NFL protests: Critics document national anthem’s problematic past

[TomSea]

NFL protests: Critics document national anthem’s problematic past

African-American athletes might have more than one reason to take a knee during the National Anthem.

As national conversation turns to protests during football games, there is renewed attention to the anthem itself, and its problematic origins.

“A lot of people aren’t aware of what the full song is,” said Duane Saunders, a former student at Morgan State University, in Baltimore, who directed a documentary on the anthem produced during his senior year.

The documentary focused on the little-known third verse of the song, which criticizes the “hireling and slave” who fought on the side of the British in the War of 1812.

Read more at: http://www.myajc.com/news/nfl-protests-critics-document-national-anthem-problematic-past/xPRktlcnLFShNj5ep7nCsJ/

Full verses of the anthem at:
http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/pdf/ssb_lyrics.pdf

So, Francis Scott Key apparently wrote this around the time of the war of 1812.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

[TomSea]

Though most people think the French National Anthem, the Marseillaise, is a fine anthem... if one looks at their words, they are fine with me but they have been written about as well:

They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts

To arms citizens Form your battalions
March, march
Let impure blood
Water our furrows

http://www.marseillaise.org/english/english.html (Full anthem)

[TomSea]

But Saunders is unconvinced. His attitude upon learning of the third verse was, “OK, this national anthem is not intended for African-Americans.But Saunders is unconvinced. His attitude upon learning of the third verse was, “OK, this national anthem is not intended for African-Americans.” And considering that the NFL is predominantly black, he sees no inconsistency in protesting. “Why would I stand for something that’s not standing for me?”, he sees no inconsistency in protesting. “Why would I stand for something that’s not standing for me?”

I try to draw comparisons but we are talking about the Confederacy and not Nazi Germany.

"But Saunders is unconvinced. His attitude upon learning of the third verse was, “OK, this national anthem is not intended for African-Americans.” And considering that the NFL is predominantly black, he sees no inconsistency in protesting. “Why would I stand for something that’s not standing for me?”

If that is the attitude, kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

MLB, baseball has Dominicans, Japanese, Central Americans, Venezuelans, all kinds playing it besides Americans.

Soccer, it has evolved where a lot of your main players are 6 foot 1-3 inches I'd say but it's not a color barrier, again, very diverse in make up.  And many shorter players make it, Pele, Maradona are the greats, Messi is a modern great.

Even if one were to see knees taken in these other sports, I think it will look like one-off jerks doing this unless your got Sidney Crosby doing it.

No, these players are playing to divisiveness, I left the NBA a long time ago as well; though college hoops is still pretty good, because 90% of those players are not going on into the NBA and becoming multi-millionaires, I really don't think we will see this, much at least, in NCAA basketball, it be Kentucky, Cincinnati, Big East, Big West, Duke, NC Tarheels, etc.