Harrison, "They better be in a wheelchair"

[masterpanthera_t]

(08-14-2017, 04:20 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I look at standing for the flag or anthem as a way to believe that there is going to be a brighter future than what there is today. The history of our government and country has always evolved towards a better future for all, even though there were eras it took much longer for it to happen.

Yes a person has the right to kneel or burn the flag. And by doing so I see someone that doesnt believe that there will be a better future. I know in their minds that may not be the case, as they are living in the moment with the dark history of racism seeded in their thoughts.

Anyways my point is if they all stood in and let it be known that they are standing in the belief of a brighter future, wouldn't that send a stronger & more positive message? I just dont see how kneeling sends a positive message, but thats my opinion.

I kind of vacillate between two positions.  But I'm only going to focus on describing the perspectives of those who protest against the flag or anthem, without bringing my personal judgments into it.  

I can see your perspective, and how one could hold that view. The position of the other side, and this is just my understanding of it, without approval or disapproval, has been strongly shaped from a perception of "Everything we ever got, we got because of our blood sweat and tears, going against the norms and wrenching rightfully what's ours against a society hostile not only to our 'equality' but even to our existence." What you may see as things getting better, I believe the other side views as "we made our own futures better at the expense (unfairly) of our own blood sweat and tears" and "wasn't given, but fought against a society unwilling to grant this".  As I continue, here, I will once again reiterate that I'm not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with this view, only stating what I understand of it. What the larger society views as "this is un-American, uncivil, disrespect to authority, etc.", is perceived on the other side as "more authoritarian disposition from a hostile society which seeks to impose norms, which have never served 'our' community but furthered the oppression against 'us' ".  In this context, standing for the flag, would merely be seen as an implicit acceptance of this "imposition of norms" at the expense of expressing your disagreements with the larger society, that you perceive as still not understanding of your suffering, but requiring behavior of you that only serve to further the interests of the larger society, against your expression of your "grievance". It's basically saying, "I'm not pretending that America stands for me, by standing for the flag, when I think that that is not the case and this is my tool for highlighting this 'perceived inequality' to the larger society" so that American can "actually be better for everyone". That is to say, this is their method to try to make the future truly better in their viewpoint.  

In some ways, going against the "norm" has always been the way major change has been enacted in society, whether we're talking about the Boston Tea Party or civil disobedience or women's suffrage or whatever.  So, from the view of those who support not kneeling, they would likely see the ruffling of feathers as a great way to further a deeper discussion that they would like to bring to the fore.  What I just wrote is in general true of most protests, but I can see how that view pervades the decision to not stand for the flag also.