What if Conservatives "Took a Knee"?

So it is that time of the year again. No, not just Thanksgiving, which of course should be properly remembered , but also of one of the most important weekends for football of the season. The whole Thanksgiving weekend is noted for massive amounts of turkey, pie, and touchdowns. However, this year, it simply does not seem that is the case so much, at least not when it comes to football. Football has lost some of its luster as the country seems obsessed over whether players will stand or not. It is a very sad display of patriotism. I say that, not so much about the players, but the fans that come to watch them (or these days, stay home). I know, that seems shocking, but there is nothing more patriotic than civil obedience. The willingness to take a stand (or in this case a knee) when it is incredibly unpopular has to be seen as a sign of patriotism. I always stand, but would be tempted not to if people saw it as anything other than voluntary patriotism.

The willingness to take a stand (or in this case a knee) when it is incredibly unpopular has to be seen as a sign of patriotism.

Ratings for the National Football League have definitely suffered. It should be no surprise that the largest group that watches football are those of a more conservative political ilk. So, in turn, it should be no surprise that they are not showing up, because they do not like players to protest. I find it sad and even contradictory that fans would want athletes to show false patriotism and stand because they are required to do it. For me, that is North Korean style patriotism, which is the antithesis of being a real American. I personally dont understand the fuss. With conservatives and their claims of distaste for overreaching government and their fundamental belief that it does so many things that are fundamentally wrong, they of all people should want a nonviolent protest based on civil disobedience. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that is the problem. I believe conservatives are not angry that there is civil disobedience, but over what these athletes are taking a knee for. It appears they fundamentally believe that the poor treatment of minorities is not a worthy cause for protest.

I believe that if these athletes were protesting other things, conservatives could be first in line in defending those rights. If athletes got on their knees in opposition to abortion, virtually all social conservatives and many in the larger conservative movement would not make a squeak. Conservatives say that deficit spending is stealing from future generations and, I think if an athlete took a knee over that, there would be plenty of support from the right. The truth is, there are plenty of issues conservatives would love to see high visibility people take a knee for and they would not only be quiet about it, but many would celebrate it. Many who call themselves conservative are disgusted about the direction the United States is going. In fact, the vote for Donald Trump (in spite of it defying all sensibilities) seems to be little more than one of the biggest examples of mass protest in modern US history.

Governments lust for power and to undermine the freedom of anybody, should make all of us vigilant in defending the freedoms of everybody.

The problem is not the act of protest for these conservatives, but what the protest is about. That is a sad indictment on a nation that does not seem to understand the nature of liberty itself. Liberty is defending the constitutional rights of all citizens. That includes those with whom we disagree. Governments lust for power and to undermine the freedom of anybody, should make all of us vigilant in defending the freedoms of everybody.

I live in the Houston area and a hot story here is that of a pick-up truck that a woman owned with F*** Trump on the back of it. It was in incredible bad taste. For undecided voters, it probably made them more sympathetic to Trump, but conservatives were up in arms. When the local Sheriff discovered there was a warrant out on the lady for an unrelated issue, he made sure she was picked up. It was not important until her behavior offended him. Conservatives cheered this selective use of the law. However, it made me wonder how they would have acted if the insult was against Barack Obama and the driver was a conservative. My instincts tells me they would have protested and called for the protection of that persons First Amendment rights. I would agree, just like I believe the lady with the pick-up truck deserves to be protected as well. Thats the way liberty should work always and for everyone. The government wants to curtail liberties, therefore it takes the efforts of everyone to protect them..