Comments from a former NFL star on just how important the American flag really is.
Super Bowl Champ Endorses MRC’s NFL Boycott: ‘Sign Me Up’
By Craig Bannister | September 28, 2017 | 4:53 PM EDT
Burgess Owens won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 1980.
If the National Football League (NFL) doesn’t respect the American flag, “Let’s show them how important it is,” former NFL star safety Burgess Owens told CNSNews.com in an exclusive interview.
Owens, who played for the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets, winning a Super Bowl with the Raiders, in his ten-year (1973-82) NFL career, is now a co-host of the Conservative Commandos Radio Show. In his first day of hosting the program, he granted CNSNews.com the opportunity to interview him about the current national controversy regarding players protesting the flag during the playing of the National Anthem before games.
Asked if he endorses the Media Research Center’s campaign calling on all Americans to stop watching NFL games and show the league that the country’s flag must be respected, Owens replied, “Sign me up”:
“Sign me up. Sign me up, yes.”
Owens said that he is thankful to be an American. He praised the way Americans have always voted with their pocketbooks – and said that boycotting NFL games is a golden opportunity to do so:
“Despite our differences, the flying of our flag during the National Anthem is the one time where all Americans come together.
“So, yes, if the Left, the liberals, the socialists are now trying to say the flag’s not important, let’s show them how important it is. Let’s all turn it off.
“Let’s show them, in a big way, in a massive fashion, they need to get their act together. And, if we do it right now, then they will get it right.”
If players aren’t willing to pay their respects during the Anthem, then they should just hide out in the locker room until game time, Owens said:
“And, if those cats don’t want to support and salute our flag, stay in the locker room. Don’t show their faces until it’s time for them to make their millions of dollars.
“And, at some point, they might feel gratitude for the opportunity to come out and spend six months out of the year making millions and millions of dollars. Because, at the end of the day, this is the country that allows them to do that.”
Finally, Owens said that, if NFL players really do want to make a difference, they should get personally involved in their communities and promote positive messages:
“And, we need to get back into those communities and teach them these lessons on heart-to-heart, hand-to-hand, roll-up-our-sleeves way to get it done.”
Well b, here we go again!
I wonder if Mr Owens has read the constitution.
Maybe he forgets all those Vietnam protests.
How un american those peacenicks were.
A major “peacenick protester” (your words) was Bill Clinton.
He got elected President. How un American was that?
Good point Professor.
In this case we are talking about disrespecting the American Flag and in Clinton’s case we were talking about disrespecting the White House.
I was not even thinking of Monica Lewinsky, but of the much greater crime (in my mind) of repeatedly denigrating one’s country when OUTSIDE the country.
e.g. In anti-Vietnam protests in London.
I believe anti-government protests are more acceptable within one’s country, but less so outside.
cfs, I didnt come up with the expression peacenick, that was used at the time.
Maybe the Russians had something to do with Clinton getting elected.
I agree with the concept of “the right to peaceful protest” as outlined in the Constitution.
I however am the record as saying that disrespecting the American flag is an inappropriate way to attempt to make a point.
Mike Krieger on the NFL brouhaha:
https://libertyblitzkrieg.com/2017/09/25/thoughts-on-trump-fake-patriotism-and-taking-a-knee/
“Trump’s authoritarian tweets with regard to NFL player protests in recent days are extremely dangerous and encourage his supporters to rally around a debased and superficial fake patriotism based on symbolism as opposed to ideals and values.”
“When I look at Trump’s commentary and tweets in aggregate one thing becomes crystal clear. Trump is trying to redefine America and what it means to be a patriot in superficial and jingoistic terms. He’s essentially grooming his supporters into thinking that worshipping a piece of fabric is what separates those who love this country from those who hate it and want to destroy it. By making this about a symbol as opposed to the ideas that this symbol represents, he allows his supporters to feel they are a part of “taking America back” while not even remotely comprehending what the country is actually all about. It’s like losing weight while eating whatever you want, all you have to do is vomit afterwards. Trump is essentially conditioning his supporters to follow him as he regurgitates all over the Constitution, because as long as they stay true to a piece of fabric or song, they honor the country. Patriotism made easy.”
