dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I bang Liberals, as you put it, because in my experience, right here on the forum, it is Liberals who support the likes of Colin Kaepernick to kneel rather than stand for the National Anthem. It is Liberals who often do not stand for the anthem, Liberals who rally against saying the Pledge of Allegiance in class and so on.

As for me personally, my twin brother and I both joined the Marine Corps in 64. By 1967 I was on my second tour in Vietnam as a door gunner in a helicopter squadron, HMM-265. He was there shortly after I got there with HMM-262. My older brother served his time in the Army. After we got out of the Marine Corps we both have spent well over 30 years in law enforcement and corrections. Our father served in the Navy in WW2 and then worked for some time in a NYS maximum security prison until an industrial injury ended that job. His father served as an undersheriff of a NYS county for many years until he died. So yes, I think my family has earned the right to call ourselves patriots for the good of America. I have absolutely no problem with people who have served in the Peace Corps, Job Corps etc. nor do I think I said anything derogatory about those who have served in those services or similar, did I?

Dennis

Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin

I salute you, Dennis and your family, and all who served to defend our FLAG and what it stands for. In my opinion our FLAG stands for our country (US) and its people (Americans).

As President George W. Bush, in an address to a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001 said, "Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. IMHO, simply put, no matter what political affiliations you belong to, either you're with our FLAG and what it stands for, or you're against it.

skylinefirepest Loc: Southern Pines, N.C.

While I agree with your comment in part it does seem to be a liberal vs. conservative thing. I see, read, and hear things every day from liberals about how they don't think this country is that great, is racist, is this or that and to put it bluntly I'm sick and tired of it. Support the country or find some other place to live...this country is still the best place on earth to live. Yes, we have our problems but we seem to find ways to cure them. It's like the current fad amongst our dumbass kids to tear down statues that they don't agree with...us old timers realize that Germany did away with pretty much all the references to hitler but it didn't make history go away and it won't make pride in the South to go away! And the worst part of it is that our paid law enforcement stood there and watched and didn't do their damn jobs!

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Well said.

Dennis

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I appreciate your comments. Thank you.

Dennis

toxdoc42

No you didn't say anything derogatory, but those are areas usually associated with "liberals." Kaepernick did not kneel in disrespect for the flag or for the country. He did so as a gesture, which he aptly explained, about the injustices suffered by African Americans, particularly the African American male. Some have alluded to him favoring black men over police, and that is also false, as he has said.

I does upset me when people talk down what our country has done over its history, as it has developed the country, industry, science and engineering, etc. But it is not just the "liberals" that have destroyed much of what you ad I probably jointly hold dear to the country. Standing and saluting the flag is only one thing, but fouling our environment and setting back rules and regulations that endanger workers and children, I blame on the current batch of conservatives, not liberals.

I do thank you for your service. I never got to Nam itself, serving 2 years in Iceland. I wasn't ever underfire, but the 2 years were costly as to my career development. But, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I do wish there was a way to encourage, or even force, young people to serve in some respect.

toxdoc42

Tearing down images that honor a bad part of our history is not a liberal vs conservative thing. Those statues were all constructed during a time where there was a serious rise in racial animosity and crime. The Klan was behind a lot of the desire to build such statues. I am in favor of removing the statues and moving them into a confined "museum" with careful education of what they represent.

You are very wrong when you speak about Germany. If you go to Germany, you will find that the country has accepted its role in the war and in the Holocaust. They did destroy Hitler's bunker and tried to make it so that the neo=Nazis have no place to rally around. But, there are many displays of the era and what happened. I would be happy to provide you with my photos of Dachau, and its museum, of Berlin and its outdoor public and free exhibits.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

You can tell us that Kaepernick was kneeling for those so called principles but in reality did his, "thing", at the exact time the National Anthem was playing. Anybody with a bit of common sense would see the two are intermeshed. He could just as easily put an ad in a newspaper, write an editorial, how about working with black kids to ensure that those kids grow up to love and respect the country that, for many, has been supporting them since birth. Everything Kaepernick and his fellow kneelers has done is to insult the flag, America and the men and women who have fought and died to give those people the freedom to spit in our face without reprisal. WTF has Kaepernick actually done for America? Perhaps he made us aware of his dislike for a position that in many cases black people put themselves in.

The Civil war has been over and done for over 150 years but here we are, still fighting over the rights of black men and women. All they have ever needed to do is stand tall, get an education and a job. Many millions have done just that. We have had a black POTUS who pretty much brought racism right back again. Obama set racism back at least 50 years. We have black SCOTUS Justices, black CEO's of major companies, very productive blacks in all walks of society. As a nation we have spent Trillions trying to lift the black man out of his poverty even 100 years after he was freed from slavery. How many more years do you think it will take before the black man himself picks himself up from his own poverty?

Yes you can say what you like, even call me a racist as many in The Attic have done because of my opinion. But most of America thinks of Kaepernick just the same as I do. What he says is one thing. But what he does is totally different.

Dennis

skylinefirepest Loc: Southern Pines, N.C.

Regarding Kap...I find it interesting that a millionaire black sports figure found it necessary to protest the very country that made a black sports figure a millionaire!

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Yes a very good point. Apparently he has been overly successful yet he claims America is not working well for black people. People might recall that Obama's whole 8 year reign of terror was about the same message, how black people can't get a break in America yet he was the POTUS, Eric Holder was the AG. Maybe his/their message should have been, "I made it, why the hell can't you. Get off your butt and try harder."

Dennis