It’s clear you live in a bubble when you look at an athlete, especially one of color, kneeling for the national anthem, and you see a protest against the flag. Because it’s evident to anyone who has a sense of history that it’s not a protest against the flag; it’s a protest against the way the country the flag represents treats people of color, and if you believe that people of color are treated with the same set of rules as white people you refuse to acknowledge the reality of this country’s history.
You do not get to invoke the bravery of this country’s service people when you found a way to avoid service when you were called to “represent the flag.”
You do not get to invoke respect for our service people when you decide that service people willing to serve this country who are transgender are not worthy of wearing the uniform simply because they are transgender.
You do not get to forget the service people of this country who fought for freedom under this flag in a world war who, upon their return home, were told to get to the back of the train so white German POW could ride in the front. I’m sure those heroic service people of color still respected the flag they fought for but questioned the country’s motives that the flag represented.
You do not get to call out anyone, regardless of their current income, who are willing to stand up against abuse they, people of their family, or people of their community have been subject to when you can not truly understand their feelings on the subject because you nor anyone in your family have ever been or never will be subject to the same type of treatment.
You do not get to hide behind your Twitter denials, your claims that fake news is looking to destroy you when It has become apparent who you are and who you are speaking to when you speak with such passion about this topic, especially when looked at in contrast to your muted tone when talking about the white supremacist who marched through Charlottesville chanting racist slogans and carrying tiki torches in an attempt to mimic iconic images of fear from years past. It is clear you are not speaking of just athletes but rather you saying to your base, look at these self-important niggers how dare they. You are with me, right. Remember when we used just to put them in their place and not have to deal with this? I do, and yes, like you, I long for those days, Days when America was great.
Fortunately, you do not get to stain our country forever. You have faked your way to the top. You have awakened the dwindling number of Americans who still think as you do. But you also continue to unite the majority of us who reject the past sins of this country. You continue to show the world that despite America’s temporary lapse in judgment, which gave you your platform, you currently have the majority of us reject your beliefs. Your time is short; you are not a king, you are not a dictator, you will soon be a footnote in our history, a cautionary tale for our future.
We shall overcome