“America is not a flag or a song, but a set of ideas. Ideas and civil liberties set forth in our Constitution. This is what people who serve the country swear allegiance to, not a song or a piece of fabric, but to the Constitution. One thing Trump never mentions in any of his tweets is the Constitution and that’s no accident. He’s quite deliberately attempting to redefine patriotism in his image.”
“This isn’t about Trump versus the discredited establishment. This is about Trump trying to redefine patriotism in superficial terms which he can then exploit to his advantage while showing the same disregard for the Constitution that Obama and Bush did before him. This is a very dangerous game, and we can’t let it happen again.
America isn’t a flag or a song, but a people united in dedication to the principles of the U.S. Constitution. If that no longer exists then this nation is already gone.”
I completely agree with you final paragraph, GH
My comment deals with the appropriateness of the venue.
Those are all Mike Krieger’s words, just to be clear.
I find he always has a perspective worth considering.
This whole NFL thing, to me, is another media-orchestrated embarrassment to America.
Why is there more outrage about Kaepernick etc. than there is about the impunity for the police that broke Eric Garner’s neck?
Israel Security Forces Are Training American Cops Despite History of Rights Abuses
GH, simply because people are too lazy to look at individual actions. Right now, the idea is to focus on the macro and not the micro. The incidents that the folks are protesting need to be examined individually and I don’t mean by the organizations that have committed them. But then that would take effort wouldn’t it! Many just want the easy way out.
As far as the venue, Al, I think that technically speaking, the NFL has the right to impose consequences on protesters. As talented as the athletes might be, they wouldn’t be in front of the whole country if it weren’t for a lot of other people too, and they are responsible and beholden to those people whether they like it or not.
Yes it certainly does GH. So far it has chosen not to enforce that rule. Wonder why?
Since when have NFL players had First Amendment Rights on the playing field?
Raise a fist in the end-zone after a touchdown, or shake your booty……$10K fine.
The NFL clearly chose to not enforce this particular rule as I brought out yesterday with you help, Professor.
Since when do players have a right to pray on the playing field?
Help me out on this b. Is group prayer on the field not allowed? I ask because this issue has gone in both directions here in Washington state.
I just recall a football player taking a knee to pray.
Nobody complained as far as I know.
Somebody takes a knee to show their disapproval of people being shot and its a big deal.
To be honust, I dont think either should be allowed, I also dont think either is a big deal.
I dont know if this stuff should be allowed or not, I would think not.
Imagine a native guy doing a war dance,a buddhist in a lotus jut think of all the stuff that could be protested and promoted,
Personally, I think people just wanna watch the game.
I would guess b, that it is all about “time of occurrence”
“By making this about a symbol as opposed to the ideas” …..he says…..
The “symbol”……lets you remember what the “idea” is……..jmo
or should I say Ditto to GH
I would agree Jerry!
I would bet Jerry, that in this case most have forgotten just what the idea is. Sad but true.
I would almost guarantee it………
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
― Samuel Johnson
“It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.”
― Aristotle
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”
― Mark Twain
I agree completely with Mr. Twain!
+1 for Twain!
Matthew: excellent
If some players have the right to kneel during the anthem, why don’t others have the right to wave Confederate flags? Students at Ole Miss are forbidden to do that. What about their rights? Boycott the NFL and NBA. Who needs them? Go Astros! In their last 4 games the Astros have outscored the Rangers and Red Sox 49-9 Holy Toledo! And since Doc dealt Verlander from the Tigers to Houston he is 5-0 with an ERA of 1.06
ditto……….who needs um
I think historic long term disparate treatment of blacks during this period of renewed enthusiasm for white supremacy as suggested by our leadership, is the main thought from taking a knee. Just my impression from listening to what they are saying in public and not the media translation.
I’d take a knee if they put most of Wall Street and the Justice Department in jail.
Patriotism Is A Two-Edged Sword
September 29, 2017
by Paul Craig Roberts, Paul Craig Roberts:
I sometimes wonder if America’s greatest threat is the population’s hyper-patriotism. The bulk of the population is now at work shutting down the NFL players’ First Amendment rights, and none of the incensed censors are capable of understanding that it is they, and not the NFL players, who are attacking the U.S. Constitution. We have been through all this flag business before, and federal courts have ruled for the protesters who burnt flags, wore them on their clothes, whatever. Yet, here we go again.