The NFL and the Flag

Here are the laws surrounding the display and treatment of the US flag: 4 U.S. Code CHAPTER 1—THE FLAG

Here’s what it says about the display of the flag:

“The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.”

I don’t know how many NFL games have the following moment, but it’s common.

This is the flag being carried flat, horizontal to the ground.

Drew Brees has never spoken out about this flagrant disrespect of the US flag. Nor have any of the other thousands of people who claim to love Kaepernick, but not his methods.

Hint: they don’t really care about disrespecting the flag.

I wonder if the Pentagon is still paying the NFL to be patriotic? Pentagon paid sports teams millions for patriotic events. I don’t remember Brees or the NFL owners complaining about that, either.

Oh, and all those flags that appear on uniforms?

“No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.”

It’s disrepectful.

Martellus Bennett says it better than I ever could.

And if you read Bennett’s thread and think, “I’d like to read a fucking book!” let me suggest White Fragility by Robin Diangelo. There are so many places to start learning about white privilege and anti-racism, and this is one of those entry points. And, once you finish reading this one, read another, and another.

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