Paid Patriotism

[Praxis]

Came for the helter skelter, wasnt disappointed. Then, was disappointed.

[Fellow Aspirant]

Posted by TinFoilSuit (here)
The NFL and every other professional sport are much more than just businesses - they are opiates for the masses, designed to distract away from the discovery of important issues. Attend a game or walk into a sports bar/pub and this becomes crystal clear. Fans screaming, arguing, and sometimes even getting to fist fights - over exactly what?? It's amusing that so many fans say "we" when talking about their favorite teams - sure because these millionaires and billionaires care sooo much about you the fan, right?

We have an ever burgeoning populace that can spout off all sorts of intricate statistics when it comes to players on their respective fantasy football squads, and yet alarmingly few of them can tell you how a bill or law gets passed - things that have far greater impacts upon their lives compared to whomever wins the Super Bowl. So when it comes to politics, the choice has been made all too easy for folks - pick Right or Left - doesn't matter which side you pick, just pick one and hate the other as you're told. Just like in sports. Hate tha Yankees if you're a Red Sox fan. Hate Man U, if you're Chelsea. Hate Republicans if you're a Democrat.

Meanwhile up the luxury box, somebody is whispering "just divide and conquer, baby. Divide and conquer."

TFS

Well put, TFS. Professional sports is one of the biggest 'distractions' our culture has to offer. At the top (of this aspect, at least) are the mega wealthy who are fine with sharing a small part of the huge profits with the players, because they can't do it - they can just exploit those who can. Those who would fault the players for accepting meagre slivers of the profit for ruining their bodies fail to acknowledge just how enormous the sums of money in play really are. The owners never go broke. It's the fans who fund the show; let them boycott the league if they think the players are being overpaid.

Sports used to be a healthy distraction for the working class who could cheer for their home teams - now, (at the top levels) it's a money printing machine where the working class still labours under the illusion that they can cheer for "their" teams as a way of showing their home town pride. That situation is now merely a convenient marketing myth.

B.

[Chester]

Since this thread has transformed (and is off topic) and the OP has participated in this, I assume its ok to continue along these lines.

Note several posts back I asked two questions. No one has yet attempted to answer them. I will now quote that post in hopes someone might answer these two questions - asking if anyone might try and answer them...

Posted by Sammy (here)

Posted by Bruno (here)
What unfortunately most people are not paying attention to is why these men are kneeling.

Hi Bruno... I always appreciate your posts and so my following questions are not meant to be antagonizing... I am truly wondering if you have the answers to the following -

Please, tell me what you think is the reason these men are kneeling? (wait...)



Even better... what was the original reason Colin Kaepernick knelt for the first time during a playing of the National Anthem?


And so then, I ask... what may be the reason these men are kneeling now?

[turiya]

Posted by Sammy (here)
Since this thread has transformed (and is off topic) and the OP has participated in this, I assume its ok to continue along these lines.

Note several posts back I asked two questions. No one has yet attempted to answer them. I will now quote that post in hopes someone might answer these two questions - asking if anyone might try and answer them...

Posted by Sammy (here)

Posted by Bruno (here)
What unfortunately most people are not paying attention to is why these men are kneeling.

Hi Bruno... I always appreciate your posts and so my following questions are not meant to be antagonizing... I am truly wondering if you have the answers to the following -

Please, tell me what you think is the reason these men are kneeling? (wait...)



Even better... what was the original reason Colin Kaepernick knelt for the first time during a playing of the National Anthem?


And so then, I ask... what may be the reason these men are kneeling now?

From my understanding Kaepernick initially remained sitting down on a water cooler. After this initial sitting down postition, he then decided that kneeling down may not look soooooooo... disrespectful. So, in my sense, he had second thoughts about just sitting down during the anthem & then thought it better to take a kneeling postion... its kinda halfway between sitting & standing.

Colin Kaepernick chose to remain seated
during the national anthem
by James Dator
Aug 27, 2016, 9:36am EDT

On Saturday morning he spoke with NFL.com about his decision:

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game against Green Bay. "To me, this is bigger than football and 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."

