The National Anthem

[Thestarider]

Well Said Sir.

RETIRED OFFICER AMOS' LETTER TO COLIN KAEPERNICK

An Open Letter to Colin Kaepernick,

Dear Colin guess you have been pretty busy these last few days. For the record I don’t think any more or less of you for not standing for the National Anthem. Honestly, I never thought that much about you, or any professional athlete for that matter, to begin with. I’ve read your statement a few times and want you to know I am one of the reasons you are protesting. You see I am a retired police officer that had the misfortune of having to shoot and kill a 19-year-old African American male. And just like you said, I was the recipient of about $3,000 a month while on leave which was a good thing because I had to support a wife and three children under 7-years-old for about 2 months with that money. Things were pretty tight because I couldn’t work part time. Every police officer I’ve ever known has worked part-time to help make ends meet.

You know Colin the more I think about it the more we seem to have in common. I really pushed myself in rehab to get back on the street, kind of like you do to get back on the field. You probably have had a broken bone or two and some muscle strains and deep bruising that needed a lot of work. I just had to bounce back from a gunshot wound to the chest and thigh. Good thing we both get paid when we are too banged up to “play”, huh? We both also know what it’s like to get blindsided. You by a 280- pound defensive end, ouch! Me, by a couple of rounds fired from a gun about 2 feet away, into my chest and thigh. We also both make our living wearing uniforms, right? You have probably ruined a jersey or two on the field of play. I still have my blood stained shirt that my partner and paramedics literally ripped off my back that cold night in January. Fortunately, like you I was given a new one. Speaking of paramedics aren’t you glad the second we get hurt trainers and doctors are standing by waiting to rush onto the field to scoop us up. I’m thankful they get to you in seconds. It only took them about 10 minutes to get to me. By the grace of God, the artery in my thigh didn’t rupture or else 10 minutes would have been about 9 minutes too late. We also have both experienced the hate and disgust others have just because of those uniforms we wear. I sure am glad for your sake that the folks who wear my uniform are on hand to escort you and those folks that wear your uniform into stadiums in places like Seattle!

I guess that’s where the similarities end Colin. You entertain for a living, I and almost 800,000 others across this country serve and protect. Are there some bad apples within my profession? Absolutely and they need to be identified and fired or arrested! But you know what, the vast majority do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason. Did I mention that seconds before I was shot, an elderly African American gentleman walking down the sidewalk, turned to my partner and I as we rode past and said, “Get them.” Get who you ask? The thugs terrorizing an otherwise good and decent neighborhood, home to dozens of good, decent African American families trying to raise those families in communities not protected by gates and security guards. No these folks and families depend on America’s Law Enforcement Officers.

Colin I have buried 7 friends, killed in the line of duty and three others who have committed suicide. I have attended more funerals than I care to remember of neighboring departments who have lost officers in the line of duty, during my career. Law Enforcement Officers with different backgrounds, upbringings, and experiences united by their willingness to answer the call to protect and serve their fellow citizens.

Colin I am sorry for the endorsement deals you may lose and the dip in jersey sales, but please know you will NEVER lose what these men and women and their families have lost. And so whether you stand or sit during the National Anthem means very little to me. As for me and the men and women on whose team I was privileged to serve, we will put on our ballistic vests, badge, and gun, kiss our loved one’s goodbye, for some tragically for the last time, and out into a shift of uncertainty we will go. We will continue to protect and continue to serve and we will be standing at attention Colin, not just for the playing of our National Anthem, but far more importantly for the playing of Taps.

V/R

Chris Amos

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3774935/You-entertain-living-serve-protect-Retired-police-officer-pens-open-letter-Colin-Kaepernick.html#ixzz4K3EFaZVO 
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[Thestarider]

 

[ericjeanjean]

6 minutes ago, Thestarider said:

 

I just want to point out that the fact that he got to attend college free of charge is a very bad argument. These football players bring in millions of dollars to the universities they play for, much more than the scholarship they get. The fact that they have to be good athletes to attend college at all is the real shame.

Also poor kids becoming millionaires by becoming professional athletes happen all over the world this is certainly not something to be particularly proud of.

[Thestarider]

Well here is a better argument by a coach who understands how to teach kids respect for their country, their flag, and the National Anthem and what it represents.

 

[jokergiuppy]

7 minutes ago, Thestarider said:

Beh qui è un argomento migliore da un allenatore che sa come insegnare ai bambini il rispetto per il loro paese, la loro bandiera e l'inno nazionale e ciò che rappresenta.

 

Un vero allenatore che conosce i veri valori.

[ericjeanjean]

30 minutes ago, Thestarider said:

Well here is a better argument by a coach who understands how to teach kids respect for their country, their flag, and the National Anthem and what it represents.

 

This is nice but how is a national anthem only about the military? It is about everyone. These guys who make a stand feel that there are still some people who are considered as second rate citizens and the nation as a whole is guilty of this. Are they right or not, is this the right way to do it? I don't know, but they certainly don't have anything against the military.

I feel that shifting the narrative towards the veterans (which is a very sensitive subject in the USA) is a way to drown the message using a straw man argument. 

