I don't support or admire them. Yes, they have the right to protest as they see fit and it is my right to disagree with their stance. No, America isn't perfect but, having visited and worked on every continent but Antarctica, I haven't as yet seen anything better. I was quite open to the idea that we were a blight as a young naive man 30 years ago. My eyes were opened as I saw all of these different places. I saw that the US was exactly as it has been portrayed. It is that bright shining city on the hill. That is why all of these folks want to come here. It is unfortunate that their own countries don't compare but we cannot accept the entire population of the world.

Reading the LA Times article for the few facts interspersed in the breathless editorializing, one learns that the District Superintendent has come to her defense, her grade was restored, and she was moved to another class so the teacher will have no further supervision over her. In short, another non-story about the evil "system" protecting the rights of an "oppressed person" (whose views are, actually, favored, and so, protected against criticism or adverse consequences). Although I agree that the Constitution protects the rights of the student to display her ignorance in a non-disruptive way, since she faces no sanctions, it's hard to see any brave, principled stand for something she's done for nearly a decade, until she finally got a reaction - and lots of publicity and attention. I cannot put her in the same class of people who are heroes for risking life and safety for taking a stand- such as women in Muslim dominated places who dare to not cover their faces, risking having acid thrown in their face, or being gang raped, or murdered. By comparison, this is merely a tale about a teenager engaging in minor acting out against authority, which is typical teenage behavior.

I appreciate the fact that we have freedom and protections here.

By the way, we have the Texas pledge where I work every day. I stand respectfully but tilt my hand so it's not resting against my heart to indicate respect but a lesser degree of loyalty. I feel no particular allegiance to Texas. Of course I would defend it, as I would any state in the United States if it were to come under attack. However I would feel no remorse about leaving if a great opportunity arose except I put down roots here and would miss the people that surrounded me.

Class assignment: What other country allows you to be disrespectful in this manner w/o repercussions?

""I feel like it's a lie to me in, like, what they did to my people," said Leilani, now a high school student."

Again an opportunity to discuss respect for OTHERS and how to communicate and protest.

Fucking cowards. Go into a Hell's Angel bar and yell out "How 'bout them Pagans?"

These protests are comparable to dogs barking at you as you drive by. You ignore them. Feel sorry that there scope of intelligence/existence is so limited. But you keep an eye on them just in case their stupidity becomes more violent.

My problem with his protest isn't his sitting for the national anthem, which is disrespectful, but his reasoning behind it. He argues the country is racist and cops are shooting down African-Americans willy-nilly with no consequences. He cites Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown as examples.

Colin, Michael Brown beat up a store owner and stole form him, he fought the police officer for his gun, and he charged him immediately afterward. Trayvon Martin attached George Zimmerman, slamming his head repeatedly to the concrete before Zimmerman was able to free his gun and shoot him, likely saving his own life. If you're going to cite examples of police brutality toward African-Americans, don't use two brutal thugs as your poster boys.

African-Americans throughout history have served under that flag with distinction and pride. And I don't think they'd agree with his manner of "protest."

Leilani Thomas, a 14-year-old Native American, has been sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance since the second grade because standing and saluting felt wrong, she told KCRA-TV.

What our ancestors did to her ancestors was wrong. What other country would admit that without being forced to? And take concrete steps to remedy such atrocities. Read a US history book. We don't whitewash Washita or Wounded Knee. The truth of those massacres is out in the open.

While that openness does not change the outcome or bring back those who were killed, it does allow future generations to know what happened and to extirpate the kind of racism and ignorance that led to them.

Do the Turks admit what their more recent ancestors did to the Armenians was wrong? No, they don't. They deny the worst of it and dismiss the least of it. Do the Russians admit and lament their pogroms against the Jews? Not in the least.

Would modern-day Germans have admitted the Holocaust was wrong without half a million Americans, British, and French soldiers forcing them to? Given how many Germans cooperated willingly with the Stasi and the DDR, one wonders.

silly nonsense or as some call it "virtue signaling."

Asking someone to stand is not the same as asking them to worship a deity. It is simply standing out of respect for others. It is not asking them to agree with it.

That teacher should have used the student sitting as a learning opportunity before lowering the grade (maybe they did and the report doesn't say so?).

While a 14-year old is still young and needs to learn more respect for others - there is no excuse for grown men, paid big bucks to play sports, to engage in such virtue signaling. They are just being assholes who should know better.

These "men" aren't patriotic or standing (sitting) for their beliefs - they are pathetic egotists who are trying to bring attention to themselves. (Let me claim racism so I don't get cut from the team). Not unlike Oprah who made claims of "racism" against a sales clerk in order to help promote her movie.

Virtue signaling - plain and simple.

And yes, they have every right to engage in it - just as their employers have the right to tell them to stop. And fans (many who have made sacrifices for their rights to be assholes) have the right to call them rude and disrespectful for doing so.

P.S. If black Americans want to complain about what the US did to their ancestors they had better make the same charges against those who captured and sold their ancestors into slavery in the first place - Look to modern day Africans for that!

Things are only brave and principled if there is a price to pay. Since there is no price to pay this protest is neither.

They have the right to not participate, and the teacher has the right to dock them for it. That's what a participation grade means. I'm not sure why so many people think they should get to use their rights, consequence free. That was never guaranteed.

"what they did to my people". Um., you mean the AC you probably live with, the car your parents drive, the medical care you receive, the education you are getting? Those things we did??

Your place of employment is not the place to be an insolent, disrespectful asshole.

"Leilani Thomas, a 14-year-old Native American, has been sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance since the second grade because standing and saluting felt wrong, she told KCRA-TV."

Leilani Thomas? Really?

That's not a traditional name. We are craving attention, we are. At best we have not thought about this at all.

She "identifies" as a Pomo, but I'll bet she's not an actual enrolled tribal member. Attention seeking youth.

In fact, her family was dis-enrolled.

http://www.lakeconews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12676:scotts-valley-tribe-gathers-signatures-at-community-rally&catid=1:latest&Itemid=197

Virtue signaling - plain and simple.

Meh. I couldn't care less about the gesture or lack thereof -- but I can't think of anything more "virtue signaling" than swearing fealty to a nation or a God in public.

Meh. I couldn't care less about the gesture or lack thereof -- but I can't think of anything more "virtue signaling" than swearing fealty to a nation or a God in public.

Kevin at September 17, 2016 3:02 PM

Complying with social norms in public is the opposite of virtue signalling *because it does not call attention to yourself*

It used to be called *good manners*

> Leilani Thomas, a 14-year-old Native American, has been sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance since the second grade because standing and saluting felt wrong ...

So, is it okay to refuse to pay my taxes because it "felt wrong"?

What about stopping at red lights? Doesn't this privilege the color green (symbol of money, i.e. the capitalist system) over the color red (the symbol of international communism)? This feels wrong to me.

Please. Ms. Thomas's snowflake feelings are completely irrelevant.

Kevin "... but I can't think of anything more "virtue signaling" than swearing fealty to a nation or a God in public."

IMO the only country that allows you to decide to not do this w/o fear is the ole USA. Hate speech laws have ruled out other republics. You gotta be very careful w/your words (inaction is okay though).

Respect or fear. Take your pick Kevin 'cause the bottom line is it's one or the other.