“THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY”
by Thomas Pastore, ©2016
(Sep. 5, 2016) — The recent and ongoing “farce” of this so-called football player, Colin Kaepernick, exists solely because we as a people, and that means all Americans, have boycotted our rights to show discontent and objection to those by whom we are offended. Some will make the declaration in their ignorance that “he has a right to protest,” and yes, he does, but what we never discuss is that ALL rights come with responsibilities also.
Is it a responsible action to protest at a game where many veterans may be attending, along with our first responders? When you decide to sit instead of stand, who do you serve, and how does your “protest” do nothing more than anger people who “pay your salary”? How many black people were shot by police at a football game, and why aren’t you angry about the ghettos where crime is the most frightening result of such an environment? Where is your protest for the 93% of blacks killing blacks in their own neighborhoods? What about the recent statistics that reflect that 72% of black children come from a “single-mother” family? Hearing that statistic makes me upset…What about you, Colin?
If your protest is about the negative consequences that are affecting black people, then why pick just one? When one’s protest is selective, it makes it quite easy to consider that the motives are much deeper and more prejudicial that “meets the neutral eye.”
Let us consider…the NFL is nothing more than an entertainment facility, susceptible to the “Power” of the “Almighty Dollar.”
The true power belongs to the People, yet we refuse to exercise such power. In today’s world of fast-and-easy communications through the varied avenues of social media, a boycott of any and all games in which this naïve and selfish fool participates could be easily organized. Allow for at least 5,000-8,000 people to refuse to go to each game; then the NFL would begin to feel the effect in its wallet. Stadiums and vendors would complain about the loss of revenue, and the media would “cry” and complain because Americans have declared they will boycott advertisers who “sell their wares” on a game where this fool called Colin plays his game. The NFL would then be compelled to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, Americans have gotten weak!
We lack and have lost the ability to live through our own eyes and have succumbed to the desire to live through others. Our self-esteem survives through the pretense of calling others “heroes” and “Icons” for the most ridiculous reasons. The establishment of sports entertainment is one of the “drugs” we use to keep our illusions alive. After all, when the NFL and other sports “icons” took government-issued tax dollars to pretend they were patriotic and actually cared about our combat veterans, did We The People get upset? No, we didn’t! We showed the NFL more dedication than we have shown our war veterans…Disgraceful!!!
Colin Kaepernick is a result of our own apathy and disloyalty to our country. We forget that the original purpose of the singing of the anthem and standing in respect was inspired by remembering our war veterans who preserved our freedoms so we could attend such moments of entertainment. Have we forgotten the only true heroes who are being disrespected by this “meaningless” football player? It takes more than just standing up, with hand over heart, to honor our flag and our veterans. It takes constant vigilance and dedication to country, as a people, to maintain the degree of respect and unity that is required to keep the fibers of a country’s existence from tearing apart. We have to be honest with ourselves and admit that we sold our patriotism to the nearest facility that will entertain us.
What other result could we expect when We the People do nothing? The NFL is a watershed of capitalism; we can control the “flow,” and thus remind this misguided corporation, that Americans are tired of disloyalty, and disrespect from the hypocrites within. Kaepernick doesn’t protest and refuse all that American money that flows into his account every year. He doesn’t protest and refuse all that capitalistic endorsement money that comes his way. Tell those who endorse him that we shall deny them our money, and they can keep their products in their warehouses to collect the “dust of our discontent.”
Before I wake up from my dream of keeping America alive, show me I am wrong, and begin the boycott….not against boycotting, but against the NFL and the games in which this “unhappy” alleged football player will participate. Show him, as well as the NFL that America is more than just a platform for special-interest groups to inject their form of guilt at America so they can achieve self-satisfaction at the expense of all others. Show them that as Americans-all, we are the one and only true power that was intended and shall be the executive of authority in this land of the red, white and blue.
Such a message can and will begin to resound through other corporations, possibly to those who give lots of money to control our corrupt elected officials. We can exercise the ultimate authority of the instrument of boycott, thus reminding them that in a capitalistic society, and under our Constitution, only We the People have ownership of the true direction in which this country should be headed.
Of course, this is my dream, so don’t bother to wake me up if you are happy with the illusion under which we presently exist.
Thomas Pastore, Vietnam Veteran, USMC, and in need of a proud country to reside in.