April 20th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^
You do not like bacon.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^
Kevin, or Michael?
April 20th, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
He's a good writer.
being sent to Bolivia.
on this blog. And as a community, we are all free to express disagreement with negs and the mods are free to run their private community by sending those who violate others freedom to enjoy the blog without hateful rants to Bolivia.
You are free to say what you want knowing the consequences. This isn't Nam, there are rules.
Not necessarily.... as shown by the case at the center of this piece by Harbaugh.
Colin K has been blackballed for 'saying what he wanted'. So, I guess you can say it..but on certain hot-button topics like America's instititionalised racism you just might have to pay a heavy price to excersize that right.
Do you think he would be blackballed if the football powers that be thought he was still good enough to be a starting qb?
"...we don't all have to agree and people can say what they want".
Except on university campuses across this country. How sad!
April 20th, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^
Wonder if Time will lock down the thread and post a META warning.
I love that he is endorsing Kaepernick's activity (exercise of free speech on a controversial topic) without wading into the actual controversey.
I have very strong feelings about Kaepernick's protest, but none so strong as that Kaepernick has the right to express himself. I used to always joke about "be careful that you don't lose your right to free speech by exercising it". Some days that seems like less of a joke and more like a warning.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:22 AM ^
The topic wasn't that controversial. It was simply the method of Kaep exercising his right to free speech that was controversial.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^
Unless I'm remembering this wrong, the topic was whether law enforcement in the U.S. fairly enforced laws across racial groups, and whether some PDs victimize people of color without sufficient cause.
Maybe I'm missing something, but that's highly controversial by my lights. Race, the thin blue line, ________ lives matter, etc.
April 20th, 2017 at 11:53 AM ^
If Colin had simply been speaking out against police brutality in press conferences and donating money to causes that highlight and fight police brutality and disproportionate treatment of certain groups, this isn't even a controversy at all. There are several people who do that and no one bats an eye. The controversy and the controversial topic is sitting/kneeling for the national anthem. Two people who disagree on the extent and effect of police discrimination could have a civil discussion on the merits. It's not that controversial a topic. Is it controversial because it may be uncomfortable to some?
Ahhhh so if Harbaugh says it's ok then it's ok, but if Kaep says it's ok, we shake our heads and look tearfully upward to the flowing flag.
I see.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:03 AM ^
"he's the one paying the price now"
And there it is...free speech with a price tag attached to it.
What is happening to Colin K is appalling and a black mark on America. Every free speech advocate should take note. If this can happen to Colin K over something as non-threatening as holding up a fist or not standing during the anthem (I mean really?) then we are truly in a world of hurt.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:08 AM ^
Can't speak for the poster you are referencing but I don't think that is what he said. He said that what Harbaugh wrote in Time and what Kaepernick said are two different things, thus we can have two different opinions on the merits of them.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:20 AM ^
April 20th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
I'm takling about the general thoughts of the people in this country.
1) A minority does something.
2) Old white men angrily shake fists at the sky and yell about "back in my day."
3) Smarter people say intelligent things about the who, what, why, where and when of the somtehing that was done
4) Old white men finally see the tides that they can't possibly control and angrily sink into their leather chairs still sputtering about "back in my day."
I just never looked at the white people in those old photos you see of desegregation of schools in Alabama holding signs of bigotry and thought to myself "I want to be THAT guy."
But that's just me.
April 20th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
Are you generalizing and saying that the four points you mention are the "general thoughts" of white men in this country? I suspect and would hope not but your post implies that is the case. If so, that's quite sad.
April 20th, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
If you don't believe those are generally the sentiments of old white men in this country then how do you explain who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave?
And I agree with you. It really is quite sad.
No politics!
No touching! No touching!
April 20th, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
I'm an old white guy and dont do any of those things. Nor do any (to the best of knowledge) other old white guy friends. And I have a lot of old white guy friends.
Actually I find it to be quite the opposite. I find myself getting less rigid in my thinking as I get older and far less sure of my position on virtually any issue. This one included.
Do I like Kap sitting during the anthem? Not particlarly. Do I care a whole bunch? Not particularly. Do I understand why he feels the way he does? I think I do - doesnt mean I agree with his actions but I understand his frustrations. And lastly, would I love him in a Browns uniform? You bet I would.
