9 years behind the times.

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Today, I learned that President Bush signed a law in 2008 allowing veterans to salute the flag or salute during the national anthem. As a 20 year veteran, I should have learned that in 2008!
 
That's why I was somewhat surprised that Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva was not saluting during the anthem before their game with the Bears. Ex-Army Ranger, playing in a stadium that was NAMED after all US military killed in combat (Soldier Field)-I'm not much of a Steelers fan, but I would be PROUD to wear his jersey!
 
It is now allowed for a veteran to salute. Not required. Hand over heart is entirely acceptable.
 
Yup the track announcer at NASCAR races says "please remove your hats and place your hands over your hearts. Veterans may render a hand salute" before the anthem. They show it before every race on TV. Noticed the NFL rarely shows the anthem pre-game. I saw it on the first game of the year and the London game.
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
That's why I was somewhat surprised that Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva was not saluting during the anthem before their game with the Bears. Ex-Army Ranger, playing in a stadium that was NAMED after all US military killed in combat (Soldier Field)-I'm not much of a Steelers fan, but I would be PROUD to wear his jersey!


Steeler Fans will be boycotting the game on Veterans Day. Hope its successful.
 
It is sad that Americans are getting so partisan over this. Kneeling is also a respectful gesture, and should be allowed as well.
 
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Today, I learned that President Bush signed a law in 2008 allowing veterans to salute the flag or salute during the national anthem. As a 20 year veteran, I should have learned that in 2008!

Why did there need to be a law to allow that in the first place? Who/what was stopping them?

Not being snarky. I genuinely don't understand that there was an issue that this law addressed.
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Today, I learned that President Bush signed a law in 2008 allowing veterans to salute the flag or salute during the national anthem. As a 20 year veteran, I should have learned that in 2008!

Why did there need to be a law to allow that in the first place? Who/what was stopping them?

Not being snarky. I genuinely don't understand that there was an issue that this law addressed.


Because the law up to that point did NOT allow veterans to salute. The prior law (regulation, actually) was:

1. Only uniformed members of the military could render the salute.
2. Military members not in uniform stand at attention.

Veterans were considered civilians, and the respectful gesture was hand over the heart.

If a veteran was saluting, then, while it may have been intended to be respectful, it was incorrect.
 
Originally Posted By: WillsYoda
It is sad that Americans are getting so partisan over this. Kneeling is also a respectful gesture, and should be allowed as well.


Let me guess...zero time in uniform?
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
"Let me guess...zero time in uniform?" The ultimate hall pass for judging other people's patriotism.


So many nations military, leader and government forces “patriotism”. Shall we join?
 
Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
That's why I was somewhat surprised that Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva was not saluting during the anthem before their game with the Bears. Ex-Army Ranger, playing in a stadium that was NAMED after all US military killed in combat (Soldier Field)-I'm not much of a Steelers fan, but I would be PROUD to wear his jersey!


Steeler Fans will be boycotting the game on Veterans Day. Hope its successful.


+1, hoping the stands are near empty.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
"Let me guess...zero time in uniform?" The ultimate hall pass for judging other people's patriotism.


No.

Not patriotism.

Understanding. That's what time in uniform would've imparted. To you, too, had you served.

Kneeling is most certainly not respectful. It is a deliberate, considered, refusal to be respectful. When appropriate, a ship, or soldier, will render honors. One renders honors to the flag, via a salute, ships render honors to other ships, via manning the rails, to admirals, or kings, or presidents, via a firing of a gun salute. Rendering honors is formal, deliberate, and meaningful IF you're aware of the traditions. That's why it's done for veterans' funerals (21 gun salute).

The traditions go back hundreds of years, but saluting, standing at attention, or hand over the heart, are how an individual renders honors to the flag. A sign of respect.

Refusing to render honors is a lot like refusing to shake an extended hand. A deliberately rude gesture intended to disrespect the occasion.

A snub.

So, yeah, the players are being deliberately disrespectful to the flag. And they know it.

Period.

Let me make it even more simple: if kneeling were respectful, then Kaepernick wouldn't have chosen to kneel as his form of protest.
 
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Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
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Such a lame, me-too 'insult'. Think that really bothers anyone?


But it was spot on. This entire controversy is absurd, this is the United States of America, we have the freedom to kneel during the National Anthem if we chose to - that is what makes our country special. Instead of addressing the concerns that prompted this peaceful protest, we are vilifying the people for simply asserting their rights.
 
I think kneeling represents alot of different things now since POTUS got his itchy thumbs going. Initially it was a protest expressing that America wasn't really working for blacks in many ways. Now its also a protest against POTUS's divisive politics.
I'd think most veterans use the flag as a symbol of why they served, but its the freedoms that America is supposed to represent is what's really important.
Getting fired or jailed for not respecting a flag is nazi germany type of behavior, and not worth respecting if that's what oppression of freedom that flag represents.
 
well i couldn't get the link to work with the "Start at xx:xx" working, but just skip ahead to 6:59.



for those who can't be bothered to watch the video:
he started taking a knee(instead of sitting on the bench) after talking to another player who was a former Green Beret, Nate Boyer, who told him "there was a better way. Soldiers take a Knee in front of a Fallen Brother's Grave as a sign of respect, and I think that would be really powerful."
 
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