“The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.” – Julian Barnes
Football players across the nation protested on Sunday by linking their arms or kneeling during the National Anthem. Not only were they protesting the injustice minorities receive at the hands of law enforcement officers, or the ingrained acceptance of that injustice so many Americans don’t even realize they’ve embraced, but also the continued abhorrent behavior of a President who stands antithetical to the principles of a country he currently leads.
Their motives were not selfish, nor vindictive, nor anti-military.
As the news unfolded on Sunday I scanned Facebook and, as expected, there were a multitude of people claiming that the protesters and those who support them are an embarrassment to the country in their disrespect of the flag and the service members who “fight for that flag.” The words “I stand” are now framed around many of my friend’s profile photos, and arguments have been unfolding from sea to shining sea. “Those who protest the flag have never been handed a folded one,” many posted in an attempt to shame protesters and their supporters into silence. “This is why I stand” was the caption alongside the picture of a flag draped casket, as if those who disagree with them on protesters can’t possibly understand the sacrifices men in uniform have made. But the stabbing quips and wretched use of this country’s heroes to heap coals onto the heads of those with opposing views has gone too far, and this is just the latest example. Continue reading