Taking a Knee-II

The main stream media, along with every sports channel and social media outlet is atwitter (pun intended) over Donald's Trump's trolling of the NFL player. Some players have decided that Xs and Os aren't nearly as important as their lame attempts at social justice. As I mentioned in my previous blog post on this subject, the players, coaches, and owners have every right to comment on the country and on politics in general. Trump was wrong when he suggested that the players be fired for doing so. But he was not wrong on the broader issue—sports is, if nothing else, part tradition. Overt social protest has its place, but tradition indicates that politics (especially disrepect of the country that hosts the game) should not be encountered in stadia or on the playing field. Therefore, on the broader issue, Trump is right.

Just consider for a moment, what would happen if a small group of professional athletes overtly supported something that the Left didn't like—say statuary of civil war generals—by carting a replica of such statuary onto the field before the game and saluting it. My, oh my, there would be wails from the progressives, calls to have the players fired or censured, arguments that the stadium is not a "safe place" for progressives, etc. etc. And the media would pile on, showing images of burned jerseys and fans screaming in opposition. Hmmm. Sound familiar.

Jason Whitlock comments:

Let’s remember: While Colin Kaepernick’s original protest was about police brutality and the black community, the anthem kneels have largely provoked conversations about disrespecting the flag and the now-unemployed quarterback’s career. The protest has evolved again, this time into a referendum on a disruptive president.

Not much has changed about the conversation surrounding policing and the black community. But as I wrote in these pages earlier this year, Mr. Kaepernick has shifted the way the NFL is perceived and discussed. Mr. Goodell, NFL ownership and the league’s television partners will no longer be allowed to present the game as an escape from America’s divisive political discourse. Mr. Kaepernick and his handlers cleverly dragged the league into America’s broader social-justice war.

Will the fans happily go along? Political and racial debates are multifaceted and dangerous. The NFL’s breast-cancer awareness month is noncontroversial. But a social-justice month, as some players have suggested? It might sound awesome on Twitter, but in the real world it’s likely divisive and poisonous for NFL TV ratings. Professional football’s core customers have more in common with our Twitter-addicted president than with sanctimonious athletes posturing for social-media approval.

Indeed, a one year wonder, Colin Kaepernick, has "cleverly dragged the league into America’s broader social-justice war." A minority of players decided to follow his lead, degrading themselves and the game they play (for very, very big money) in the process.

Whether they realize it or not, the protesting players and the progressive who mindlessly support them are on the wrong side of this issue. There is a fundamental difference between the right to do something, and doing what is right.

As I've said many times in the past 9 months, the Left and the people it uses as a cats paw, are in a hole, and they just keep digging.