Source

[turiya]

More on...

Posted by Fellow Aspirant (here)
For decades, NFL teams sat in the locker room during the anthem. Only in 2009 and after did teams start showing up and get paid for their patriotism.
By Jay Syrmopoulos
-
September 25, 2017

Kelly Clarkson Star Spangled
Banner live 2006 Dallas NFL

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qi-cuPKeEwg

[Chester]

That's part 1, turiya... it was a protest against what is perceived by some to be an unusual and unacceptable degree of police brutality against Black people and people of color.

Yet what is it now?

[turiya]

Posted by Sammy (here)
That's part 1, turiya... it was a protest against what is perceived by some to be an unusual and unacceptable degree of police brutality against Black people and people of color.

Yet what is it now?

I think its the same... its all about playing the race card!
Politics has been immersed into sports... The left has continously used the race card.
And Trump is their scapegoat.
Scott Adams has a good opinion of how things are going... something hilarious about this, imo.

Scott Adams talks about the NFL protests
and how Trump played them
(2017.09.24)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=hCeToLZRHxw

____________________

First 16 Minutes is About NFL Taking a Knee

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=t8hDqPknt88

[Chester]

Yes but I would not call it the same... it has morphed into a protest against "racism" and a protest against Trump.

And sadly, most (if not all) of these NFL player/protesters do not understand they are simply being used. They may wake up when their salaries get slashed or the league folds and they go back to the real world... OR, pull a Tim Tebow and try their hand at baseball!

[Chester]

Note to the OP - the blog post you quoted in your opening post is factually incorrect.

I have attended hundreds (yes hundreds) of NFL games. The players were always there on the sidelines for the National Anthem as the game always started just after it. They always stood like we all did while someone played or someone sang the National Anthem. My first NFL game was in 1964 and at the Cotton Bowl where the Dallas Cowboys played at that time.

I have watched thousands of NFL games (yes, thousands) on TV. I never once ever recall seeing the National Anthem played and not watched the cameras pan fans and players... showing them standing, often hand over their hearts, always with any hat they may be wearing taken off, often singing the words.

from a more factual article - (here)

One aspect of this history that has spawned some confusion in recent days concerns a change made in 2009.

Until that year, players in primetime games would remain inside their locker rooms while the anthem was sung, due to timing concerns for the television networks. After 2009, the players in primetime games have been on the field during the anthem, McCarthy said.

But this change only affected primetime games. For all other games -- typically held at 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. Eastern -- players had already been stationed on the field for the national anthem. So the 2009 change simply applied to primetime games the rules that had already been in place for daytime games.

This thread title and the intent of the thread is based on fact. The article used to support the point was misleading to the point it could be called deceptive.

[Praxis]

Posted by Sammy (here)
That's part 1, turiya... it was a protest against what is perceived by some to be an unusual and unacceptable degree of police brutality against Black people and people of color.

Yet what is it now?

Just wow. . . . . . . . .

[Curious77]

Let's also put it this way, the right wing has always tried to bury
racist issues -- like FBI having made numerous attempts to begin
a race war for the benefit of Elites.

Yes, the LEFT continues to put the spotlight on police brutality
which isn't some minor issue across our nation.

And certainly the shooting down of "black" males in the streets
isn't a minor issue either -- nor choke holds and other means
of destroying "black" youth, including prisons "suicides."

Police Brutality is something the nation stands against and is
making itself very clear about that --
and that includes Trump's own particular brand of racism and
sexism.

ALL political systems -- such as "patriarchy" and "racism" run
through every part of our lives -- including, of course, SPORTS!

Politics effects your life every day of our life.

Politics is also defined as "the shadow cast over government by corporations."

What that describes is Elite exploitation of the masses via their wealth and greed.

I think its the same... its all about playing the race card!
Politics has been immersed into sports... The left has continously used the race card.
And Trump is their scapegoat.
Scott Adams has a good opinion of how things are going... something hilarious about this, imo.

[Curious77]

Evidently you don't understand that the entire population is standing
against "racism" and exploitation of AA's here and police brutality --

and Trump.

