In the past several weeks, much has been said in media and public about rights; everybody seems to be asserting that they have a right to do this or that…
Dear reader, I have been trying not to write this for weeks now, but at last I give up, and here I go.
Here’s what I have learned so far:
I have the right to say anything I want, no matter how offensive it may be to everyone else, and if you don’t like it, too bad. I can say it in public, or on social media, I can do whatever I want because I have a “right”!
Of course, I have a right, but you don’t have a right to tick me off…
Dear reader, does this seem as ridiculous to you as it does to me?
I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve been lectured about people’s rights to behave badly quite enough for a lifetime in the past few months…
Just so that the political correctness police don’t kick down my door, I’ll add a disclaimer:
Yes people have the right to protest and to express their views in public.
Having said that we need to realize that the “right” to speak your mind was never at issue; what IS at issue is whether or not your speaking is done wisely. Here’s what I mean: Let’s say you are an NFL player who wants to protest during the playing of the National Anthem at a football game (and this is only one example), so you take a knee while everyone else stands. Two things result from this behavior…
- Because you have done something that is highly visible and so far from what is socially acceptable, you get lots of attention.
- You have insulted millions of people who may have been sympathetic to your cause, and who now could care less because they view your behavior as deliberately offensive.
What happens next? Well of course the protesters rise up as one and tell those who have been offended how wrong they are to be offended, and in response the offended stop watching your games, buying tickets and merchandise, and find something else to do on game day; your cause and your livelihood suffer as a result.
Brilliant!
Whatever may cause our need to assert our right to protest and/or speak our minds may be, when the assertion of our right is offensive or insulting to others, we suffer the consequences socially, no matter how right we may be. Can anyone tell me what incivility brings?
Yes, exactly, incivility begets more incivility. Didn’t Jesus teach us a better way to behave? Didn’t He say something about treating others the way we want to be treated? Do you want others to get in your face and insult everything you believe?
Then let’s not do that to them is that really so hard to see?
Life Project Blog 
I would hold up the game AFTER the national anthem for a minute before kickoff to protest at midfield.
At least that would be better, although many of us like sports to forget about politics and our problems 🙂
People have forgotten it is not What you say but How you say it that makes the difference. Thank you for this post!
So trye 🙂
Old saying: Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, but not everyone wants to hear yours.
That said, yes, everyone has the right to protest, peaceable, however they wish. But, they also have to be willing to accept the consequences of that protest. You have the right to open a bakery and refuse to sell to a particular segment of the society, but you also have to accept that your doors may close because of your loss of clientele who hold an opposing view.
Another excellent post. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Not being a football fan (all I care about it the color of the uniforms, besides wringing my hands and wailing loudly, “Do you think he’s going to be all right? How will his family survive if he’s not all right?” — Is it any wonder that my husband and kids have invited me NOT to watch games with them?– ahem), I am still confused about the kneeling issue, what started it, and what it is supposed to mean. All my attempts to research it seem to point to in-your-face disrespect on the part of certain of the players. I see no need for this game, and because of the many head injuries in the games, I have often wanted them to be shut down altogether. But this opinion is probably even more politically incorrect than some of my other opinions. Anyway, can you please explain this issue to me? (And please use small words that a non-sports person like me can understand.)
Thanks in advance,
No fan of football,
GwennonR
P.S. For a ridiculous encapsulation of my true opinion of the game, you are welcome to head over to my poetry blog
mybetterpoems.wordpress.com
and read my silly-but-sincere poem “Shiny Gold Helmets”.
LOL… Well, the short version goes like this:
A couple years ago a third string quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers started this in protest against police shooting involving African Americans. Unfortunately he did so while wearing socks that pictured pigs wearing police uniforms and as you can imagine a lot of people went nuts over that even though he made some statements in an effort to walk some of that back a bit. Since then he kept taking a knee along with a very few others and the whole thing died down… Until a couple of months ago Mr. Trump went off script in a rally and denounced the whole thing in, let’s just say and rather un-presidential manner to the great cheers of the crowd. That being a Saturday, on the next the whole league was in an uproar with teams refusing to be on the field during the anthem, others kneeing or locking arms in solidarity against Mr. Trump’s remarks… and various social causes. The NFL handled the whole thing badly, sending out mixed messages and the silliness continues as attendance and ratings drop. The whole is really quite sad in my view…
I hope that helps a little bit
Thank you. It does, somewhat. Thank you for tracing the history and explaining things for me.
All these problems with racism are heart-breaking. We should all be concerned over any police shooting of anyone of any color. But we should also keep in mind that those who protect us often have very little time to respond in life-threatening situations. I wish we could give each other more grace.
Having said this before, i’ll go ahead and repeat it: I am completely ignorant when it comes to the game of football. But just tracing the dollars through the economy, it seems that those players who feel that they can afford to disrespect those who are supporting them financially might just be able to afford to find employment elsewhere.
As for President Trump, I am glad we finally have someone in office I don’t fear to have my children around. No one is perfect, and the fishbowl in which leaders live tends to magnify all their shortcomings. Another occasion for giving grace that I wish more of us could capitalize on. So, I want to thank you for the gentle, gracious way you described the President’s reaction to what I can only label rude and foolish behavior that has served nothing more than to stir what racial tensions already exist.
I so look forward to Heaven, where skin colors of all kinds will be accepted and celebrated as the gift of diversity God means them to be.
Thanks again for enlightening me. I really like to know the why behind the what.
Not being American, I don’t see what the big deal is about taking a knee. It doesn’t seem disrespectful to draw attention to a social issue that many feel is being ignored. Unless the anthem is part of a religious system of course. Is this American civil religion in action? If so, then taking a knee is blasphemous. If not, and people are upset, perhaps the issue is idolatry.
That’s a very interesting perspective Lorne. Maybe it is a form of “civil religion”. Traditionally standing during the National Anthem in this country is considered a sign of respect for our Nation and the ideals upon which it was founded. Many would add that it is also a sign of respect for those who have given their lives to preserve those ideals. Of course, not everyone feels that way, but apparently quite a few football fans think so.
Hey Don. I appreciate the time you took before sharing your thoughts. People do find it quite easy to say what they want via keyboard these days!
Because of your piece, I’m wondering two things.
1. Is there such a thing as a convenient way to protest? 2. How do we place James 1:19 in the context of this social conversation, as believers?
Great questions, thank you!
1. I’ve protested a number times over the years and no, I haven’t ever found it to be convenient at all. Yet in spite of that, there are times when we feel compelled to add our voices in protest against injustice. 2. I’d have to say that James 1:19 has everything to do with this. Quick to listen, do we hear both sides of the story, do we listen carefully enough to see what is really going on? Slow to speak, do we wait to see what the other person is really dealing with, and examine our own motivations to recognize whether or not we might be over reacting to something? Slow to anger; are we acting rationally and with a clear head- or are we getting caught up in pure emotion? I think when we put these things together we can protest to bring about a positive result, and at the same time avoid alienating people who might otherwise be standing at our side.
Thank you again: Great questions!
Valid points, Don! I would add that those perpetrating the behavior being protested don’t find any method of protest acceptable. Especially, if they’re not quick to listen and slow to take offense.
Good exchange, have a great week!
Amen! Thanks for the conversation!