Also let's remember that these guys (Kaepernick, Marshall) work for an organization who did this.

http://www.sbnation.com/2015/11/4/9670302/nfl-paid-patriotism-troops-mcain-flake-report-million

Now that's what I call disrespect.

 

[Thestarider]

You have completely missed the point, it is about respect for this country and what it provides our citizens, it is about respect for the flag that so many died for, so you and so many can have the freedom it provides. I'm sorry you don't understand, probably because your not American. but know the next time your country needs our military again, we will be there to protect your freedoms, as we always have been, and our men and woman of our military will die for your freedoms just like we always have. Our flag and the National Anthem mean one thing to entire world "FREEDOM" 

[ericjeanjean]

6 minutes ago, Thestarider said:

You have completely missed the point, it is about respect for this country and what it provides our citizens, it is about respect for the flag that so many died for, so you and so many can have the freedom it provides. I'm sorry you don't understand, probably because your not American. but know the next time your country needs our military again, we will be there to protect your freedoms, as we always have been, and our men and woman of our military will die for your freedoms just like we always have. Our flag and the National Anthem mean one thing to entire world "FREEDOM" 

I'll let the super patronizing part slide since you appear to feel very strongly about the subject.

These guys have stated multiple times that they respect their country and the troops, they are just using that FREEDOM to send a message about a problem they perceive in their country. This is a civil problem and nothing else. Participation in singing the anthem is not mandatory and I feel that criticizing the act itself is not right. You can argue against their reasons if you feel that they are wrong, but saying that if they don't stand up they are against all the values of your country is unfair since, as you said, the freedom of choice is at the core of what the USA represent.

[ww_watcher]

3 hours ago, ericjeanjean said:

I just want to point out that the fact that he got to attend college free of charge is a very bad argument. These football players bring in millions of dollars to the universities they play for, much more than the scholarship they get. The fact that they have to be good athletes to attend college at all is the real shame.

No, it isn't. Most colleges don't make much money from the sports team proceeds. In the case of the Uni I work for, most of the money made from brand sales, tickets, and other methods goes into paying the coaching staff and players' boondoggles to other cities. Our football coach gets $7M per year and the previous one was paid $12M a year not counting bonuses which made him the single highest paid state employee ever! How much went back to the University? Less than 10%. The total profits made by the proceeds was nearly the same amount as the yearly operating expenses of the entire university! Our university is laying people off, replacing honest staff with outside contractors, and building buildings they will never complete or fully staff. The coaches make more than the Uni president and the top professors combined.There other problem with this is that no student, except the student athletes, come to this great university for its football team especially the foreign students who make up a very large percentage of the student population. Among the top Uni's in the country few have a great football team and most don't even have one. MIT, Cal Poly, Harvard...etc. College sports only pays for itself, nothing more; but they have access to the same loans and grants we do, and some that normal students do not.

Few of these athletes will make it to the pros and fewer still will make it very far. 

[Thestarider]

Oh, say can you see,
By the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed,
At the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
Through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched,
Were so gallantly streaming.
And the rocket's red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night,
That our flag was still there.
Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave,
For the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

So i guess then in your country it is ok to disrespect your flag and your National Anthem, but when you have friends and family die for the freedom that flag and Anthem provide , you bet you will feel strong about this subject. Just by the nature of the protest, is being very disrespectful to our flag and the anthem that provides the freedom for those who believe that have been oppressed, and BTW that he was also protesting the police, and law enforcement.

[ericjeanjean]

4 minutes ago, ww_watcher said:

No, it isn't. Most colleges don't make much money from the sports team proceeds. In the case of the Uni I work for, most of the money made from brand sales, tickets, and other methods goes into paying the coaching staff and players' boondoggles to other cities. Our football coach gets $7M per year and the previous one was paid $12M a year not counting bonuses which made him the single highest paid state employee ever! How much went back to the University? Less than 10%. The total profits made by the proceeds was nearly the same amount as the yearly operating expenses of the entire university! Our university is laying people off, replacing honest staff with outside contractors, and building buildings they will never complete or fully staff. The coaches make more than the Uni president and the top professors combined.There other problem with this is that no student, except the student athletes, come to this great university for its football team especially the foreign students who make up a very large percentage of the student population. Among the top Uni's in the country few have a great football team and most don't even have one. MIT, Cal Poly, Harvard...etc. College sports only pays for itself, nothing more; but they have access to the same loans and grants we do, and some that normal students do not.

Few of these athletes will make it to the pros and fewer still will make it very far. 

Well it's the college who chose to give 7M to the coach which is frankly insane. But I guarantee you that Brandon marshall brought more money by himself than whatever his tuition his. What is done with that money is another matter entirely.

[ww_watcher]

7 minutes ago, ericjeanjean said:

Well it's the college who chose to give 7M to the coach which is frankly insane. But I guarantee you that Brandon marshall brought more money by himself than whatever his tuition his. What is done with that money is another matter entirely.

"Insane" wasn't my choice of words but you might be a nicer person than I. However, be careful with that "knowing". Many "smarter" people than I have tried to convince me of the same thing about many of our greatest college football players. They rely on the premise that I won't look it up. All state paychecks and budgets are open record for public viewing and since my arguments reflect that research they write me off as another uninformed disgruntled employee who hasn't seen a raise in about a decade while they are thinking of paying the college athletes.