The players, of course, are not being used any more than the expressions
of our citizens against "racism" and against Trump which can be seen
anywhere that comments are permitted to articles are fake.

Our citizens are anxious and ready to stand against this racism by our
corrupt government and against Police Brutality --

and against Elites/wealthy and their exploitation of citizens in every way
possible.

AND, btw, the NFL was paid handsomely to play the National Anthem by our government.

You can't sell this fake patriotism ... the US/CIA has to PAY to have it played!!

This is a liberal nation which stands against MIC/illegal wars of aggression by minimum of 84% --
and internationally its even higher.

[Curious77]

Fellow --

Thank you -- was coming in to post info on US PAYING NFL TO PLAY THE ANTHEM ...

and other BS "patriarchy."

American citizens understand the corruption of our government and the fakery of war...
which is about Empire and profit for Elites -- especially "perpetual war" made so clear
by Gore Vidal and so desired by the right wing.

Vietnam and the lies and deception of our government tell the story.

True it did bring a time when it was dangerous for the right wing to even try to bring
about war ... but they finally managed it again in the Gulf War/OIL -- or at least
pulled off a good fakery of support for it.

Since then, the right wing hasn't stopped in its warmongering and war making --
for empire and control of Oil.

And, of course, 9/11 with the underlying reason being war on Iraq.

Their earlier attempt with the attack on the WTC didn't quite do it --
likely a practice run. But they did try then to get Bill Clinton to attack Iraq
and he wouldn't go for it.

Looks like we also have a "crusade" going on for Christianity as W described it ...
with 1 million Muslims dead.

[Curious77]

It's all about faking "patriotism" --

Our government is totally corrupted from A to Z --

Both parties are totally corrupted by Elites/wealthy.


NFL was paid handsomely to play the Anthem and to rally support for MIC.

Sadly, that's the only way the right wing can rise -- on deception and violence.

[Bruno]

Posted by Sammy (here)

Posted by Bruno (here)
What unfortunately most people are not paying attention to is why these men are kneeling.

Hi Bruno... I always appreciate your posts and so my following questions are not meant to be antagonizing... I am truly wondering if you have the answers to the following -

Please, tell me what you think is the reason these men are kneeling? (wait...)



Even better... what was the original reason Colin Kaepernick knelt for the first time during a playing of the National Anthem?


And so then, I ask... what may be the reason these men are kneeling now?

-Minor edit so Sam doesn't think this is directed at him. Just responded to his question in the first part.-


My understanding of the situation, remembering I am not American and not a football watcher, is that they are kneeling in protest of the continued racism and police brutality against blacks.

Regardless of whether this issue is deemed to be valid (For the record I think it is) but I also don't care the reason as long as they (the men kneeling) personally think its valid and is something their country should be doing something about. Nobody should be forced to stand for their National Anthem and you should be able to criticize your country.

My understanding is that people were kneeling when Obama was still in office? I am guessing it's a bigger issue now because Trump has drawn attention to it and he thinks he can force people to stand up? Nothing would make me kneel faster then hearing that from the leader of my country! If our Prime Minister Trudeau had come out and said something similar, I would be down on my knees in the stands during National anthems at hockey games pretty quick.

I have said it countless times in posts on here. I learned that Obama was a pretender and part of the status quo- there was no choice in your election. Trump is as bad or worse as Hilary. Stop trying to make this another - you're picking on Trump issue. He is a billionaire, old, white dude that is use to getting his way and saying what he wants. Just because he runs off at the mouth and tweets like a filter-less drunk doesn't mean he isn't part of the establishment and isn't in the end a puppet to the "masters".

Sports aren't political? I can't believe that anyone could possibly think sports have ever been free of politics. Sports = Politics Sporting events of course are used as distraction from political decision making, but they historically have even decided the fate of nations. Never mind looking at the ins and outs of who gets to play and who gets paid to play and how much.

[turiya]

TAKING A PISS ON THE FANS

This is all you need to know about NFL football players and their bullsh!t protest narrative. Odell Beckam, a lowlife narcissistic scumbag punk, impersonates a dog taking a piss in the end zone. I think it fits pretty well. He represents all the feral dogs roaming our streets killing, raping, and robbing. And pissing on the fans who paid $200 to watch this disgusting display.

