So I get an email this morning from a former biz associate white older dude.
He must of thought I wasn't going to have anything to say regarding the article he sent, boy was he in for a rude awakening. Funny when a Black man voice his true opinions or check em they pull the he's angry card or the devils at work...FOH
NFL protesting the flag- POWERFUL!!
Ret. Marine Col. Jeffery Powers wrote to the NFL commissioners the following:
Commissioners, I’ve been a season pass holder at Yankee Stadium, Yale Bowl and the Giants Stadium. I missed the ’90-’91 season because I was with a battalion of Marines in Desert Storm. 14 of my wonderful Marines returned home with the American Flag draped across their lifeless bodies. My last conversation with one of them, Sgt. Garrett Mongrella was about how our Giants were going to the Super Bowl. He never got to see it.
Many friends, Marines, and Special Forces Soldiers who worked with or for me through the years returned home with the American Flag draped over their coffins.
Now I watch multi-millionaire athletes who never did anything in their lives but play a game, disrespect what brave Americans fought and died for. They are essentially spitting in the faces and on the graves of real men, men who have actually done something for this country besides playing with a ball and believing they’re something special! They’re not! My Marines and Soldiers were!
You are complicit in this! You’ll fine players for large and small infractions but you lack the moral courage and respect for our nation and the fallen to put an immediate stop to this. Yes, I know, it’s their 1st Amendment right to behave in such a despicable manner.
What would happen if they came out and disrespected you or the refs publicly?
I observed a player getting a personal foul for twerking in the end zone after scoring. I guess that’s much worse than disrespecting the flag and our National Anthem. Hmmmmm, isn’t it his 1st Amendment right to express himself like an idiot in the end zone?
Why is taunting not allowed yet taunting America is OK? You fine players for wearing 9-11 commemorative shoes yet you allow scum on the sidelines to sit, kneel or pump their pathetic fist in the air. They are so deprived with their multi-million dollar contracts for playing a freaking game!
You condone it all by your refusal to act. You’re just as bad and disgusting as they are. I hope Americans boycott any sponsor who supports that rabble you call the NFL. I hope they turn off the TV when any team that allowed this disrespect to occur, without consequence, on the sidelines. I applaud those who have not.
Legends and heroes do NOT wear shoulder pads. They wear body armor and carry rifles
They make minimum wage and spend months and years away from their families. They don’t do it for an hour on Sunday. They do it 24/7 often with lead, not footballs, coming in their direction. They watch their brothers carted off in pieces not on a gurney to get their knee iced. They don’t even have ice! Many don’t have legs or arms.
Some wear blue and risk their lives daily on the streets of America. They wear fire helmets and go upstairs into the fire rather than down to safety. On 9-11, hundreds vanished. They are the heroes.
I hope that your high paid protesting pretty boys and you look in that mirror when you shave tomorrow and see what you really are, legends in your own minds. You need to hit the road and take those worms with you!
Time to change the channel.
Powers originally sent his letter to former Florida congressman Allen West. West then posted the letter on his news website.
As of last week, at least 18 NFL player had protested the anthem by either kneeling during the anthem or raising their fists, according to USA Today Sports.
If you agree with what he said please pass this on.
My response:
Although I have the utmost respect for the men & women who bravely fought for the freedoms that we have, let's not forget about America's past history and the countless atrocities they have perpetuated against the lives of colored people and other minorities.
I commend Collin Kapernaeck and many others who stood tall in speaking out about the ongoing injustice carried out by so call authority figures who misrepresent what the true meaning of "protect and serve" stands for.
I pay my taxes. I am God fearing man, a productive citizen in society and my uncles fought in WW2, even with that being said yet here we are in 2017 and police officers, corporate America and the likes still keep pushing their white supremacist agenda.
Are we going to act like what just recently happened in Charlottesville wasn't shocking and appalling on so many levels.
To make matters even worse our 45th president had the gall and audacity to try and play both sides as if absolving the Alt-Right or whatever names there calling themselves these days was morally and politically correct. It was not.
I refuse to be ignorant and act as if systematic racism doesn't exist in this country which continues to be a big RED stain for all the brave men and women who fought for her and since were taking a trip down memory lane can't ever forget the Slaves and Native Indians who played a significant role in building her.
So Kudos to all who have a platform to speak up about the harsh realities that some Americans refuse to acknowledge.
If your in a position of power it is your moral and ethical duty to speak out against all injustice.
So with that being said #Black Lives matter, # All Lives matter. # Your either a part of the problem or solution; can't play both sides.
P.S. Think before the next time you send me out something like this.
