RESPECT DUE

This last week has the social forces at odds with whose right and who’s wrong in the methods used to stage dissent.  In the United States of America we recognize dissent as an important part of our governance.  The spark igniting this last confrontation was the refusal of a NFL quarterback to stand during the National anthem. 

Now I, being an absolute zealot in favor of our country, am in complete disagreement with his apparent misunderstanding of the country in which he is forced to live.  I am, however, just as strongly  in agreement with his right to act in any way he chooses as long as it does not lead to violence.  The fact that I may think he is ignorant and misinformed should in no way affect his rights.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is quoted as saying the following: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses  Black people and people of color. To me this is bigger than football. It would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” ( The bodies in the street was later explained as those killed unjustly by law enforcement personnel.)

There are so many things, in just this one short statement, that I find to exemplify his ignorance about the country he lives in.  His lack of knowledge about the principles of law enforcement, about the reasons behind the respect and reverence most of our citizens have for our flag and our country. 

One of the other things I see in his disrespectful attitude is a misplaced anger and blame.  I view this young man as a youth looking for a place of relevance in a world colored by propaganda and prejudice.  He was taught by an education system that tells a history in lessons taught with portions of truth and untruths in equal proportions to promote ideology.  He is misplacing  the who, what and why of his disappointment and anger.  Our country and our flag do not deserve his disrespect.   If he wants to let the world know he is not happy with certain things, he needs to stick to the subject if he wants to have any kind of a real impact.  

“a country that oppresses Black people and people of color”

Regardless of what views as oppression the continuation of slavery is not an oppression that was carried forward as a government policy since the mid and late 1860s.  Under the “Colors” of the flag, (now being disrespected) President Abraham Lincoln signed an executive order on January 1, 1863 granting the legal status of “Free Man” to some 3 million slaves.  In order to achieve that status they had to flee the Confederate States of America which was at that point in time a separate and distinct country.  It should come into consideration, by the detractors of our country, the large numbers of people still escaping oppression and tyranny of their own countries by entering our country.  They certainly don’t do this because we oppress people of color.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_landmark_African-American_legislation  The article should enlighten folks regarding the efforts undertaken, by all three branches of our government, to help “people of color” attain all of the rights implied in our Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  It is not our country that deserves disrespect.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color”

As I have stated, above the laws and statutes of the United States are in the favor of equality of status and opportunity among all of its citizens regardless of color, creed or family descent.  So what is to be said about the flag?  Our flag waves over a country, a government and a people steeped in the history of attaining the freedom and opportunity to be all that their abilities can obtain.  This flag represents thousands upon thousands of American lives that have been spent to give those same opportunities to people around this rock we call our world.  This flag also represents and stands for all of the mistakes, missteps and errors that have been made in our country’s evolution.  Most of all it stands for HOPE, the hope we have in leaving our children and their children a better place than the one we were born into.

“There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

This part of the statement, made in reference to law enforcement, is part of the BLM credo.  Like most statements inferring ALL it has no place in giving cause for the disrespect being shown our flag and our country.  It does have validity as a point of discussion and as a problem to be addressed, not by government but by our society.  We all have a part in that responsibility and in this respect the word ALL is more than appropriate.  We all have the right, granted under our laws, to the fair and impartial treatment of our laws.  It is not our country or our flag that deserves disrespect, it is our people our society as a whole.  Regardless of color we all have the responsibility to ourselves, our families and our neighbors to support law and order with in our communities.

Mr. Kaepernick, you might look in the mirror to see if you are doing what you can for a positive effective change of condition.

God Bless our country, our flag, and the people which it represents.  Love your neighbor.