I have stayed out of this whole situation, but I want to add my thoughts.
The Browns players were trying to draw attention to themselves. That's OK, but I would have rather seen them be respectful during the anthem, and then have their group prayer (which I fully support) either before, or after the anthem, and not during it.
I respect their right to protest, but it does disturb me when someone chooses to do so during the national anthem. Of course, most people at home stay seated during the anthem, or get snacks, or any number of other activities.
I hope that they use their protest for good. That's really my biggest hope.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Just saw Seth DeValve's wife make a statement ... kind of an odd, complex statement .. basically saying not to give her husband attention
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
BEREA, Ohio -- While proud of her husband for kneeling in prayer with his Cleveland Browns teammates during the national anthem, Erica Harris DeValve said the focus should be on racism and that he should not be looked on as a "white savior" Monday night.
Seth DeValve, a second-year tight end, knelt with 11 African-American players on Monday night in what they called a moment to pray for the nation in light of racial injustice.
Editor's Picks
12 Browns players take knee during anthem
A dozen Browns players knelt in a circle to pray during the national anthem before Monday night's preseason game. Several other players stood nearby and put their hands on a kneeling teammate's shoulder.
"To center the focus of Monday's demonstration solely on Seth is to distract from what our real focus should be: listening to the experiences and the voices of the black people who are using their platforms to continue to bring the issue of racism in the U.S. to the forefront," she wrote in a post for TheRoot.com.
"Seth, as a white individual, never has and never will truly have to feel the weight and burden of racial discrimination and racial oppression. No white person does or will. But all white people should care and take a stand against its prevalence in this country. What I hope to see from this is a shift in the conversation to Seth's black teammates, who realistically have to carry that burden all the time."
Erica Harris DeValve is an African-American woman who will begin working toward her master's degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary this fall, with a focus on the intersection of race and Christianity.
"Black players in the NFL cannot just turn their concern on and off in order to be able to focus more on football," she wrote. "White players shouldn't, either. Racism is a day-to-day reality, and I hope that, instead of holding Seth up on a pedestal, the response will be to do what he did: listen to the voices of the black people in your life, and choose to support them as they seek to make their voices heard.
"To the people who are looking at pictures of us and saying, 'Oh, well, that makes sense,' I offer a dramatic eye roll. People on Twitter have insinuated that it's simply my appearance that inspired Seth to kneel with his teammates, or that I must've threatened Seth with leaving him or refusing to have sex with him if he didn't join the demonstration. To even joke in this way is gross."
Seth DeValve said he and his teammates -- linebacker Chris Kirksey led the group in prayer -- had not discussed whether they would continue kneeling at future games. Seth DeValve avoided social media since Monday, but said the reactions he received were mixed.
"Guys support each other on and off the field," he said. "We care about each and each other's lives. I myself care about this subject. I care about the guys that wanted to take a stand on this subject. That's my role, first and foremost is to be an ally to them and play a supportive role.
"Like I've told some other people, the opinions on the topic of racism in America has been mixed for a couple hundred years. So it's to be expected."
Erica Harris DeValve wrote that her husband understands the issue and that it was the "responsible" thing to do.
"Seth understands how racism systematically oppresses people across this entire nation," she wrote. "He understands that to be complacent about it is not just unacceptable as a 'black wife's' husband; Seth supported his teammates because it was the right thing to do, it was the godly thing to do and it was the responsible thing to do. If I were white, he should have done the same, and I am confident that he would have."
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
AKRON, Ohio-- It's been nearly three years since police officer Justin Winebrenner died during a shooting at an Akron bar.
Winebrenner, 32, was off-duty and tried to defuse the situation when an angry customer returned with a gun. The seven-year veteran of the Akron Police Department was shot twice while protecting others. Four more people were hurt during the shooting.
Winebrenner was a Cleveland Browns season ticket holder and a lifelong fan. That's why his fiancée, Tiffany Miller, is so upset by Browns players choosing to kneel during the national anthem.
A dozen members of the Browns knelt in prayer on Monday night before their game against the New York Giants. It was the largest group of NFL players to not stand during the anthem since former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started his protest a year ago.
