Sunday, September 11, 2016

Fun With Flags, Or Not?

OK today is the 15th anniversary of 9/11. On this day, we honor the flag, and those who fight to protect it.

This has been very controversial since San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat during the National Anthem for the first three games and kneeled during the 4th. He claimed he was not disrespecting the military or even the country, he was making a stand against a country that allows blatant police brutality to run rampant.

Now here are my thoughts. I have said in the past there needs to be a celebrity or someone with star power to stand up for this cause. Kaep definitely got the attention of the nation and he didn't physically hurt anyone in the process. He fully exercised his First Amendment rights. Personally, I wouldn't have been brave enough to stand against the flag like that but Colin is at the point in his career where he can do this without major consequence. Now many people, celebrities and non, have researched the history of the American Flag and the National Anthem and are refusing to stand.

Also, perhaps it's good the 49ers don't play their season opener until tomorrow.

Now we have the Confederate Flag, which has a deep history, but has caused a greater deal of harm.  It reappeared in the national media summer of 2015 when a young Caucasian man from Charleston shot up a black church, killing nine innocent people. Governor Nikki Haley then decided to finally remove the flag from atop the state house, a move she had previously refuted.

Now here are my views regarding the Confederate Flag. I honestly don't believe it was created as a hate flag, although it has become that. It was the South's Civil War flag of course, and they ended up losing the battle on slavery and the war. It seems our country are still stuck on both topics of this war. The Confederate Flag isn't the American Flag, it has too much negative connotation and symbolism behind it, and it is bad for overall business in the South. Not everyone that flies it is racist, but seemingly all racists and white power groups have it. There are other ways for proud Southerners to show their heritage. That being said, I don't judge everyone for flying this flag, just the ones that keep fighting a 150 year old war.

Well this is my edition of Fun With Flags. I don't get into political or racial stuff often but I feel it was warranted this time.

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