Kaepernick

Picture credit: NYDaily News

For some reason, this guy gets criticized, called names, told to leave the country by people who proudly wear this

Whether you agree with Colin Kaepernick or not, he is doing the very thing that we claim to celebrate in the United States…the right to protest that which we don't agree with.  Kaepernick isn't calling for violence or more shootings, he is merely using his status as an NFL quarterback to call attention to an issue that he feels very strongly about despite the potential of injury to his career, endorsement deals or even his own personal safety.  How more American can you get?

It shows you how narrow the view of "patriotism" has become in this country.  Anyone not fitting that "mom and apple pie" type of patriotism is subject to scorn and ridicule.  

Gabby Douglas is vilified for not putting her hand over her heart during the national anthem, yet Ryan Lochte lies to authorities and ends up getting two other swimmers arrested but hardly a word is said about him.

As someone who proudly wore the uniform of the US military for 22 years and was in two wars, I respect my country and am a patriot but I do feel compelled to vilify someone for falling to cover their heart during the national anthem.  Anybody, including our nation's enemies, can stand and cover their heart during the national anthem so why get so bent out of shape when someone forgets to?

Obviously Kaepernick is sitting intentionally to bring attention to blacks being killed by cops.  For some reason, Kaepernick isn't allowed to protest in his own way an issue that is dividing this country.  For all of the supposed cop supporters, I have yet to see any calling for a dialog to de-escalate the situation.  

Critics point out that more blacks are killed by blacks than cops or that more whites are killed by cops.  But what does that have to do with the original issue, the one Kaepernick is protesting, that if you are black and encounter a police officer there is a much greater risk that the encounter will turn deadly than if you are white?  

I'm not taking sides on the BLM issue or cops, what I am taking a side on is the Kaepernick is doing the very thing that other "patriots" have done and celebrated for.  For that he gets called a "piece of shit" by pro-cop supporters and "patriots"?  

No, Colin Kaepernick is very much a patriot (despite not standing for the national anthem) and if you are too deaf to hear what he is really saying because you are too busy calling him names, then you are the very reason he has to keep sitting.