Using a right to be wrong. The Colin Kaepernick story.

       As much as I am loathe to give an idiot more free press than they deserve, I don't believe my readership numbers will have much of an impact on the story.  So by now you've heard more than you care to of the story of the Big Time Football Star using his celebrity as a Bully Pulpit.  What more can be said, really?

       Well, I am of the opinion that he has a right to protest by sitting during the National Anthem.  We all have a right to freedom of expression.  That right does not require that the person exercising it have any facts straight, or even any point to make.  Which in this case is fortunate.

       Since it is his right to protest, he should not be criticized for doing so.  However, there is plenty of criticism to go around about not having a reason to complain.  It's not like he knows the pain of struggling.  Colin Kaepernick was adopted by a loving family after his father abandoned him and his mother.  As a youth he had a gigantic pet tortoise.  Let's face it, he had more money than me before he ever started playing football.

       So, we will assume at least a middle class upbringing.  Not exactly a kid who could possibly relate to the street life.  I would add to this, that his making a judgement of every American, based on the actions of a few police officers, makes him more bigoted than those few police officers.  In fact, given that the stories that made the news almost exclusively exonerate said police officers (outside the city limits of Chicago, of course) One could assume he is either ill informed or...

       He is the type of immature tool that was despondent over not being in the news lately for his, played-out, signature touchdown display, and felt the need to do something to draw attention to himself.  It is also the right (obligation) of his employer, and the National Football League, to fine him for his silliness.

       Hell, if he were in the NHL, NBA or MLB he would be fined, and possibly suspended.  Why do we tolerate so much bad behavior from football players?  I mean really, at least he's not in the news for rape, domestic abuse, or substance abuse.

       Sp while I will defend his right to be an immature, ill-informed, protesting moron; I would remind him that there are better ways to make a point.

Officer Peterson would be on "Administrative Leave".

       Occasionally it happens.  We get a report of a police officer crossing the line and beating someone.  When a cop crosses that line, even if the person on the receiving end of that beating clearly had it coming; there is due process.

       That officer is put on administrative leave, or suspended with pay, until such time as the incident is resolved.  Many say they should be put on unpaid leave, but then we always presume innocence in this country, so that would not be fair.  They are not presumed guilty, but they are kept from their duties.

       Any complaints from the town, or department, that they don't have enough officers without this one on the job are disregarded.  Any complaints that the limited budget that the department has is now paying someone to sit at home are also, rightfully, disregarded.

       The reason being that we can't take the chance that the officer is found guilty, and we did nothing.  They are supposed to be role models, after all.

       So now we have the NFL.  From them we accept the "innocent until proven guilty" logic in allowing an accused player to keep playing.  This is backed up by the logic that they wouldn't have enough good players if they benched this particular player.  And then we pile on the reason that it would be unfair to bench someone when there is a salary cap.

       In short we accept excuses as valid reasons from the NFL that we would never accept from a public official.  Good thing kids can name more police officers than NFL players...

   Oh, wait...