Gold Star Mom Shares How It Felt to Watch Colin Kaepernick Sit During National Anthem

Gold Star Mom Shares How It Felt to Watch Colin Kaepernick Sit During National Anthem

America is not perfect and there are ways to incite conversation about the ways we can make it better. However, Colin Kaepernick’s recent decision to disrespect America is ruffling feathers throughout the country – and for good reason. One person deeply offended by his disrespect is a Gold Star Mom who lost her son in defense of this nation. While many have opinions about Kaepernick’s outrageous behavior, her opinion, inarguably, counts far more than most.

ZSoldier

From the Independent Journal:

On Friday night, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick set the internet ablaze when he refused to to stand during the National Anthem. And while some claimed that Kaepernick was just exercising his First Amendment rights, most felt that he was being disrespectful.

But then news of Kaepernick’s actions got to Gold Star Mom Teri Maxwell Johnson – whose son, SGT Joseph Johnson, was killed in the Kunduz province of Afghanistan on June 16, 2010.

Her comments, in turn, caught the attention of CNN’s Jake Tapper:

Her full statement reads:

“My heart is exploding, my lungs are without air, my blood is boiling, my body is shaking, and tears are running down my face. Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers is refusing to stand for the national anthem.

His comment stated he would not stand and show pride in a flag that represents an oppressive nation ‘while there are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.’

Mr. Kaepernick, I am sitting in my living room looking outside at my American Flag – flying at half staff. You see, my son’s body lay in a street after an IED blew up the vehicle he was fighting in.

His blood stains the sands of Afghanistan. He died protecting the ideals of the flag you refuse to respect.

He died so that ungrateful, privileged, arrogant men like you can be just that – ungrateful, privileged, and arrogant.

There are brave men and women all around that stand between evil and you. Men and women willing to die to protect you because they believe in the ideals this country was founded on. Men and women of all races and all religions.

Ask them, sir, about pride in the American Flag. Ask them how their heart feels when they hear the National Anthem being sung. You are a public figure, someone young people look to as an example.

Shame on you. Shame on you for your disrepect towards those who are true examples of honesty, integrity, pride, and leadership. Shame on you for disrespecting my son and his life. His sacrifice.

**Sgt. Joseph Johnson – my soldier, my son, my hero**”

post shared by Johnson just a year ago sums up the situation perfectly: “Some people dream the dream. Some people live the dream. Some people defend the dream. God bless the defenders.”

Some may disagree with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – and that’s fine. However, we must always remember that spoiled little children like Kaepernick are only allowed the ability to spout their idiotic beliefs because brave men have picked up rifles and have sworn to defend this country and her liberties.

To disrespect such heroes is atrocious.

Further, it should be noted that Kaepernick’s disrespect is NOT a First Amendment issue. The First Amendment protects our freedom of expression from government interference. It does not shield us from any and all consequences of our expression.

No, it would be wrong to jail Kaepernick for his insult. It is, however, appropriate that he suffer consequences and that could be suspensions from games and the very justifiable outrage seething from the masses who have taken offense.

Further, we cannot escape the irony of his position. Kaepernick is a black man who has inked a deal worth $114 million and still he has the gall to pretend that it’s impossible for a black man to get ahead in America due to some sort of supposed prevalent racism.

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