Ruth Bader Ginsburg Calls Colin Kaepernick’s National Anthem Protest ‘Dumb’

[meegs73]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Supreme Court justice who came under fire recently for lacerating comments about Donald J. Trump, has dropped another eyebrow-raising remark about a different figure in the news: the N.F.L. football player Colin Kaepernick and his protest against the national anthem

Comments

[eveofrevolution]

[meegs73]

Done :)

[screw_reality]

Ugh. What is this? "it's dumb" Fuck off.

The same jingoistic people constantly squawking about how the anthem and flag are sacrosanct also love to reminisce about how this country was founded on genocide and slavery armed insurrection against a tyrannical government. Right up until it means having to acknowledge they are now either representative of or bolstering tyranny, then protesting is a dumb thing stupid people do!!!

[meegs73]

Preach.

[quietpathos]

I don't understand the need to kneel in protest. Kneeling is traditionally a symbol of deference or submission. Why not just sit down?

[screw_reality]

I mean, standing during the anthem is the traditional sign of respect, so kneeling sort of feels like the inverse of that. Plus, being seated is usually you starting position before being called to stand for the anthem, at least when you're an audience member. So remaining seated feels very passive, even though it will still draw attention to you if you're the only one doing so. Choosing to get up and then sink into a kneeling position is a lot more blatant an action- which I've seen some audience members do in solidarity.

As for Kaepernick and the other athletes who've joined him, a lot of the photos I've seen are of them standing on the field. So just for practicality's sake, it's a lot easier to get back to your feet from a down on one knee position. Sitting down on the field and then climbing back to your feet would be more awkward and clumsy.

[spiritoftherain]

I don't have a problem with her remark. She's entitled to her opinion. You can tell she has more of an issue with people calling to a arrest Kaepernick. In the spectrum of public reaction, RBJ's isn't so bad.

[meegs73]

I appreciate that she's defending the players' constitutional right to protest, but I wish she would have acknowledged why the players are protesting instead of just calling them dumb. She's always been the first to recognize racial discrimination on the bench so I'm surprised and disappointed that she was so dismissive here.

[spiritoftherain]

That's a good point, and it's a missed opportunity. I don't know, I've been so flooded with Kaepernick stuff and not so much with the crap that's been lobbed at him. I'm glad he's doing what he's doing.

[mimblexwimble]

Calling Kaepernick "arrogant" isn't just an opinion. It's coded language.

[firebunny]

RBG don't ruin your legacy.

[ladycyndra]

SIGH