... you know, all the people who DIDN'T vote for him. I think the fault likes in the people who DID vote for him. <br /><br />If they actually liked him and supported what he said, at least they were voting for something. I might disagree with them, but I can respect anyone who votes for what they truly believe in. <br /><br />However, if they didn't, if they voted for Trump out of spite ... they still own it. That they might now regret it is something they will have to live with. <br /><br />It's called taking responsibility for your actions. Something Americans used to do.McAlvienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83702500461823963492017-10-04T10:03:37.241-07:002017-10-04T10:03:37.241-07:00"So if you want to take a knee, take a knee. ..."So if you want to take a knee, take a knee. What you're doing is pissing off the REAL son of a bitch."<br /><br />Perfectly said.<br /><br />I do understand that some people are bothered by what they see as disrespectful behavior; but (a) you can't legitimately claim outrage while quietly ignoring the son of a bitch who wrote the book on disrespect. Cherry picking to get your daily dose of righteous indignation is a loathsome and shameful tactic by the low minded; and (b) this country was born as a result of protest and it is a patriotic DUTY to speak out/take a stand/knee when you think your nation is going in the wrong direction. It is the protestors who are the real patriots, wanting this nation to live up to our reputation. And thanks to Mr. "I don't want to miss my golf game," our reputation needs all the help it can get.<br /><br />Every single one of those so-called boycotters are already back. They are using their tickets or their TV's, and they didn't went anywhere in the first place. These are not people who actually follow through; they just like to sound important. But, frankly, I wish a few WOULD follow through - that would mean fewer obnoxious people in the stadium and a more enjoyable afternoon for everyone else.McAlvienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9880826242974969262017-10-03T02:09:17.174-07:002017-10-03T02:09:17.174-07:00PREACH!PREACH!Myleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07139984409445302062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60412634320165239732017-10-02T15:38:07.657-07:002017-10-02T15:38:07.657-07:00That’s it! I’m never reading this blog again!
See...That’s it! I’m never reading this blog again!<br /><br />See ya tomorrow. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5543864253893430712017-10-02T13:09:59.872-07:002017-10-02T13:09:59.872-07:00I don't watch the NFL for "social justice...I don't watch the NFL for "social justice" or demonstrations of any kind. I watch it for football. That said, I don't watch much football these days for these reasons:<br /><br />-Nike, Adidas and Under Armor have ruined sports uniforms. I can't take the idiocy any longer.<br /><br />-Refs who hold conferences on nearly every. single. flag.<br /><br />-Refs over explaining the flag.<br /><br />-The horrible 90% passing, 10% running video game offenses. It's as if the NFL issues the exact same playbook to every team and every team looks like every other team. It's boring. BORING! "Ahh, yes...WHITE 80! WHITE 80! readyset (snap)"<br /><br />And I look for any and every avenue to avoid the national obsession with all things President. When (and why) the hell did we get here? In my lifetime there has never been anything like this second by second, minute by minute obsession with the President. This, too, has become extremely boring. Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00107309396839340695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76545096721372749552017-10-02T12:06:04.255-07:002017-10-02T12:06:04.255-07:00First Michael Moore calls for an NFL boycott until...First Michael Moore calls for an NFL boycott until someone hires Colin Kaepernick. Then Trump calls for an NFL boycott because the "take a knee" gesture disrespects veterans, first responders, The Flag and of course, Trump. I don't watch football. Who should I not not watch it for? <br /><br />/s/ Confused in SavannahButtermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59650551609305986842017-10-02T11:42:22.750-07:002017-10-02T11:42:22.750-07:00Ken, off topic but I thought you might like to see...Ken, off topic but I thought you might like to see this:<br /><br />https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCool/comments/73qhh0/natalie_wood_after_a_pie_fight_during_the/Ken Herronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14132899567648135362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19124401945110667632017-10-02T09:57:24.612-07:002017-10-02T09:57:24.612-07:00^^ What Chester said about Edward.