This Black man is not here for the fuckery. That is all you may carry on.
His response
James, in no way or means did I intend to upset you. You must realize that that act of solidarity included some white players also. The article I sent you was not even close to a slur against African Americans only. We all have various reasons for protesting and various ways to perform that protest. Personally, I do not understand how disrespecting our Flag, our Anthem or the American People will result in anything but a negative reaction and be pragmatic. Which it has.
Yes, there are many injustices being done in our country today and in the past along with most other countries around the globe. Yes, the Charlottesville tragedy was just that, an extremely unnecessary display of hate and violence. And I do dislike everything the police officers have gotten away with in the past and today.
I do not believe it is just the whites that are prejudicial and racists. I believe most nationalities are racists and biased to a certain point. Especially the ones that hate for no reason at all. It is not regarding color or certain opinions. It is for no other purpose than because we are Americans. Talk about ignorant and misinformed bias.
Once again I apologize for up-setting you. I did not recognize it as a racial slur towards anyone and I also believe the person that wrote the article did not intended it to be read that way either. He was someone that was just broadcasting his thoughts in a peaceful manner or protesting if you wish. You disagreed to it, fine. I sent it to you because I didn't Think there was anything wrong or discouraging towards the average man, woman or race.
Please do not let it anger you. It was just an article written with one man's opinion. Not a slur against any race, creed or religion.
It is definitely nothing to allow satan and his evil spirits to steal your God given joy over. Who do you think placed those negative thoughts in your mind to begin with James? It wasn't God or even yourself. It was 110% satan. He knows what to place in our minds to destroy the joy God has given us and to leave us uncomfortable and wanting to curse. That is actually his job. It is up to us to stay calm and not retaliate in a wrongful act. Please do not allow that to happen. Anytime something angers you for whatever reason just remember the negative thoughts that pops into your mind is nobody but the devil himself. Please, when that happens just say "in Jesus name, satan be gone". He will be gone. He has no choice in the matter. You will be much more content and feeling much more at peace with yourself and Everything else.
I will now get off of my own soapbox and say goodbye and may Our Lord Bless you greatly in business and in your daily activities.
Robert.
My last response:
Robert, for the record I don't want you to think for one second I was angry. That is a wrong conclusion of me. I was just being passionate about a subject matter that resonates with me and other people of color regardless of their hue with the ongoing injustice that continues to be paramount in this country.
I consider it intelligence with fire.
I believe and it's my humble opinion that the players that are being singled out especially Collin, have done nothing wrong in exposing a long history of oppression and racism in America. We can never have an honest debate on race relations in America if certain groups continue to dismiss the history and atrocities that have been perpetuated on this soil for hundreds of years.
Just so were clear your stating that the flag is more valuable than the lives of innocent Black, Brown and other disenfranchise minorities who have been killed by corrupt and overzealous police officers & racist correct? Not to mention Black and other immigrant soldiers who fought and died for our flag.
A cloth is more precious than human life...I didn't get that memo. That is were we differ in opinions.
How is Collin and a few other NFL players disrespecting the flag when all they are doing is protesting peacefully. Did they burn the flag? No. I think the harsh reality is for the majority of owners in the NFL, they have a certain mentality where when one speaks out not only do they see it as a disruption to the team, or their brand but also that mentality of "We pay you to play, not to voice your opinions" attitude.
Don Sterling former Los Angeles Clippers owner comes to mind. Just imagine if that tape never got out, he would just continue business as usual as I'm sure many other owners do. They just haven't been caught.
I was under the impression that WE all have a 1st amendment right to speak our minds freely, unfortunately some groups like the White Supremacist, Nazi's and KKK take it to another level by using the American flag as if the hate that they continue to spew gives them the rights to continue marching forward with their hate filled agenda. I don't respect people who abuse the flag in that respect. Where is the outcry in America about that?
I have a moral issue when certain people use the American flag as a shield or excuse to fuel their own selfish hatred agenda.
As a God fearing man I am well aware of the devil and his many disguises and shenanigans.
The devil does not have any control whatsoever on my mind state, thought process, happiness or what I believe to be right and just in God's eye.
The reality well at least for me is I don't subscribe to negative energy at all.
I'm always thinking positive, meditating and doing my best to continue attracting all that share in my same beliefs.
If by any chance you felt offended by me using profanity don't let it rattle you, we NYer's talk like that all of the time.There is no need for an apology. I welcome and would be glad to debate any topic or subject matter off the record or on.
I sincerely wish that God continues to bless you in your life. and in all your business endeavors.
We can agree to disagree that is one of the beauties of being an American.
Enjoy the last leg of the summer.