Miller shared her disappointment in the team and organization in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
"After saving my life and who knows how many others, the Cleveland Browns organization sent a custom jersey with Justin's last name stitched on the day of his funeral. Each year since his passing, I've saved for months to purchase our same seats. To be there on Sundays knowing he's watching with me. I've given his seat to his father, family, friends, brothers in blue & my favorite date, his daughter Charlee Ayn. Altogether I attended 13 Browns games last season searching for the smile that they once brought him & I. "After purchasing my tickets this year, watching the kneeling members of the team bring me anything but that. To the players & fans who don't agree with standing for our country and anthem, I am creating this to show you just who you are offending. Had I not already purchased our seats for this season I wouldn't have & if this behavior continues and is allowed I will not next year."
5 years ago this Man & I purchased our first set of season tickets for the Cleveland Browns. We clapped, cheered and even cussed on Sundays up in Cleveland. I have some of my most incredible memories on game days by the lake with my fiancé. On November 16, 2014, we missed the home game.
After saving my life and who knows how many others, the Cleveland Browns organization sent a custom jersey with Justin's last name stitched on the day of his funeral. Each year since his passing, I've saved for months to purchase our same seats. To be there on Sundays knowing he's watching with me. I've given his seat to his father, family, friends, brothers in blue & my favorite date, his daughter Charlee Ayn. Altogether I attended 13 Browns games last season searching for the smile that they once brought him & I.
After purchasing my tickets this year, watching the kneeling members of the team bring me anything but that. To the players & fans who don't agree with standing for our country and anthem, I am creating this to show you just who you are offending. Had I not already purchased our seats for this season I wouldn't have & if this behavior continues and is allowed I will not next year.
I've emailed this to the reps, management, coaches & front office of our "beloved Browns". As diehard & loyal fans I encourage all of you to help me share this and get this message across.
WE ARE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.
FALLEN BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN 1301
Miller said she contacted the Cleveland Browns and received a response from vice president of communications. FOX 8 News reached out to the organization for comment.
So, Master Tesfatsion covers the Washington Redskins for The Washington Post and then writes an article glorifying players protesting the anthem due to racism.
Could Browns be considered racist because it mentions a color....is Whites racist.
JMHO, our national anthem mentions...land of free and home of the brave- so YOU don't want prayer during national anthem- yet our fellow citizens- laugh, sit, ignore, eat,..etc., is our country free or does everyone HAVE TO stand and put their hand over their heart....and without their hat.
As a vet, I welcome flag burning if that person FEELs they must burn our flag to make a statement. I don't agree with it, but they have that right.....thank God.
When I go to a sporting event, I'd like not to hear all the cursing/swear words- but that's another topic.....GO Browns!!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
the whole "Blacks are shot more by cops then whites" is simply BS.
The rest of this article is full of nonsense typical liberal spin BS of why "more white people are shot by cops then blacks every year" means black people are oppressed nonsense.
In 2015, The Washington Post launched a real-time database to track fatal police shootings, and the project continues this year. As of Sunday, 1,502 people have been shot and killed by on-duty police officers since Jan. 1, 2015. Of them, 732 were white, and 381 were black (and 382 were of another or unknown race).
Far more white people are shot and killed by police every year in the USA then Blacks...infact more whites are shot and killed by police then any other race.
however, like the disrespectful Browns players...continue feeling soorry for yourselves, and continue to whine and cry that more blacks are shot by cops then anyone else when the factual data says otherwise.
More whites are shot and killed by police then any other race and no ones gives a damn, lets continue to to kneel and disrespect the the flag because the liberal media lies aand twists the facts to paint a picture that only blacks are killed by the police and thats simply BS and not true.
Just like the Washington post...it relaly sucks when the facts show Whites are killed by police more then anyone else, but don't let facts get in the way of a good protest...keep getting people fired up over BS causes.
Had Micheal Brown in Ferguson been white no one would have batted an eye lash, the news wouldn't even had flipping mentioned it....
j/c...wish I had written this but I simply read it and it depicts my views probably closer than anything I've read out there.
“If you think the country can be better, stand for the ideal. If you think the answer is people showing unity, stand with them. The anthem is not the national police song. The anthem is not the national racists song. The anthem is an exercise in how this country can endure and rise, how we can agree on its future potential, even while struggling with its present. The anthem’s words depict a flag that is suffering through bombs and rockets. You could easily view those bombs and rockets as the challenges our democracy faces today, and the flag a symbol of rising above them.”
Let’s stand united against terrorists, against racism, against white supremacists, against killing of cops, against police brutality, against sex slave trafficking.. against anything that is not the ideal for this country.
