Howe: Hawkeyes Should Be Allowed to Peacefully Protest During Anthem
- Thread starter RobHowe
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Glass1/2fullguy
Well-Known Member
I will side w/ the captain on not kneeling during the anthem. There are other ways to bring to light white privilege and social injustice that is rampant in this country. During the anthem imo is absolutely not that place. If you don’t think it’s disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem then I challenge you to ask a solider who’s lost a friend fighting for the very freedom that our flag stands for what he thinks about someone kneeling for during the anthem.
Problem is Rob, the people who don't understand that (or won't accept it) are going to be very vocal.
Our team had a similar situation in 2017, and we decided as a team to allow guys to kneel if they chose and back them 100%. The pushback from the community and BVU alumni was great enough that the president (who fully supported the message) prohibited it after a single attempt. The school lost something like $100,000 in donations overnight.
Iowa is a larger, more diverse, and probably more inclusive university than BVU (not that it's bad, but it's full of rural Iowans, smack in the middle of rural Iowa), but I still see the public pushback being large enough to the point that the university or the coaching staff would want to avoid it entirely.
I'm not saying don't kneel, but I can see it as extremely plausible that the team or even the university chooses not to.
Our team had a similar situation in 2017, and we decided as a team to allow guys to kneel if they chose and back them 100%. The pushback from the community and BVU alumni was great enough that the president (who fully supported the message) prohibited it after a single attempt. The school lost something like $100,000 in donations overnight.
Iowa is a larger, more diverse, and probably more inclusive university than BVU (not that it's bad, but it's full of rural Iowans, smack in the middle of rural Iowa), but I still see the public pushback being large enough to the point that the university or the coaching staff would want to avoid it entirely.
I'm not saying don't kneel, but I can see it as extremely plausible that the team or even the university chooses not to.
That’s what YOU stand for, that’s what I stand for. I don’t hear the people that are kneeling calling us disrespectful. I challenge you to listen, really listen to why they choose to kneel- They kneel to stand up for that same freedom.
I say kneel one game as a team. Stand the the next game as a team.
I say kneel one game as a team. Stand the the next game as a team.
Fryowa
Administrator
Whether you, me, or Kirk Ferentz thinks it’s ok to kneel, those soldiers all fought to preserve a country where people have a right to burn flags and kneel during the National Anthem. That’s what separated us from merry olde England. I bet the aristocracy in Great Britain thought it was a travesty of disrespect when the Boston Tea Party happened and those colonial fools burned the Union Jack and cut their own flag that said Don’t Tread On Me.
Our founding fathers, for all their faults, wanted a country where the masses could be free to rebel against the tyrants.
Protest is part of our country’s heritage whether you like it or not. If you don’t want to participate you have every right to abstain. If you declare kneeling off limits or illegal where do you stop? What about religion? Do you want people telling you what you have to believe or not believe? If you’re Catholic and an atheist becomes president do you want that person to have the option to outlaw your worship because it offends atheists? I’m as non-believer as it gets but I don’t want to live in a country where people can’t go to church because it’s their personal freedom. You’re free to go to church and I’m free to ridicule. And vice versa. That’s how it works.
And since you said there are other ways to bring it to light, what if those other ways infringe on some other group not related to sports? Is that ok because you get your sports to the detriment of some other group?
Fryowa
Administrator
I do think the circumstances are different now. There’s next to zero chance that the U or Kirk Ferentz tries to enforce not kneeling. The public damnation shit storm that would descend on Iowa City would be too much to survive. There may be some players who decide not to because of their beliefs, but there’s not going to be any attempt to quash it this go-round.
My guess is that no matter what happens, KF will be backed in a corner and will say, “It’s your own personal decision,” and those who want to kneel will do so. After listening to Kelvin Bell tonight, do you really think KF will tell him he should stand if he chooses not to?
And lastly, we shouldn’t forget that personal protest isn’t going to be seen in the same light as it was when Kaepernick was doing it.
SmokeTownHawk
Well-Known Member
A Green Beret no less.
eyekwah
Well-Known Member
Isn't there a more effective way of projecting the desire and goal of racial harmony in this country? It just seems to me that not honoring the flag and what it is supposed to represent further divides rather than unites. The Iowa helmet includes the ANF logo for America Needs Farmers to ask people to remember the people that toil the soil for us. It is just my opinion that the team members and coaches come up with a similar idea. It could be a uniform patch of some sort that conveys a message. Another option might be that the team ask that the national anthem not be played and substitute America the Beautiful or the video board plays MLK's "I have a dream speech" instead. I'm just thinking that there has to be a better way to accomplish the goal.
The Libertarian in me says let the players do whatever the hell they want. I also understand Kirk's previous position and in many regards I agree we need to keep politics the hell out of sports because it could (probably will) become divisive. So I'm torn on this one.
On a related but separate note I don't get the symbolism of "kneeling". To me kneeling is a subservient gesture. Like kneeling to the king or some great being. Not to mention a knee to the neck is what this dumb ass cop did. I think a better way is the arms in arms approach. It also reminds me of the swarm. To be less divisive as a team member I would suggest they do it before or after the anthem. In my opinion timing is everything and it would actually be more effective ... but that's their choice.
On a related but separate note I don't get the symbolism of "kneeling". To me kneeling is a subservient gesture. Like kneeling to the king or some great being. Not to mention a knee to the neck is what this dumb ass cop did. I think a better way is the arms in arms approach. It also reminds me of the swarm. To be less divisive as a team member I would suggest they do it before or after the anthem. In my opinion timing is everything and it would actually be more effective ... but that's their choice.
Yep, as the article states the Democratic party did that ... and then they came up with an even dumber idea. Jam them all in to public high rise housing and keep them segregated. That party has had it's foot on the neck of the African American community for too long.
SteveGarvey1
Well-Known Member
I'd prefer they find another way to protest because I hate the politicizing of sports. I'm about done watching ESPN because I don't want to be lectured on how I should feel.
But they should have the right to do it, no doubt. A fan at the game has the right to not watch them do it, if they choose to do it, or, if watching at home, turn the channel if they show them on TV doing it.
But they should have the right to do it, no doubt. A fan at the game has the right to not watch them do it, if they choose to do it, or, if watching at home, turn the channel if they show them on TV doing it.
SpiderRico
Well-Known Member
"....will bring about a cultural change for Iowa football that is long overdue"? Interesting.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
Just my opinion but making the national anthem part of game day brings politics into sports so I see no problem whatsoever with athletes taking a knee. I don't see taking a knee being a sign of disrespect toward those that fought for our freedom or what the flag symbolizes but rather an opportunity to voice a belief that change (social or political) is needed.
We're a different country then we were 3 years ago. I think there it would be welcome and accepted by a majority of the population if it were to resurface in the fall. In a state as conservative as Iowa, I would absolutely love to see the team come out with a decision to kneel in support of the cause.
We're a different country then we were 3 years ago. I think there it would be welcome and accepted by a majority of the population if it were to resurface in the fall. In a state as conservative as Iowa, I would absolutely love to see the team come out with a decision to kneel in support of the cause.
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
I did my routine Facebook check this morning and the U Tube video you shared yesterday on inherent racism was prominently displayed. I was pleased. Thanks again for posting on HN. I commented that I had seen it here. I purposely did not include your name.
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