Paid Sedition

Guest Post by Ol’ Remus

The wave of fist salutes, mass kneel downs and absences during the national anthem is having a seriously bad effect on pro football’s bottom line

• ==>.

  Ratings tumble: NFL's Sunday Night Football sees an eight percent decline in viewers following a weekend of criticism from President Donald Trump

The NFL claims they’re surprised and disappointed about the decline of attendance and viewers. Unlikely. One report says they’re “praying for a turnaround”

• ==>.

  The NFL is praying for a ratings turnaround

Ain’t going to turn around because they don’t want a turnaround.

Black Power demonstrations during the national anthem are an in-your-face taunt, another middle finger salute from Only Black Lives Matter. The specifics aren’t important. It’s not about issues. It’s about The Diversity’s contempt for anyone not them. Yet they expect us to cheer them in doing for sports what they did for Ferguson and Detroit.

They also expect us to believe this is high-minded Age of Enlightenment stuff, not lame political posturing and race-baiting imported from the worst years of the ’60s. Their minimum goal is to push back the limits of our tolerance a little further. And anyone who calls them out for it is “divisive”, as if fan solidarity with their witless tantrums is a given. Sorry. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

The players call themselves athletes. No. They’re entertainers, or were until they became self-absorbed exhibitionists. They’ve made their choice, the NFL has endorsed it and doubled down, even though it’s obvious that insulting the paying customers is a losing business model. The sniveling and groveling by ESPN’s Chowder and Marching Sycophants Society isn’t helping either. Because it can’t. We’ve seen this movie before. It’s like autumn, no happy ending. Pass.

____________________

Colin Kaepernick can keep
sitting on that bench!
(Aug 29, 2016)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=O9VkN5Rb1Cw

____________________

Colin Kaepernick - Yes you have rights
(Aug 27, 2016)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eimLZKxIDCw

____________________

Colin Kaepernick Sits During National Anthem:
My Thoughts
(Aug 30, 2016)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0e4XWEuw80Y

[Chester]

The protest started shortly after several police were massacred in Dallas on July 7, 2017. The issue morphed into a “protest against racism” and it is now a protest against Trump and his tweets directed at the matter.

The police brutality against blacks and anyone else of color (as if it is an intentional and driven by racism) is a myth derived by fake news to drive an agenda. Racism (and all its siblings like religious bias, sexual orientation bias, cultural bias, etc.) occurs in all varying groups whether that group is a community or nation, a religious affiliation or a sexual preference group, whether a skin color, or ethnic background and despite all the diverse forms of racism or any of its siblings you never ever once hear a protest about its cause.

And its cause is rooted in ignorance and bolstered by lies crammed down all our throats by the well funded medias (all forms) - all and only to put forth a very clear agenda – the total destruction of the United States and the US Constitution and the electoral process the Constitution lays out. They do not want you too look inside yourself and explore your own issues, biases, beliefs, world view, etc. which is how one moves from being ignorant to enlightened. They TELL YOU what you are supposed to think and they want to take away your right to have any other openion other than theirs. If you don't believe it - just look at Berkley - the supposed home of free speech.

Racism is a symptom of ignorance. Yet you never see a protest against ignorance. Ever. That is because the people who want division never want people to know they are being manipulated by their minions – the media... ohhh and… some of the political left, and all of the extreme left.

The NFL players are being used and are (for the most part) too stupid to see it or smart enough to see it but worried about how they are to be perceived by their teammates just like the NFL owners are showing they handled this wrong from the outset and are now in a trap because of their failure to see what was coming (and which is now here). A few listened to their conscience.

So get a clue folks - this is all and only about destroying the United States of America as it was formed and as we have known it (along with its flaws indeed) and its Constitution (which is the best government document ever produced in known history from the standpoint of rectifying its flaws) and its electoral process.