Let’s unite in the fact that God made us all unique and different and that is something we should cherish. You can disagree with me and that is totally ok.. let’s use this forum to discuss (not yell at each other) and listen to one another.
A tweet from Kelly Stafford (Matt Stafford's wife) she's beautiful and smart if you ask me.
jmho
Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off! Go Browns! CHRIST HAS RISEN! GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
Jim Brown criticizes Kaepernick-style protests: 'I don't desecrate my flag'
Jim Brown criticizes Colin Kaepernick's method of protest
Pro Football Hall of Famer and Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown panned current football players who choose to protest during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, saying “I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem.”
Brown, who fought for social causes throughout his career, told ThePostGame.com he empathizes with jobless quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began the trend of kneeling during the anthem last season when he played for the San Francisco 49ers. But Brown said Kaepernick and other players who demonstrate – such as a dozen Cleveland players who knelt Monday – are going about their crusade the wrong way.
“I’m going to give you the real deal: I’m an American,” Brown said. “I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I’m not gonna do anything against the flag and national anthem. I’m going to work within those situations. But this is my country, and I’ll work out the problems, but I’ll do it in an intelligent manner.”
Kaepernick began to kneel in order to protest what he alleged was an increasing spate of police brutality against minorities. Brown said he wants to be in Kaepernick’s “corner” on the demonstration, but he suggested the act hadn’t been thought through.
“If you have a cause, I think you should organize it, present it in a manner where it's not only you standing or sitting on one knee, but a lot of people that is gonna get behind each other and do something about it,” Brown said. “If I ask you one question: Who is Colin calling on to follow what he's talking about?”
Brown also acknowledged players should try to honor the wishes of the team owners who are paying them millions of dollars.
“Colin has to make up his mind whether he's truly an activist or he's a football player,” Brown said. “Football is commercial. You have owners. You have fans. And you want to honor that if you're making that kind of money…”
Brown added: “You have to understand there's intelligence that's involved, OK? I can't be two things at once that contradict each other. If I sign for money, then the people I sign with, they have rules and regulations.”
“I’m going to give you the real deal: I’m an American,” Brown said. “I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I’m not gonna do anything against the flag and national anthem. I’m going to work within those situations. But this is my country, and I’ll work out the problems, but I’ll do it in an intelligent manner.”
Not sure if I believe Jim Browns words or not. He could have been told to make those statements to hopefully connect with the players so they will possibly change their ways.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Not sure if I believe Jim Browns words or not. He could have been told to make those statements to hopefully connect with the players so they will possibly change their ways.
Interesting posit.
Though, I'd guess at his age he wants to say or do things to help humanity.
And yeah, telling Jim Brown to do something is probably not gonna work.
I do like that you are tempting to get to what you believe is the heart of the matter.
But let's not go into you canned arguments. You introduce your own claim and then argued against it, that is the definition of a straw man.
But if you truly intend to get to the heart of the matter the only "BS" IC is making an argument Formosa tistical perspective that doesn't take into account the actual demographics there are more white people than black people so of course more white people get shot by police. That is a straw man.
So to get to the heart of the matter of what YOU were saying would require looking at the number of deaths by police by percentage. This should be obvious to anyway wishing to speak accurately on the matter (that you brought up)
If you're so inclined I would be curious to find your results by % especially in the case of unarmed black men being shot by police versus unarmed white man shot by police.
I'm kind of a little all over the place on this topic.
When to Kap I think he's mostly a douche bag who decided to champion a cause because he heard something somewhere, and thinks the larger his afro the more it proves his "blackness". He isn't being blackballed (ugh... I feel bad for feeling like there's a bad pun in there ) because of his views or because he kneeled. Lesean McCoy has it dead right: Kap is essentially a bad job candidate.
His skills have diminished and aren't nearly enough to be worth a team or organization's effort to have to deal with all the non-job related drama he would come with.
Trying to blame white oppression or claim white people aren't being more supportive of these actions is asinine. How many millions of dollars have white fans spent on a black player's jersey and proudly worn it because that player represents their team?
And let's face it Dawgs, it's not like any of us stand up at home or at the bar when it plays either.
Being a Vet and a cop, honestly I'm not all that offended by them kneeling. I just care that little about their opinions. I am disappointed though because I tune in to a football game to get away from all the other nonsense in the world.
