This is the point I was trying to get across. Maybe Kareem can say it better than me.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...bar-says-colin-kaepernick-needs-part-solution
I agree with much of Kareem's sentiment but here is what I don't agree with:
"Talking of the
San Francisco 49ers quarterback's refusal to stand for the national anthem, Abdul-Jabbar said, "I see it as being patriotic to bring attention to issues that are important and meaningful for the whole country."'
These "issues" aren't important to me. Because from where I sit, the "issues" are greatly exaggerated for political purposes and for the left to continue to divide us and promote class and racial warfare. So no...the myth that blacks are preyed upon by police is not an important and meaningful issue to me. Furthermore, not standing for the National Anthem is completely nonsensical and has little to zero relation to the situation. If we want to start linking pieces where other athletes are chiming in on Kap's misdirected stance, see Russell Wilson's comments.
"For me, I love the flag. I love the National Anthem because it’s an emotional time for me
because I’m so grateful I get to play on the football field. And every time I get to put my hand on my heart, it’s truly an honor — you know, the military, for me I think about my family members who have served, and friends — I train down in San Diego all the time, so I’m around the Navy and I see those guys around. And all they do for our country and the people in Afghanistan and all these people fighting. 9/11, for example, coming up — that’s going to be our first game and I think about all the pain from that. So that’s why I stand and put my hand on my heart.
I do think there’s always issues in our country. I think ultimately it comes back to love. Like I said to you guys before, it comes back to loving one another and appreciating one another.
Understanding that we’re not perfect but we need to be equal. And that’s from the black community, from the white community, that’s from police officers to everybody to all of our military to everybody that we get to recognize and see —
have great appreciation for what this country is based on — and what it should be based on. It should be based on equality. It should be based on people having freedom of speech — people can have that decision. And so, I understand what (Kaepernick’s) doing. But at the same time for me, I can also think about where we need to go and where our thoughts need to be. It needs to be about love, about caring about one another. And that’s for every community, every situation, every socio-economic status. And if we focus on that, maybe something can be change — and I think that’s important.”
