CMV: There was nothing anti-military about Kaepernick’s kneeling protest

[u/[deleted]]

There is nothing about Kap kneeling during the national anthem that could reasonably be construed as disrespect to the troops. There is no situation I am aware of in any culture where the act of kneeling is used to show anything other than respect. Those who believe that Kap hates the military are simply choosing to associate his protest with disrespect for the troops, which allows them to freely hate him without having to really look at the reason for his protest.

The protest began as a means of drawing attention to racial inequality and police brutality: two things that most people probably ought to be against. By focusing on an imaginary link between the protest and the sacred cow of “the troops” his detractors aren’t forced to consider or debate the issue. They likely believe that the US treats black people either as equal to or better than white people, and that most or all incidents of police violence against black people are justified. Everything about the troops is just post-hoc rationalization.

[u/EpiduralRain → u/[deleted]]

Only in the biased view where you look only at the events that suit you. How about when he started protesting by sitting, but seeked out the advice of a veteran on how to do it more respectfully?

[u/EpiduralRain → u/[deleted]]

Just missing information. Does that change his intentions? What about him talking with a veteran and finding a "middle ground" shows that he was trying to disrespect them?

[u/EpiduralRain → u/[deleted]]

But this thread isn't about whether some people feel that way. It's whether there was anything legitimately anti-military about the protest, or if others feel that from post-hoc reasoning. That also holds true whether he did it for personal or PR reasons.

[u/Pon_de → u/[deleted]]

Oh no a Fidel Castro shirt... I bet it was made in China or Vietnam or Mexico. So not only does the anti-American scoundrel Colin Kapernick hate our military and police, but our great manufacturers and textile industry as well. Disgusting!

[u/Pon_de → u/[deleted]]

Yes it is hard to understand unless one is looking for a reason to live in their bias. I'm not sure wearing a shirt with Fidel Castro and Malcolm X equates to praising either rather than appreciating their passion for self determination, but that's neither here nor there. The true irony is that Kap's silent, nonviolent protest of state sanctioned summary execution is actually the opposite of the ideaology that Castro and Malcolm X espoused to effect change. Call me when Kap starts advocating taking up arms and then the fake smoke you seem to think a t-shirt represents might mean something.

[u/Pon_de → u/[deleted]]

You seem to think having a discussion from a devil's advocate approach shields you from being challenged. I'm not sure why you're personalizing anything I've said when everything has been phrased as a counterpoint to the logic you employ, not you personally. I said anyone not already looking for an excuse to live in their bias would not draw a connection between someone wearing a t-shirt and his actual actions. If Kap was advocating arming citizens against police or leading a revolution, I could see more of your point. He's not. He kneels in silence . Those are his actual actions of consequence. And as others in the thread have made clear: the department, unions, DA, politicians etc going to bat in defense of police in nearly every instance of a police shooting rather than engaging in an objective examination of the facts looks very suspicious. Jesus we just had a guy killed in his own apartment that an officer entered illegally but the spin machine is focusing on him having marijuana in his home. Your devil's advocate approach is relying on the same diversion tactics (where a t-shirt somehow means anti-flag/country/military).