Posted on 09/26/2017 7:40:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
This is the problem of privilege. It skews our ability to grasp what the world looks like outside our view.
The absence of white athletes kneeling for the anthem Sunday was a particularly illustrative moment in white privilege.
See, for white athletes the anthem and American flag do represent freedom, liberty and whatever other amorphous American values one might ascribe these symbols. So, from their view, kneeling would be disrespectful to the privileges a white supremacist nation affords them.
We’ve all heard the typical argument against kneeling. “Kneeling during the anthem disrespects the flag and the soldiers who fought for your right to protest and blah blah blah patriotism!”
Now, I’m not going to spend much time with the most obvious counter, but it’s worth stating. In the fairytale we Americans tell ourselves where soldiers fight wars for freedom and not imperial conquests, the story says they’re fighting for someone’s right to protest, not the opposite. So using the troops as a cudgel against protest wholly misunderstands even our own national fairytale.
So, that’s obvious enough, but what I’m talking about is this. If white athletes can’t fathom kneeling because they feel soldiers fought for their rights and blah blah blah patriotism, it’s because they are treated as full citizens and afforded those rights they imagine soldiers fought for. Interpreting their own experience as something more universal, they struggle to understand why anyone should kneel. Indeed, for them, the anthem and American flag represent promises fulfilled....
(Excerpt) Read more at huffingtonpost.com ...
Oh, my, that is good.
If your lunch line is long, take a knee.
If you miss your turn, take a knee.
If you burn your toast, take a knee.
If it’s a Monday, take a knee.
Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.
I don’t think there is a whole lot of people out there that don’t know there is a racial problem in the US. There has always been a racial problem in the US. The mistreatment of the Blacks, the Irish, the Asians, the Mexicans, is known by anyone that owns a radio, TV, reads a newspaper, or owns a crystal or CB radio. And it is that way throughout the world as there isn’t a country in the world that doesn’t have a racial problem.
In this case, do black Americans have a right to want better? Of course. Do they have a right to ask for it. Absolutely. Do they have a right to disrespect this country that has given them so much while disrespecting the thousands that died for their right to want respect. Absolutely no!
You want respect? Ask for it and show me how to work with you to get it. Should you have equality? Yep, the same as anyone else that is a citizen here. Should you try to meet standards others are expected to so fear is not a factor? Yes if you want someone to respond to you.
But creating an appearance of disparity the thousands that died for this opportunity to get something done is not the answer.
A professional athlete has some advantages the working stiff does not. He can get an audience with a congressman, a senator, a mayor, a governor, or maybe even a president I can’t start to get. And he can drag the media in with him/her to discuss problems with such a high profile.
As a veteran of 32 years working at many facets of the federal government from active military to the pentagon, I would love to discuss any problems. But I won’t be bullied or disrespected into answering not asked questions and demanding expected behaviors right or wrong. All you have to do is ask. When are you going to do it? And if you have, when and where and what was the answer. I don’t read minds.
And, as one of the disrespected, I probably have just as many questions as you do. And you’re not answering them any better than you’re getting answers. First question, show me where we need to get together to figure out your first problem. You may not like the answer. But you’ll get one.
rwood
Play the fool as you wish; we're not required to follow along.
“pledge of allegiance to Royalty.”
Or an expression of submission. But in this case, I doubt it.
rwood
O'Reilly's right. You too. They're coming after the country AND the people behind these thugs are well connected and well paid.
“And he’s written for Backpacker Magazine.”
_____________________________________________
You sure that wasn’t Fudgepacker Magazine?
Benn sounds like a colossal a**hole.
Thank you!
:D
I’ve noticed this too. Liberals like censorship, but preach tolerance.
Benn will be the 2020 Democratic nominee.
Is this what the throws of death looks like? I always wondered :)
When you are on the complete losing side of history.
Kinda fun to watch :)
Jesse Benn banned me from communicating with him on Twitter!
You are blocked from following @JesseBenn and viewing @JesseBenn’s Tweets. Learn more
Is his “husband” John Dover? Jesse Benn-Dover.
The Facebook plugin is the one that I’m the most leery of.
I’m impressed!
What did you say to get that honor of distinction ;)
~Hope all is well with you :)
Tweet #2
Only a Rabid Liberal Moron would come to such a conclusion. Look @ Civil War pics. Whites spilled blood for blacks by the 1000s.
Tweet #3
But Rabid Liberals ignore history. They ignore WW1 & 2, Khmer Rouge/Viet Nam, Stalin, Venezuela, East Germany & Mao.
Last Tweet #4
Rabid Liberals ignore the fact that Nazis/Neo Nazis are Socialists. What is the diff btw a Rabid Liberal and a Socialist? Nada.
Your tweets are excellent!!
Again, I am impressed!
All is well with me. And you? Ready for fall?
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