OC Register: Angels reliever Keynan Middleton takes a knee during Anthem

[halomatt]

I will never, ever know what it's like to be a Black person in America.  I do not know the sting of racism. I never had ancestors that were bought and sold, whipped, raped and malnourished. My ancestors were not granted their freedom from slavery only 150 years ago.

If Black athletes want to use their platform to bring attention to their plight and to get people talking about The Black Experience (like Middleton and Fletcher have done so aptly in this thread), then so be it.  I applaud their efforts to start the conversation.

I haven't walked in their shoes (and I'm guessing most of you have not either).

What I do know is that I can never understand the plight of Blacks in America when I look at their issues through my filters/lenses/perceptions. 

It just does not work that way. 

[yk9001]

Its insane that people can't look at other people's experiences except through their own lenses.

[Stradling]

Just now, yk9001 said:

Its insane that people can't look at other people's experiences except through their own lenses.

It’s insane that people also will only consider change happening if someone can make them change their personal opinion. 

[Taylor]

30 minutes ago, failos said:

Comparing kneeling to Rosa Parks is baffling. You do know that Rosa Parks' actions required bravery right?

It's actually not baffling, unless you're speaking from the lens of a white person who has never personally experienced systemic racism.

[Taylor]

43 minutes ago, Blanks Burner Account said:

Yup and the Cosby Show shouldn't have been removed from TV when Cliff Huxtable was MeToo'd  – People who DON'T complain about keeling during the anthem

Theo (Malcolm Jamal Warner) was never MeToo'd. 

[Taylor]

Dangit guys, I've been fasting from the Spin Forum, but now you've brought the Spin Forum to our collective political safe space. 

[Orange Lives Matter]

17 minutes ago, halomatt said:

I will never, ever know what it's like to be a Black person in America.  I do not know the sting of racism. I never had ancestors that were bought and sold, whipped, raped and malnourished. My ancestors were not granted their freedom from slavery only 150 years ago.

If Black athletes want to use their platform to bring attention to their plight and to get people talking about The Black Experience (like Middleton and Fletcher have done so aptly in this thread), then so be it.  I applaud their efforts to start the conversation.

I haven't walked in their shoes (and I'm guessing most of you have not either).

What I do know is that I can never understand the plight of Blacks in America when I look at their issues through my filters/lenses/perceptions. 

It just does not work that way. 

if you don't know any of this.  Then what's the point of the virtuous rant?  

[Orange Lives Matter]

3 minutes ago, Theo Huxtable said:

Theo (Malcolm Jamal Warner) was never MeToo'd. 

Reading comprehension Theo, I said Cliff and wasn't that Bill?

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Theo Huxtable said:

Dangit guys, I've been fasting from the Spin Forum, but now you've brought the Spin Forum to our collective political safe space. 

I was thinking about moving it to the political forum, but in the past when people move threads it seems as though there has been motive behind moving them.  

[Orange Lives Matter]

6 minutes ago, Theo Huxtable said:

It's actually not baffling, unless you're speaking from the lens of a white person who has never personally experienced systemic racism.

I'm not white and be honest with yourself what is systemic racism?

[nate]

3 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Just when baseball had a chance to unite people struggling through a pandemic & civil unrest this shit happened.

I won't go into it much, most of you know my politics & where I stand, but I disagree with anyone who kneels during the anthem and I wholeheartedly am opposed to BLM the organization.

All Lives Matter. Period! Including the Black Police & Black Men & Children who were gunned down by Black thugs in the streets. Until BLM stands against crimes against their own and against creating more racial divide and hate toward law enforcement, they're nothing but angry political activists more defined as a Marxist hate group who have explicit stated goals of dismantling America as we know it and replacing it with a socialist doctrine. BLM wasn't even for Black senator Tim Scott's police reform bill. These cities are run by Democratic mayors & state Governors! The same politicians who are silent about the high crime rates in their streets and do nothing, yet they want to defund law enforcement.

I digress..

I'm with you @tchula.