Dont generalize - you're better than that.
April 20th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
You have a clear prejudice, mGrowOld, and it's unbecoming. I'm writing, of course, about your prejudice for at least a serviceable quarterback playing for the Browns.
Those days have been over for decades, yet here you are. An old white guy pining for the "good old days". And I'm comfortable generalizing that to a whole bunch of Brown's fans.
Quite sad, really.
/Says the long-time Lions fan/
This. As a fellow old white man I agree wholeheartedly with this take.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
"At times in our nation's history, we have been all too quick to judge and oppose our fellow Americans for exercising their First Amendment right to address things they believe unjust."
Money quote.
They didn't like Ali, Carlos, Smith or Norman either when they protested, but history remembers them fondly.
Wish more people would be like Coach Harbaugh.
April 20th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
One of my favorite things that Harbaugh did about this whole thing was educate himself. He had an initial opinion but realized he may be in the wrong, talked to some people more closely effected by the issue and learned something. Then he changed his thinking and thought process about a very important issue in the country.
Can't say that for most people.
Agreed...but he not only changed his thought process he did it publicly and he didn't move to the more convenient position. He's going out of his way to support Colin, who is a lightning rod ATM...that's admirable and takes some balls even for someone of his stature.
There are a LOT of people in a position of power (NFL owners, coaches etc.) who have gone completely and collectively silent and allowed Colin to be very publicly blackballed and humiliated.
he had the initial knee jerk reaction that too many other people did, but what was really cool was that he actually thought about it and came this reasonable view of the situation. I'm sure his relationship with Colin helped him take a step back and be empathetic. Hopefully, his words cause some other people to try to be empathtic to strangers in instances when they have a knee jerk reaction to what others say or do.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^
And Kap has a right to sit during the national anthem in protest of what he believes to be injustice. Nobody can or should force him to stand.
And NFL teams have the right to not sign him as their QB because they dont agree with his protest and/or dont want all the baggage signing him would bring. Nobody can or should force them to sign him.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^
And NFL teams have the right to not sign him as their QB because they dont agree with his protest and/or dont want all the baggage signing him would bring. Nobody can or should force them to sign him.
That's 100% correct but it's also a sad commentary on the NFL and/or our society that Kaep's protesting is considered more controversial than players who've committed violent crimes or whatnot.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:40 AM ^
The NFL is a corporate beast. If its fans were OK with players clubbing and eating baby seals, it would have nothing to say. Clearly its focus groups aren't very high on "Kaep."
it is a major shame that any NFL team has to be worried about losing money/fans for signing this guy. Very sad state of NFL fandom.
April 20th, 2017 at 11:23 AM ^
April 20th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
they see Mike Glennon who hasn't played in two years and done nothing as a starter worth 15 million per year. Collin had good stats last year, 59.2% completions with 16TDs to 4 INTs, playing for a team that was lacking skilled WRs.
QBs he had a better passer rating then in 2016 per NFL.com - Rivers, Cutler, Wentz, Winston, Flacco, Manning, Bortles, Newton, Siemien, Taylor, Fitzpatrick, Osweiler, Goff, and Palmer. That's 14 NFL starters that he had a better passer rating then.
Do you actually believe the Jets, Texans, or Broncos couldn't use him as a starter? How do you know how "fat" of a contract he wants?
April 20th, 2017 at 10:22 AM ^
It's also important to note that Harbaugh's first reaction to Kaep's protest was to diss it, but after taking a moment to reflect on where Kaep was coming from, Harbaugh's own thinking evolved. I have no idea how much Harbaugh now agrees with Kaepernick, but he obviously respected him enough to pen the essay in Time.
There are good people on the other side of the aisle from you, and I think all of us - at various points - have modified our positions on issues after understanding where the other side is coming from, or at least disagreed with a position while appreciating how another intelligent person of conscience** might adopt that position.
** - Notably, this excludes OSU and Sparty fans.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:52 AM ^
April 20th, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^
I give Harbaugh a lot of credit for seemingly evolving his view of the situation as he learned more about it. I have a particular view of the situation that may or may not be shared by Harbaugh, but to grow as a person as you learn more about the situation, even if the core belief doesn't change profoundly, is refreshing.
April 20th, 2017 at 10:03 PM ^
April 20th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^