Respect for the American flag should be a no-brainer

A Patriot's Opinion

By Jim Snyder

Well unless you just flew in from Mars everyone has heard of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who refused to stand for the National Anthem. For the few that may have missed it a few weeks ago during a preseason football game QB Colin Kaepernick decided he would stay seated during the playing of our National Anthem. Now while he has the freedom of speech to do so he apparently doesn’t have the common sense to remember why he has been afforded that freedom. This young man stated that he is tired of the oppression in this country. He said he is tired of police being allowed to just shoot people and get paid for it. These words are coming from a man that makes $19 million dollars a year throwing a football. So in case you haven’t figured it out yet I’m about to get up on top of my soapbox. So buckle up buttercups, ‘cause here it comes.

Colin Kaepernick was given up for adoption at the age of 5 weeks. He was adopted by a white couple from Milwaukee. They raised him and provided him with an education and the opportunity to go to college and become a professional athlete. His adoptive parents both worked to provide him with a better life than he ever would have had otherwise. So what does he have to complain about? Before Mr. Kaepernick complains about this country he may want to go back and study the history classes he probably skipped in high school. This country has a proud history of service and sacrifice. Millions of Americans of all colors, gender, and national origins gave their lives so this young man could have the opportunities he has. I’ll bet Mr. Kaepernick has probably never been to a military or a law enforcement funeral. He has no clue what that flag draping those coffins means. He has never had to make that ultimate sacrifice that so many have made. Oh I’m sure he suffered through four years of college and endless nights of partying. But he has never put on the uniform of a soldier, or a police officer so he has no clue what the American flag means or stands for. Yet he can sit in his million dollar mansion and drive his $100,000+ cars and somehow complain about how bad things are here. I am sick and tired of people like this guy whining about how bad this country is. If this country is so bad why are so many people risking their lives to get here as fast as they can?

This country has lost its moral compass in the past 20 years or so. The decline in people’s patriotism, morals, and basic knowledge of our own history is shocking to say the least. People like this guy are the reasons I no longer watch professional football, baseball or basketball. To see people who make more in one day than most of us make in a year and complain about how rough they have it here is laughable. And movie stars and celebrities are no better. They whine about how capitalism is so unfair yet it was capitalism that gave them the opportunity to become millionaires.

So here is what I hope happens to Mr. Colin Kaepernick. I hope he loses his job with the 49ers. I hope he loses his multimillion dollar home and his fancy cars. Maybe then he will have a clue about what real sacrifice and suffering means. Then and only then will he learn what the flag that he so despises really stands for. Ok I’m climbing down from my soapbox now and we return you to your regularly scheduled programming.