If you truly want to know what is going on in the United States (where this NFL baloney is just one small part) then watch the following 30 minutes or so (starting at 18:20) and you will finally understand. Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vhOFIZSApj4

This is what is going on. If you wish to deny it or make it about anything else, that's your right but also (IMO) it is denial.

If you are honest and admit that indeed, the analysis of O'Reilly (and Hannity) is pretty much dead on correct, you also have the right to say... "I like this... I like that this is what is happening. I like that the United States as it was founded to be and had become is now set to be destroyed."

And if you do, then you have a great deal in common with those who voted Trump in based on their belief he would put forth his agenda. Because what we agree about is the second part of the statement - "...and had become." I say this because the United States had been taken over by an establishment elite that used both sides of the political spectrum while quashing any upstart third party and had done so for at least a century - documented.

It took this crude man (Trump) who sometimes embarrasses me too, to have the ability to grab the megaphone and rally enough of the folks... folks who became sick and tired of the single party state driven by a well formed, un-elected and multi-generationally populated deep state... to get him elected.

This is what this NFL baloney is actually all about... and people either are ignorant and decide to remain so or are smart enough and honest enough to admit it whereby then they decide which "side" they want to be on.

Those two sides are -

The side that wants to destroy the United States as it was formed to be (and as many Americans wish to see it restored to be), the side who wishes to eliminate the Constitution of the United States and the side who wishes to change its electoral process.

The side that wishes to see the United States return to being the country it was formed to be; a country whereby through the processes established by the US Constitution, things like slavery, and all forms of social injustice can be addressed and corrected while preserving an individual's freedoms while holding them to the standards of law as that relates to their personal behavior.

One results in a complete socialistic government takeover and the other restores freedom.

I choose the latter.

[turiya]

Since Trump being elected, it has always been the so-called establishment left/right against Trump. Its been this way from the get-go. It hasn't morphed into anything else at all. And before that, it has always been the subjugation of this American Republic. Its been going on for quite some time.

Look at Obama when he first ran for president... what was he doing during the National Anthem...

Can it be anymore clear?

Interestingly enough, Kaepernick is engaged to be married to Black Lives Matter activist DJ Nessa Diab.
And then, there's this Retweet from Nessa Diab's Twitter page...

Paid Sedition

Trump has come along at the right time...

.

[Helene West]

Posted by Curious77 (here)
It's all about faking "patriotism" --

Our government is totally corrupted from A to Z --

Both parties are totally corrupted by Elites/wealthy.


NFL was paid handsomely to play the Anthem and to rally support for MIC.

Sadly, that's the only way the right wing can rise -- on deception and violence.

This isn't about 'government corruption' to me as you mention above. Yes, the source of the problems are the ruling class, most of whom are probably not even american.

But the Emotions are about a group of people who insist on this black victim / bad white people paradigm morning, noon and night, tired decade after tired decade with no acknowledgment that anything has changed for them, THAT THEY HAVE GOOD LIVES, that they are much of the time enjoying themselves, that black lives in many cases radically changed for the better and that they spend scant time feeling oppressed - Except in front of a camera or microphone.

When people with successful careers and who are millionaires can advertise they are oppressed and the culture is expected to go along with this we are essentially being asked to throw our brains, senses, intuition and human experience in the garbage. But wait, isn't that what a mind-control victim is? Everything mental gets wiped clean and is replaced with what your 'handler' wants you to believe.

Is this what the new racism requires of caucasians to be acceptable? We must be wiped clean and our consciousness replaced with whatever those that hate us want us to feel, and apparently what they want us to feel is - miserable.

[Chester]

Posted by turiya (here)
Since Trump being elected, it has always been the so-called establishment left/right against Trump. Its been this way from the get-go. It hasn't morphed into anything else at all. And before that, it has always been the subjugation of this American Republic. Its been going on for quite some time.

The protest has merged with this very thing you correctly stated has existed for a long time.

The fact that it officially started out as Kaepernick's wearing of the "police pig" socks and then became his kneel down which spread to a few others across the NFL and what it has become today is correctly described as a metamorphosis of the protest.

I am unsure why you seem to wish to appear to disagree with this, turiya or... am I misinterpreting your posts?