In what possibl...^^ What Chester said about Edward.<br />In what <i>possible</i> universe can somebody believe that the First Amendment applies only to "off-days, outside work?"<br /><br />Qualifications to constitutional rights such as this just sound snivelly to me. Now, is this kneel-fest necessary? I would argue yes. Was it necessary in the first place?<br />More complicated. I admire Colin for doing it (and basically losing his job). I admire the 49ers for backing their guy up.<br /><br />And I am <b>spectacularly</b> impressed by the fact that Jerry Jones stepped in and took a knee for his team. (And me, a Redskins fan.)<br /><br />Look, if Trump just shut up about it, the whole thing would go away. But Trump won't shut up about it, because incontinent rabble rousing round the Sacred Flag is all the Prez has going for him right now.<br /><br />Gonna be a long, long, three years of this shit.Dr Loserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12717234136006844887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67098399909615598842017-10-02T09:35:07.909-07:002017-10-02T09:35:07.909-07:00Edward said: "The protests in the stadium (wo...Edward said: "The protests in the stadium (workplace) is unacceptable to me. The players can protest all they want on their off-days."<br /><br />So you think that a player taking a knee at home, say, or in the parking lot, or in aisle five of the local supermarket is going to have any impact? They have an audience on game day, a platform to make people think -- and possibly dialogue about an important issue. I commend them for it.<br /><br />On the other hand, I don't understand why the anthem is even played at sporting events. It's ridiculously militaristic -- especially at the Superbowl when bombers, F18s and other killing machines fly over. What does that have to do with football? And why should honoring people in the armed services be celebrated at a football game? I'm not saying they shouldn't be honored -- but why them exclusively? Don't researchers, teachers, doctors, engineers, road builders, and artists also deserve to be honored for their contributions to society and the world? (But even then, is a sporting event the best place to do it?)<br /><br />Yeah, I'm opening up a can of worms here, I know. But for someone not from the USA, it's utterly baffling how Americans align patriotism with God and the military. As far as I can tell, God's neither American, nor does God pack a pistol.Chesternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54722188062108674562017-10-02T02:51:36.277-07:002017-10-02T02:51:36.277-07:00Mitchell Hundred:
"Racism is so American tha...Mitchell Hundred:<br /><br />"Racism is so American that when we protest racism the average American thinks we’re protesting America."<br />– Tina Davis-Powellbryonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03065232829677279838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36778098284175760232017-10-01T23:18:24.297-07:002017-10-01T23:18:24.297-07:00I've only heard one news program, speaking wit...I've only heard one news program, speaking with african-american sportswriters, who brought up a central point to all this: It is a fairly new, invented NFL "tradition" to have to do all this national anthem before the game. Something like a bit over a decade old. And it didn't come from patriotism of owners, they get financially compensated for it (not the players) from the military. Pure propaganda, not American spirit, not the NFL deciding to recognize the military with shows of support into the stadium. The game could and should have remained about the game, not proving your oath to the nation. This is what you get when people, especially the majority of African Americans filling out the teams, start to feel it's their right to have an opinion OUTSIDE of the game context. The national anthem is not the game context. If the teams played, for example, their state songs, this wouldn't be the point. The militarizing of the anthem, using it like an advertisement, turning it back into "Love it or Leave it" mentality, by of all people, the financially renumerated NFL owners, and people like the Russian-loving Trump, and then asking African American players to basically just perform free for it, is where things start to go wrong. It's made more stupid by the fact, if anything, it's those African American players, their friends and families who have probably more people in the military itself, than the owners. B.Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34425268365139476932017-10-01T23:16:28.768-07:002017-10-01T23:16:28.768-07:00The shrieking from the left is entertaining but ha...The shrieking from the left is entertaining but hardly effective. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44303274772473674902017-10-01T21:30:05.733-07:002017-10-01T21:30:05.733-07:00Great post, Levine. It always amuses me to hear Tr...Great post, Levine. It always amuses me to hear Trump supporters complaining about "elitists" preaching at them while simultaneously supporting a guy who is THE definition of an "elitist" (and a <i>celebrity</i> elitist at that!). And <i>thank you</i> for bringing up the hypocrisy about defending the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville while freaking out over this. Bingo. <br /><br />I'm also amazed at how some people are apparently more bothered by athletes quietly kneeling than they are by the fact that our <i>president</i> thinks it's perfectly okay to call a group of people "sons of bitches". To say nothing of how disrespectful Trump himself has been to veterans and the military in general thus far (claiming he knows more than generals, calling McCain a coward, insulting a Gold Star family, thinking it's okay to try and ban transgender soldiers), so he's about the last person who should be weighing in on respecting the flag and the military, and being "offended" by anything. It disturbs me how his supporters think his bullying and insults are totally okay and acceptable ways to communicate with people, or handle policy disputes and various political issues, both domestic and foreign, and how they don't see the blatant hypocrisy in the things he says and does. If this were any other president, there'd be an outcry, but for some reason, Trump gets a pass from his supporters, for reasons I can't comprehend. I shudder to think of what it would take to finally wake them up. <br /><br />Excellent comments from David Schwartz and Mike Doran here in the discussion, too. Spot on assessments of this ridiculous controversy and the reasons behind Trump's reaction to it. I truly cannot wait for the day when Trump is out of office and we can hopefully move past this insanity. Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06402693676500329364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70543616051244903352017-10-01T20:39:57.432-07:002017-10-01T20:39:57.432-07:00Hey, I root for the Giants. Four games into the se...Hey, I root for the Giants. Four games into the season, this is a perfect year to boycott the NFL.<br /><br />Unless they get on a win streak.J Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15175515543694122729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41269858572827556672017-10-01T19:49:46.749-07:002017-10-01T19:49:46.749-07:00I just want to add that this reminds me of when Fr...I just want to add that this reminds me of when Frasier was feuding with his upstairs neighbor Cam Winston and Cam unfurled a flag over Frasier's windows. Doesn't Martin actually say something like, You can't win, people will think you're against the flag?<br /><br />Totally with you Ken on the point of your post. I believe people in a public forum have a responsibility to speak out against this craziness. Society will remember where people stood. Glad to stand with you. PJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64401723178102558962017-10-01T19:48:34.632-07:002017-10-01T19:48:34.632-07:00What will be interesting to see is how long these ...What will be interesting to see is how long these protests last. Kneeling once is one thing. Continuing to kneel week after week? Not succumbing to the temptation (and the pressure!) to say "well, we made our point, let's go back to the old way"? That's going to take real courage. I suspect we won't be seeing 200+ players kneeling every week...or even next week.<br /><br />Although I'd be pleased to be proven wrong.Arthur Meenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-790532875532343652017-10-01T19:07:45.562-07:002017-10-01T19:07:45.562-07:00Ken I understand if you don't print this.
