Taking a knee during the national anthem is not appropriate for our basketball team. Making a statement that disrespects our flag is not the way to protest what has happened to minority’s… Racial discrimination is not acceptable by anyone but unless there is a change in the heart of a lot of people it will continue. The great majority of our police force do a great job but as in all jobs or professions there are some that are just bad. You can use the word hate and in some cases that would be true. I will never know what it feels like to be a person of color and in America I will never be considered a minority but I would hope one day we would not see color or minority’s . Only when we have a change of heart will we see everyone as an equal and hate and discrimination will go away. Respect the flag. Taking a knee is inflammatory to a lot of people that spent time in their lives to defend what it was made to stand for. I recently bought season tickets to the women’s basketball games. I bought them to watch great athletes play ball, not to watch a protest.
It seems a bit disingenuous to use the public platform brought about by being part of a [color=#800000]team [/color]to express an individual opinion. It should not be overlooked that the freedoms they are leveraging come from the flag they are disrespecting. :roll:
Just what we need - some white, middle class, middle age dudes weighing in about what is appropriate behavior for women athletes of color (and sympathizers) during a song which represents a time when people of color (and women) had no rights. Your high horse is in fact not high at all. BTW, this is a sports blog.
You are exactly right, this is a sports forum and a basketball arena is a place to play sports. It’s not a protest arena.
By the way, your profile of me is wrong and you missed the point I was trying to make. These young ladies have the right to protest but in my opinion they are doing it in the wrong place. I have no horse so it can’t be high. Isn’t it nice we live in a country where we can all have an opinion. I agree with these ladies that racial injustice and hate is a big problem and pray that it will change. It has to start with each individual. The heart has to change. Maybe even yours.
This type of protest is getting old and has not done anything to promote dialogue about black lives matter. It seems that now it’s about, look at me! I think there are many cases where police went to far and should be held accountable but it it seems BLM believes all incidents where a African-American gets shot and killed is murder. Can anyone else see a no win situation here?
Those young ladies have every right to do something foolish. And I have every right to criticize them for it. My only question is “what has this self-absorbed “protest” accomplished?” I challenge anyone to state one positive thing “protesting” the flag and anthem has accomplished. All it has done is further agitate an already volatile topic.
I come from a different time in reference to the topic of this discussion. I was under the impression that this society had made great strides towards harmony between all races. Equal housing and equal job opportunities to a great extent plus integrated schools had greatly lessened historic tensions. However with what I have seen in the last few years. It looks as if nothing has changed. I suspect it never will.
[quote=“Smashmouth2004”]
This type of protest is getting old and has not done anything to promote dialogue about black lives matter. It seems that now it’s about, look at me! I think there are many cases where police went to far and should be held accountable but it it seems BLM believes all incidents where a African-American gets shot and killed is murder. Can anyone else see a no win situation here?
[/quote]Yep, sadly, and it beat us across the head when it involved our state, and a low profile part of our athletics’ program which it would be surprising if it actually a “pays its own way” part of the program, as I heard on the radio earlier today. At that age, kids cannot possibly have much perspective on life and actually still believe life is a fair proposition and being grounded from their I Phone is unfair. Let’s not over react to that, but you have to question our leadership and the recruiting ---- that is a fair question. If they are not 100% committed to playing BBall, why are they here and why were they recruited ? They apparently don’t realize they aren’t oppressed in any way and have no understanding of oppression, and are actually very privileged, and they will need a job at some point. Hopefully our forefathers were not correct, but looking more that way everyday. That I would hate, if that is a fact.
Your post says a lot about your own prejudices.
I am sorry, did I miss, but did someone actually criticize you for your right to criticize them?
One positive that I can think of is that it clearly shows that the flag and the national anthem stands for freedom, that is unless someone decides that they do not have the right to express their right to free speech. That would be North Korea not USA.
Don’t confuse disappointment with reality. I am disappointed with the the 56-3 loss, and I am disappointed that the young ladies found cause to which to stage the protest, but I am not confused about the reality of what CBB is trying do, nor am I confused about the realities of what the young ladies wish to convey. It is called tolerance, something that I wish we all had more of i.e. with CBP.
Protesting the National Anthem at sports event is THE WRONG VENUE to express political opinions. It appears disrespectful to veterans and their families FOREVER. The proper place for these lame ducks is to go out into the 'hood and do some public service or God forbid go and protest at a Police Station where public abuses in the black communities actually exists. Or perhaps the Mayor’s office or better still the local courthouse of ANY county government where police brutality actually exists. Bet I won’t see any of them in Chicago down around Damen&Cicero. This is LAME and I am calling them out on it! Knock-it off and go do some real good somewhere it actually means something. HOGS YA’LL.
There’s a right time to express yourself and a wrong time to express yourself. Collegiate sports is not a place for politics. While Chancellor Steinmetz, Jeff Long and Jimmy Dykes have no problem with the players actions, there are many that contribute to the University endowment and the Razorback Foundation that will. Like it or not, women’s basketball at Arkansas will take a real punch in the gut over this. Recruiting will get tougher as high school prep players look to avoid the turmoil this action creates. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Mizzou after their protests. Granted, the forms of disobedience vary greatly. Two, brand new dorms are closed on campus, indefinitely, due to the largest decrease in the University’s enrollment in its history, this fall semester. More than 3,000 Mizzou students have transferred to the school my daughter attends in the State of Missouri. Scold me if you will. But as a U of A graduate, I am embarrassed by this incident. U of A officials can play the PC game in the PR arena all they want. Unfortunately the actions of the players involved and the University’s support of those actions will have undeniable and negative implications.
What happens in a visibly public forum oftentimes is met with retribution in silence in the aftermath.
In Tsunami’s post, the term “white, middle class, middle age dude” is a category I fall into. He was basically stating that this section of the population does not have any business joining in on the conversation. So yes, that comment was criticizing me for even wanting to have an opinion on the issue. As for the rest of your post, I think you are the one who is confusing disappointment with reality. I mean, how you can revert this discussion into a plea for CBP is just beyond me.
Thank you for clarifying, but as I read the post you referenced, I don’t think he was criticizing you rather responding to the author of the discussion in an attempt to defend those women. Sounds like stretch to me, but I do accept your reasoning.
You may never understand how I view tolerance and CBP together, because you don’t know me. But in this situation, I cite three realities; one attributed by these young ladies, 56 - 3 loss to Auburn and decision made by CBP as personal disappointments to me. However, in all cases I understand the the plight and intent of the young ladies, CBB & CBP. When you can accept what you may view as bad out of belief and respect for another, that is called tolerance. Something that I think a great many fans lack.
You are right is a sports blog, so next time you respond or post, keep it about sports. Instead of stereotyping someone else due to their opinion.
WPS
Go Lady Razorbacks.
Bingo
I can agree with that premise, HA. I absolutely believe that these young women and anyone or any group who want to protest a cause, have every right to do so, regardless if I agree with them or not. The fact that in this country we are allowed to do so without repercussions from the government is one of the most powerful reasons that make this country great. I just think that the way they are going about it is an improper course. IMHO, it is very difficult to rally people to a cause by choosing such a divisive course to make your statement.
He is beyond most everybody.
fearthetsuman…though you are obviously racist and biased in your opinion of middle-aged white people you do need to understand that these are posts on a sports site because these protests are taking place at sporting events…duh. You are absolutely correct about these ladies’ rights to protest …AND…I and others have the right to protest their protest. This isn’t a one-way street. :roll: