Take A Stand

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Today's topic: The newest craze that's sweeping nation – taking a knee. What's all the fuss about? Why should we care? To find out we consulted our resident expert on the subject – baby Xander.

Me: Xander, what do you make of all these athletes kneeling during a certain song? Also, why is kneeling spelled with a "k"? Shouldn't it be neeling? Or nealing? I'll let you, the public, debate this hot button issue. But, back to Xander.

"Xander, can we get a quote?"

Xander: Drool. Me: Okay, I see your point. What you're saying is some athletes might be acting like you, a baby?

Xander: Waaa. Me: I didn't mean to make you cry. Why are you crying, Xander?

Xander grabs his teething ring and begins to suck on it.

Me: Great idea, Xander. Give the public something to distract them from what's going on. Xander? I think Xander has gone down for his nap. I'll see if I can find another "expert" in the field of taking a knee.

After sending Xander home for his nap, I drove out to the old veterans home in search of an expert in this field and to get his opinion on this latest phenomenon. The director of the home sent me in search of the oldest resident of the facility, Horace.

Horace is a veteran of World War II as well as a member of the "Greatest Generation."

Me: Hello, Horace. Can you tell the readers why your generation is often referred to as the greatest generation, a term first coined by Tom Brocaw in his book "The Greatest Generation?"

Horace: Who are you? Me: I'm a journalist. Can you tell me why your generation is often referred to as the "greatest generation"?

Horace: The greatest what?

Me: GENERATION. Horace: No, we don't have a generator. Why? Do you need one?

Me: Can I ask you what you think of this newest trend of athletes taking a knee when the National Anthem is played?

Horace: The what? Me: The National Anthem! Horace: What about it? Me: Do you think it's okay for some people to take a knee when it's being played.

Horace: What's being played?

Me: The National Anthem during any sport. Horace: Oh, I'm too old to play sports.

Me: I don't mean you Horace. I'm talking about players who kneel before the game.

Horace: I used to do that back in the day. Me: You did?

Horace: Yeah, prayed like heck I'd come home in one piece and see my wife and kids again. If I did that now, I'd have to have the assistance of a crane or a really large orderly to get me back in my chair.

Me: What about kneeling before the games?

Horace: No, thanks. It's time for my nap. I left old Horace, all snug in his bed, snoring softly.

I went back home a reflected on this newest craze that's spreading all across the nation and it's quite a conundrum. Soldiers fought for many years, sacrificed their own lives, their freedom so that we, people who've never served this great country of ours, may express our views any way we see fit.

There's two sides to this coin and whose to say who's right and who's wrong? The world has always been this way and will continue until the end of time which, according to a few "experts" (translation: nut cases) was supposed to be last month.

On the one (right) side are those of us, mostly baby boomers, who were taught to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and stand, with hand over heart, during the National Anthem. Some of this newer generation feels this is a form of indoctrination and refuse to fall in line. And that's what's so great about this United States of America. You are free to express your views without fear of retaliation from the government. There are many countries where this is not the case.

And regardless of which side you fall on, we must remember to respect others, including the POTUS. Right or wrong, he is in charge for three more months. You will not perish waiting for his time to be up anymore than our parents or grandparents did when they disagreed with who was sworn into office during their time.

What seems to have gone by the wayside is tolerance. We seem to have developed the idea that if others disagree with us, they are horrible, stupid people and should be shipped off to another country where their idiotic opinions would absolutely not be tolerated.

But wouldn't this world, and this country in particular, be awfully boring if everyone thought in lockstep? Then we wouldn't have anything to gripe about, especially while watching sports and seeing athletes express opinions that differ from ours.

No matter how you feel about this subject, I think we should all Take A Stand.