Keep this stuff out of sports. There's enough protests in the streets and on local and national news networks. We don't need this in the game! 

All lives can't matter until black lives matter.  Sorry you are so triggered by someone using their high profile to fight for equality by peacefully protesting before they go out and play a game.

[Orange Lives Matter]

Just now, Stradling said:

I was thinking about moving it to the political forum, but in the past when people move threads it seems as though there has been motive behind moving them.  

How is this political when we're talking about black athletes and kneeling?

[Orange Lives Matter]

1 minute ago, nate said:

All lives can't matter until black lives matter.  Sorry you are so triggered by someone using their high profile to fight for equality by peacefully protesting before they go out and play a game.

When will black lives matter to black lives?  Go look at the stats and see how many blacks are killed by other blacks

[Taylor]

2 minutes ago, nate said:

All lives can't matter until black lives matter.  Sorry you are so triggered by someone using their high profile to fight for equality by peacefully protesting before they go out and play a game.

bUt WhAt AbOuT bLaCk oN bLaCk ViOlEnCe iN cHiCaGo?????!!!11!

[Taylor]

Just now, Blanks Burner Account said:

When will black lives matter to black lives?  Go look at the stats and see how many blacks are killed by other blacks

You and I posted essentially the same thing at the same time, except mine was satirical. Maybe you're my alt and I have ODID (online dissociative identity disorder).

[Chuck]

4 minutes ago, nate said:

All lives can't matter until black lives matter. 

This makes zero sense! 

[Orange Lives Matter]

18 minutes ago, Stradling said:

It’s insane that people also will only consider change happening if someone can make them change their personal opinion. 

You seem to have the answers.  I want to learn, show me the light and I will honestly listen and consider everything with an open mind

[Orange Lives Matter]

1 minute ago, Theo Huxtable said:

bUt WhAt AbOuT bLaCk oN bLaCk ViOlEnCe iN cHiCaGo?????!!!11!

Yup and in New York and Atlanta and countless other places.  So me caring for them makes me a bad guy?  Once again know I'm not white when you reply back

[Stradling]

5 minutes ago, Blanks Burner Account said:

How is this political when we're talking about black athletes and kneeling?

Some of us are talking about kneeling and some of you are talking about BLM.  

[Orange Lives Matter]

3 minutes ago, Theo Huxtable said:

You and I posted essentially the same thing at the same time, except mine was satirical. Maybe you're my alt and I have ODID (online dissociative identity disorder).

or you might have Trump Derangement Syndrome like Strady Boy

 

[Orange Lives Matter]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

Some of us are talking about kneeling and some of you are talking about BLM.  

They go hand in hand just like antifa and blm

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Blanks Burner Account said:

They go hand in hand just like antifa and blm

No, they go hand in hand because you want them to.  There is a huge difference between peacefully protesting and the looting and violence.  You know this.  

[Chuck]

Okay guys, just out of respect for our members who don't wish to discuss these types of topics on the main forum, I will be moving this to the .Spin forum here shortly. 

Just a heads up! 

[Orange Lives Matter]

9 minutes ago, nate said:

All lives can't matter until black lives matter.  Sorry you are so triggered by someone using their high profile to fight for equality by peacefully protesting before they go out and play a game.

Peacefully Protesting, dude what kind of weed you smoking? and where can I get a pair of those rose colored glasses you're wearing?  There was nothing peaceful about blm race riots.  The riots were nothing more than people who don't give a Fudge about George Floyd looking to come up on stuff

[Inside Pitch]

Man....    We all knew this was coming on some level in MLB this year, so, not sure why anyone is shocked or put off by it.   

As a whole, I've never given a shit when an athlete takes a stand or position on something political -- that's not to say I'm unwilling to listen, I'm saying I view them as just another person with an opinion.   Guy takes a knee, he gives an interview, he posts on social media..  grats you have an opinion!.  Where I roll my eyes is when the people covering the sport try to speak for them or editorialize what it is the player or his beliefs are. 

My biggest takeaway from last night and Middleton is that he was grooving everything and wasn't able to locate much...