Stev...Ken I understand if you don't print this.<br />Steve Lanzi; You can't claim someone is seeing both sides then make a statement that clearly shows that they aren't. Saying that the players are being disrespectful to the fans is a biased statement, if someone said that some fans find it disrespectful, some fans don't and some fans are neutral would be seeing all sides. I'm not American but I thought you had the right to free speech and the right to protest peacefully.Shaun Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58205796388848551482017-10-01T18:40:26.796-07:002017-10-01T18:40:26.796-07:00Yup, that's the same "I boycott, never go...Yup, that's the same "I boycott, never going to/watching another game ever" they stomped their feet about during the past NFL and MLB strikes some years ago. See how long that lasted?<br /><br />Ha! You called it right, Ken.ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25755504663157142852017-10-01T18:40:13.069-07:002017-10-01T18:40:13.069-07:00Peter said... "If you keep calling a percent...Peter said... "If you keep calling a percentage of the population idiots, racists, and all round morons, they're going to deliberately vote for the guy you hate and put him in power." I believe that's true. Most people tend to be complex and when you define them by insulting terms it is not productive. Yes, there are many racists in this country. Yes, there are many people who vote with a knee-jerk emotional reaction rather than considered thought, but certainly not everyone who voted for Trump did this. <br /><br />When I said in my response earlier today that, "Racists have figured out that it's not socially acceptable to hate a race or ethnicity in our country for no reason these days, but if you have a perceived reason to hate them, you can unify and be outraged," I was not speaking of all of Trump's supporters. There is a percentage of Trump supporters that can be defined that way. The "base" that people talk about on the news are the people Trump himself has said would still support him if he went out and shot someone on 5th avenue. These are the people who he tries to rally behind him. It may not be all of his supporters, but it's certainly a large enough number of people to cause him to pander to their racism. Unfortunately many of these people have a very strong desire to blame others for the things that don't work in their lives.David Schwartzhttp://www.davidschwartzmft.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25550168494320492082017-10-01T18:09:12.350-07:002017-10-01T18:09:12.350-07:00For what it's worth, I quit reading your blog ...For what it's worth, I quit reading your blog yesterday. I quit reading it today just as soon as I started writing this comment and I won't read it again for the rest of today. I do agree that the fans who said they're gone forever because sports fans always say that during every strike and/or lockout. The NFL is fortunate in that hasn't happened to them in 30 years but it's said in the other sports and yet those fans came back. Baseball's World Series was canceled in 1994 and fans said they'd never come back because of that. And yet, they have.<br /><br />I'm guessing you've probably already seen this but just in case, this is from last week. Dale Hansen of WFAA in Dallas. According to his station bio, he's been the sports anchor since 1983: https://youtu.be/BNJUsE7pEs4 DougG.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16453653494494441510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87867476465993344292017-10-01T15:47:28.548-07:002017-10-01T15:47:28.548-07:00Nope. I care what you think so keep up the good w...Nope. I care what you think so keep up the good work. Hell----I don't care all that much for football, but I guess I should start watching it.Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30971776463786093912017-10-01T15:38:09.106-07:002017-10-01T15:38:09.106-07:00I'm neither a liberal or a conservative, I hav...I'm neither a liberal or a conservative, I have views and principles which come from both sides, but looking at this objectively from the UK, I have to agree with a past commenter who laid a lot of the blame for Trump reaching the White House at the feet of "liberal Hollywood". Think about it. For decades he was given exposure by the Hollywood machine. Comedians, rappers and actors took part in the Comedy Central Roast, he had cameos in movies and Saturday Night Live, he got his own TV show, and the witless John Oliver in full arrogant mode "begged" Trump to run for president and joked that he would donate to his campaign, so certain was he that Trump would lose.<br /><br />So, I'm sorry to say but it's a large chunk of Hollywood who created this monster. Many of the same people who now want everyone to know how much they hate Trump are the ones who had no problem palling around with him and giving him exposure, feeding his ego. I'm not referring to you, Ken, as you've been consistent in detesting Trump, but just the overall Hollywood machine.<br /><br />The lesson to be learned from the Trump presidency is twofold. One: don't create a monster and then complain about the monster getting out of control. Two: If you keep calling a percentage of the population idiots, racists, and all round morons, they're going to deliberately vote for the guy you hate and put him in power. Had Trump not been given so much exposure over the years, and if ALL conservatives hadn't constantly been belittled and mocked as dumb redneck racists,rather than just the ones who actually are, Trump would not now be president. It's the left's arrogance and hypocrisy that led to this, no matter how much they now want to pretend it's got nothing to do with them. Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40200971171679483572017-10-01T15:30:00.658-07:002017-10-01T15:30:00.658-07:00The NFL was losing ratings before this entire knee...The NFL was losing ratings before this entire kneeling nonsense started. Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.com