Kneeling during the anthem is just stupid because that action offends way more people than will be convinced to hear what you have to say. Doubly so because it's not like they are using it to bring attention to something no one has heard before.
I won't bag on any of these guys for being hipocrits either though. I know they do an awful lot of charity work through the team and NFL as it is. My only real problem is with the NFL and their inconsistency. They have no problem letting players kneel, but last season denied the Cowboys from wearing a small sticker or patch to commemorate the Dallas officers killed last year at the march.
I am in the market for a jersey this year, I simply won't buy any of theirs. But I'll still be tuning in on Sundays, and I'll still be freezing my butt off in December at the Ravens game.
"Hey, I'm a reasonable guy. But I've just experienced some very unreasonable things." -Jack Burton
-It looks like the Harvard Boys know what they are doing after all.
Jim Brown criticizes Kaepernick-style protests: 'I don't desecrate my flag'
Jim Brown criticizes Colin Kaepernick's method of protest
Pro Football Hall of Famer and Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown panned current football players who choose to protest during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, saying “I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem.”
Brown, who fought for social causes throughout his career, told ThePostGame.com he empathizes with jobless quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began the trend of kneeling during the anthem last season when he played for the San Francisco 49ers. But Brown said Kaepernick and other players who demonstrate – such as a dozen Cleveland players who knelt Monday – are going about their crusade the wrong way.
“I’m going to give you the real deal: I’m an American,” Brown said. “I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I’m not gonna do anything against the flag and national anthem. I’m going to work within those situations. But this is my country, and I’ll work out the problems, but I’ll do it in an intelligent manner.”
Kaepernick began to kneel in order to protest what he alleged was an increasing spate of police brutality against minorities. Brown said he wants to be in Kaepernick’s “corner” on the demonstration, but he suggested the act hadn’t been thought through.
“If you have a cause, I think you should organize it, present it in a manner where it's not only you standing or sitting on one knee, but a lot of people that is gonna get behind each other and do something about it,” Brown said. “If I ask you one question: Who is Colin calling on to follow what he's talking about?”
Brown also acknowledged players should try to honor the wishes of the team owners who are paying them millions of dollars.
“Colin has to make up his mind whether he's truly an activist or he's a football player,” Brown said. “Football is commercial. You have owners. You have fans. And you want to honor that if you're making that kind of money…”
Brown added: “You have to understand there's intelligence that's involved, OK? I can't be two things at once that contradict each other. If I sign for money, then the people I sign with, they have rules and regulations.”
Jim Brown is an activist with a track record of real work for people. He is a legend and a class act. Good for him to speak up like this.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
I do like that you are tempting to get to what you believe is the heart of the matter.
But let's not go into you canned arguments. You introduce your own claim and then argued against it, that is the definition of a straw man.
But if you truly intend to get to the heart of the matter the only "BS" IC is making an argument Formosa tistical perspective that doesn't take into account the actual demographics there are more white people than black people so of course more white people get shot by police. That is a straw man.
So to get to the heart of the matter of what YOU were saying would require looking at the number of deaths by police by percentage. This should be obvious to anyway wishing to speak accurately on the matter (that you brought up)
If you're so inclined I would be curious to find your results by % especially in the case of unarmed black men being shot by police versus unarmed white man shot by police.
(Lol forgive the voice to text)
Thing is ed, the factoid about there being more white people than black people, so there for more whit people would be killed IS the fact that few of these players or people who believe in what they are saying/doing typically ignore.
As for unarmed, it's naïve to think that unarmed doesn't mean they didn't pose a deadly threat. If I am strangling you with my bare hands, I'm unarmed aren't I? I'm posing a deadly threat, aren't I? So the whole "unarmed black man" narrative is a purposefully vague narrative being repeated to evoke a specific emotional response, not a logical or rational one.
As for percentages...
The stats show that per population: -offenders are disproportionately black -victims are disproportionately black
there for one can reasonably conclude the amount of contacts with police disproportionately involve black people (offenders and victims).
So it stands to reason these deadly encounters will also be disproportionate.
What's interesting is we often here this claim in these cases that the cop shot the dude because he was black, and being black made the cop afraid.
1) there was a study done that showed cops were more hesitant to shoot a black suspect than a white suspect...
2) while the stats may say that a black man is 2x as likely to be killed by a cop than someone of another demographic, that SAME study shows that a cop is 18x more likely to be killed by a black offender than by any other demographic.
