No Respect

It’s been 229 years since our adoption of the most enduring constitution, which has provided more liberty and personal freedom, than any other document in the history of civilization! But there are those in America today, who not only do not understand its origins, or the safeguards it has provided us, but actually show contempt and disdain for this hallowed document, and the nation it sustains.

Barack Hussein Obama was very clear about his intentions for America, long before he took his oath of office eight years ago, when he said “we are going to fundamentally transform America.” This is one pledge he has certainly kept.

There has not been a time, at least during my lifespan, when the very ideal of Americanism itself has been the subject of such derision and disrespect from our own citizens.

Oh yes, there have been deep divisions in our past, including the Civil War, when our very future as a “United States” or “Union” was in question. Those were terrible days; with brother pitted against brother literally, as Americans from the North and South engaged in mortal combat. The Battle of Gettysburg alone yielding more than 51,000 casualties  in a single day of horrific battle.

And we’ve been through much as a nation since then including; two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia, Desert Storm, and on up to our current wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and places we are engaged in and don’t even know about. We’ve survived a great depression, civil rights struggles, assassinations, and suffered a devastating blow just fifteen years ago as Islamic extremists attacked our financial center, Pentagon, and attempted an attack on our nation’s capitol building (crashing in Pennsylvania).

One battle in particular, the War of 1812, which had begun with an attack on our young nation’s capitol, prompted the creation of our national anthem (see story on page 9 this issue). Francis Scott Key, a young attorney, penned these words, which, as long as I can remember, have been sung with pride at every major sporting event, and at public gatherings of all kinds:

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

But times have certainly changed, and a fundamental transformation, long in the planting has sadly taken root, and has begun to bear fruit. A second string NFL quarterback from the 49ers, whose career had already begun flagging, decided to garner some attention by refusing to stand during our National Anthem. He has since been followed by a certain linebacker from the Denver Broncos, who took a knee, rather than stand in reverence as our anthem played.

And sadly now this lack of respect, like a virus, has spread to members of the armed services, and even to high school athletics. Kaepernick and the ‘clueless’ who have followed his poor example have no idea what kind of harm they have done. This is a movement that has been underway long before the NFL celebrities threw their tantrums. It has its roots in communism and the globalists seeking to eliminate national pride and national boundaries.    

But this recent dissent from the likes of BLM (Black Lives Matter) and their puppets is something we should be concerned about. It is like the Black Panther movement of the sixties on steroids. And because it seems so high minded, and not, at last in the case of the NFL players, based in violence, it has gained a certain credibility, and has been heralded as protected “free speech’. The bad actors are even being treated as intellectuals, acting with bravery, rather than those involved in shameful displays of disrespect.    

But at least for some, it is starting to come home to roost. The Denver player, Brandon Marshall, just lost two lucrative endorsements. And thank God for those two sponsors; Century Link and Air Academy Federal Credit Union, for having the guts to stand up to these disrespectful little millionaire twerps! I hope there are thousands, or better, millions who will take the time to thank these corporate sponsors for their principled, and yes patriotic stance. But where are the team owners? Where are the NFL directors? And frankly where are the fans, showing their outrage? In my mind the stadiums ought to be empty, and the TVs turned off!  And I guarantee you, the team owners and managers would enact new ‘team rules’ overnight, which would require some respect on the field.

And lest we forget, this is a terrible example that is being shown to our children, many of whom idolize these misfits!

Another black American sailor in the U.S. Navy videotaped herself not at attention during the playing of the National Anthem. She was not nearly as clever as she thought she was, after her Facebook post was called to the attention of her superior officers. The sailor who has not been identified as yet, sat down on base with her fist raised in a black-power like gesture. She posted this comment on Facebook:  "Today I actually did something, and it was small but significant for me," she said. "Until this country shows they've got my back as a black woman … I can't, and I won't and I won't be forced to [stand]."   

Her only problem is that she falls under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and justice is coming to her. From an article on Military.com; Navy rules state that troops must stand and face the flag when the National Anthem is played. Troops in uniform must salute, while troops not in uniform must stand at attention and place the right hand over the heart. These rules mean that her behavior could fall afoul of Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, failure to obey a lawful general order or regulation.

But at the root of all of this recent uproar is a perceived inequality or unequal opportunity for blacks in America. That’s a little hard to even fathom, when you consider we have a multi-racial President, a black Attorney General, black members of the Supreme Court, and in sports and entertainment, blacks have strong representation. Ironically in the NFL, where the recent flap started out, 68% of the players are black. Where is the injustice?

One thing is crystal clear though; Obama’s America has become more divided than ever before, and instead of curbing the riots and cop-baiting he seems to be fueling it, while disrespect is running at an all-time high.