How many people upset with players taking a knee, really understand why they're doing it?

Sports aren’t really my thing. I don’t know stats, I don’t know which player makes what money, and my life certainly does not revolve around games. I’ve never hosted a championship party, tailgated, or honestly really give a flying f*#k about who wins what. Unless it is the Olympic Gold Medal in hockey, or figure skating. I care very much about who wins those. But little else about any other sport.

Why am I rambling on and sharing this, if I care so little about sports? I’m letting you know these things so you can understand that I’m not an NFL fan. I don’t know how many teams are in the league, or how many players on a team. When I cheered professionally for two seasons, here in Toronto, I did it for a couple of reasons: 1) I was early 20’s and had just had my second baby and wanted to get back in shape 2) I needed to be paid to get in shape since we didn’t have enough money for me to pay to get in shape. It was a perfect fit. To this day I still have no idea what I was cheering about, or for, but I had a great time!

Lately the NFL, and the NBA have been getting a heap of attention from #45, all of it negative. The guys in the NFL have taken to not standing during the national anthem. This is seen, by many as utter disrespect for the flag, for the country and the people who served, and died protecting her.

Hmmm…

All this coming from a “leader” who NEVER served.

All this coming from people who, as Chrissy Teigen cleverly pointed out, definitely don’t stand, hand over heart in their homes while the anthem plays before every single game.

All this coming from #45 on a Sunday, another Sunday where he’s dragging some organization that has nothing to do with his office. Remember the Emmy tweets? I mean is it just mean or does this man have the gift of deflecting? Deflecting from what is really happening behind his administration?? I mean he’s still being investigated about Russia. He’s still failing at coming up with that new and better plan to replace Obamacare. He’s still in trouble over a great many things; yet like clockwork the weekend rings in another outrageous set of tweets to kick off the week distracting everybody who doesn’t back him with nonsense to focus on. I don’t like the man, but I have to say this; it’s pretty crafty, and personally I think it’s why he’s managed to hold on to the Presidency for as long as he has, all this smoke and mirrors distracting from all the real issues. Of which there are many.

As far as the NFL, well I’ll say this. I find it ironic that we have a group of men, and owners, who for the most part support sexism and misogyny being elevated to role of “heroes” for some. I mean we’ve all heard the stories of domestic abuse that runs rampant through the league, it’s not new information. I don’t condone the owners who have turned a blind eye to players who have been not only suspected of this behaviour, or respect them because they feel vindicated by having their teams where pink socks and cleats during breast cancer month. I could write an entire blog about what’s wrong with the NFL on these matters, we’re not talking about these issues. We’re talking about a sport comprised of predominantly black men making their voices heard. They have the platform, and as wealthy African American men who could act like they don’t know, or care about what’s happening to other black men and women would be much worse than them using their influence, and create dialogue, that will prayerfully not only draw attention to the problem, but change.

Innocent people are losing their lives at an alarming rate, we should all be appalled by this, and we should support and agree with the fact that something has to be said, done, to make it stop. So I completely support, as I’ve tweeted the reason behind why they’re “taking the knee” I mean as long as we have white cops walking up to the windows of cars and saying shit like: “Oh you’re lucky you’re white or I might have shot you” they need to “take the knee.” The flag represents freedom for ALL, not just white people. The flag represents the right to be who you are, and live your life in peace because others died for you to have that right. And this stands for all Americans, not just the white ones. Until cops, government, and other citizens are in line with this thinking; that people, regardless of colour, race or religion are all worthy of the same God given privileges we white people have, then I say “take the knee.”

Jesus, be like the Steelers and don’t even come out for the national anthem. I mean why bother if the song doesn’t mean the same thing to everybody, if we’re picking and choosing what freedom actually is then we need to check ourselves. For those white people who are demanding that a race that isn’t being treated like Americans on American soil respect the country then I say you who feel that way need to have a serious come to Jesus moment with yourselves. Because, in my humble opinion if these athletes taking a knee offends you, instead of moves you to tears, moves you to tears because they shouldn’t even have to be doing this in the year 2017, then you need to check your heart and ask yourself why you’re more offended by them not standing during a song than you are that they have to do it in the first place.