© 2017 Michael
Swickard, Ph.D. “I think Dr. King, if he were alive today, he wouldn’t
disrespect the flag or the anthem; he would use his words and his voice to send
a message for positive change.” Kimberly Guilfoyle
My
response has been to shun them. For this reason, I am not watching NFL games
this year. Know this: if a high school or college team has players disrespect
our flag and anthem, I will be out of that stadium quickly.
It is the
right of those athletes to make these gestures. And it is my right to not give
them any money or attention. Should there be a law against disrespecting our
country? No, each of us has free speech rights but we cannot exercise those
rights without responsibility for our actions.
There is
only one of me so just one person shunning the NFL will have no effect. Still,
it is my choice to respond. They don’t have to even acknowledge my actions.
I am
curious why they think this will address their perceived injustices and make
changes. It would seem that we as a nation must make positive changes if our
nation is to prosper.
The world
is so much better because of our country and the leaders of our country
including the founders. As I wrote previously in this column they were all
imperfect people. However, we are better off because of them. But, of course,
we can always improve our country.
In the
above quote, there is the thought that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have
used his words, his voice to make a positive change. I like that. We do need
positive change in this society that has fallen into the grasp of hate speech
and fake news.
Dr. King
died in 1968. Unfortunately, his greatest thought seems to be forgotten: “I
have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where
they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their
character.”
These
protests and much of the politics of our society today is about the color of
skin and not the content of character. We do have voices telling us the way to
make our country better.
Morgan
Freeman said, “Dr. Martin Luther King is not a black hero. He is an American
hero.” He also said, “I am going to stop calling you a white man and I’m going
to ask you to stop calling me a black man.”
That is a
direction for change that will make a difference. Let us not divide our country
and the people of our county. Rather we need to come together as a nation. We
must do so one citizen at a time.
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