Augh! I didn't want to go down this road. I think I'm just going to go back in to exile until the Week 1 "What I Saw Thread"
"Hey, I'm a reasonable guy. But I've just experienced some very unreasonable things." -Jack Burton
-It looks like the Harvard Boys know what they are doing after all.
And let's face it Dawgs, it's not like any of us stand up at home or at the bar when it plays either.
If I am at any event where the Anthem is LIVE stand up hand over heart...at home I tend to just sing along(badly) and at a sports bar more just silent. But definitely any time it's live you bet show that respect!
And to me truly believing for the flag means more the just literally standing up when it's played at football game.
This great country means so much, so much more then just that.
I wish people would listen to each other, this whole situation is reminder that at the end of the day there isn't a true sense of community and people don't really care that much about each other in a collective sense.
None of that stuff has ever happened where I live, it's a multiracial neighborhood we have minor issuers here and there but we all get along for the most part. I guess it was the way we were raised.
Thank U so much ... I've always wanted to know those stats ... especially the one abouta cop being 18% more likely to be shot by a black man ... i wonder why u NEVER EVER hear that stat ...
Thanks again for those numbers .. very very informative... especially after reading through eds bs stats ... he kept talking about straw man arguments when his post was full of irrelivent stats ... it showed one of the many reasons that .... STATS ARE FOR ,,,,,
U can make any argument based off the stats u pick and choose to use regardless of their actual relevance to the premise your trying to prove ...
Thanks again ... im happy u decided to share them ...
Are military members allowed to participate in political protests? Yes, they are.
Are military members allowed to wear their uniforms when doing so? No, they are not.
Same reasoning should apply here; don't make political statements while wearing the uniform of an organization that doesn't agree with your statement. If you want to say something, do it when not representing the Cleveland Browns.
Thing is ed, the factoid about there being more white people than black people, so there for more whit people would be killed IS the fact that few of these players or people who believe in what they are saying/doing typically ignore.
Maybe you missed my point from before.
This 'factoid' that you and the other poster mention is a strawman.
strawman (noun)
1.an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent's real argument.
The argument you make that more white people are killed by cops then black people is a strawman argument.
First no one in this thread made that argument. YOU and another poster made that argument.
Second that argument gets the facts wrong. Anyone with even rudimentary understanding of stats knows that looking at numbers without regard to percentage is meaningless.
Repeating this false argument doesn't support your point, rather it shows that you are ignoring the actual facts about a claim that YOU introduced.
And to be clear, right now all I am doing here is correcting your false facts. I'm not making my point....yet. But to continue this dialogue without 1st getting on the same page factually doesn't make sense.
So from this point forward when you repeat these false facts you are either showing a lack of understanding of the stats or willfully intending to misrepresent them.
Quote:
According to the most recent census data, there are nearly 160 million more white people in America than there are black people. White people make up roughly 62 percent of the U.S. population but only about 49 percent of those who are killed by police officers. African Americans, however, account for 24 percent of those fatally shot and killed by the police despite being just 13 percent of the U.S. population. As The Post noted in a new analysis published last week, that means black Americans are 2.5 times as likely as white Americans to be shot and killed by police officers.
Quote:
As for unarmed, it's naïve to think that unarmed doesn't mean they didn't pose a deadly threat. If I am strangling you with my bare hands, I'm unarmed aren't I? I'm posing a deadly threat, aren't I? So the whole "unarmed blackwhite man" narrative is a purposefully vague narrative being repeated to evoke a specific emotional response, not a logical or rational one.
It is naïve to assume that people don't understand that every case is different, and you are remiss in that your instruction regarding 'unarmed black man' applies equally to 'unarmed white man'. The facts are this:
Quote:
U.S. police officers have shot and killed the exact same number of unarmed white people as they have unarmed black people: 50 each. But because the white population is approximately five times larger than the black population, that means unarmed black Americans were five times as likely as unarmed white Americans to be shot and killed by a police officer.
Augh! I didn't want to go down this road. I think I'm just going to go back in to exile until the Week 1 "What I Saw Thread"
Nothing wrong with going down 'this road' but if you are going down this road do so with accuracy and honesty.
If you want to continue this dialogue I will address the other points in your post later but I don't want to generate too large of a block of text that most are unlikely to read. But, some of the points and issues you bring up are true and lead to the even more tricky question of why?