Tuesday, October 17, 2017

The Last Word on Kneeling During the Anthem

      Hasbeen ex 49er quarterback Colin  Kaepernick began quite a controversy when he knelt and refused to honor our country and the flag during the playing of our national Anthem last season. His actions seemed to be contagious as players throughout the NFL began to follow suit this year.  He claims he is protesting racism and police actions toward African American men, especially shootings and profiling.  But what have he and the other kneelers, sitters, and fist raisers accomplished?  Fans have disappeared in droves from games and the television rating are down as well.  So far this ridiculous demonstration of claimed free speech has accomplished little more than to piss off fans who respect America, the flag, and the anthem a lot more than the NFL. I personally have not watched a single NFL game this season and would rather sit by my pool on a nice Sunday than see players insulting my country.
      I repeat, what has Kaepernick accomplished?  The average NFL fan looks to his Sunday, when he is off of work, to relax and be entertained by watching and cheering for his favorite team.  Dedicated fans make an entire day of it, tailgating and tossing a football around in the stadium parking lot before the game.  Democrat, Republican, independent, or apolitical, white, black, or brown, Sunday is a time to leave political differences behind and join with other likeminded fans to root on your team.  So nothing positive has been accomplished, because in critically examining this gesture, one comes to the conclusion, how could it.  In fact, it is an empty gesture only related to his protest by the words of Colin Kaepernick.  In addition, Kaepernick did not further his cause by wearing socks with police portrayed as pigs and then praising the murderous communist dictator Fidel Castro along with other statements about America being a racist country and that it was never great. This type of protest could not produce any positive change and thus far has resulted in only divisive and negative reactions.  Kaepernick has suffered from his poorly thought out action.  Not being a premier player, owners are afraid to hire him as not only could he be poison to fans, but poison in the locker room.  He has filed a collusion law suit against the owners, but that will not succeed, because according to the agreement between the NFLPA and the owners, puts the great burden of proof on him.
      The league seemed to capitulate and allow Kaepernick and his imitators a free hand with their protests.  At first league commissioner Roger Goodell hypocritically ignored Kaepernick's socks  after having previously not allowing another player to put 9/11 on his shoes to honor those who died on that date. When he saw that fan reaction was serious, and companies considered ending their sponsorship and that revenues started to drop, he weakly began to comment against the protests.  President Trump and Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones called for benching players who didn't stand for the anthem. Being a private business the so called right to free speech by players dressed in uniform and at their place of employment  does not exist and the SCOTUS has ruled that way.  Vice President Pence left an Indianapolis Colts game, when players took a knee before the game.  Leftists called Pence's action staged, but if so, what then is Kaepernick's.
      Players should understand where their salaries come from, namely revenues from fans and television stations who purchase the rights.  The value of the rights is based on ratings and with falling ratings the value will go down as will the pot for player salaries.  Since the owners and players have a 50-50 profit sharing agreement, player salaries may go down in the future as well as owners' profits. With little to show for it and beginning to see fans frustration, fewer players are continuing the protest.
      If Kaepernick truly believed in what inspired his form of protest, he could have sought a different and productive way to improve the situation either through NFL Charities or by his own initiative,  He could have sponsored open meetings between the police and African American communities to promote a serious dialogue and he could have called out President Trump to make good on his promise to help the inner cities across America or offered his services as a mediairy between the police and communities he claims to represent, Instead he became a figure despised by many for hating America and ruining their Sundays.