Taking the knee

[Stephen Paul]

For me I think it should be put to bed now

Think it has run its course

[bluebrendan]

Up to the players, if they want to carry on with it, where's the harm? If the people booing it are not racists, why does a few seconds gesture bother them so much?

[Stephen Paul]

Very true but sometimes your giving these morons who boo a bit of an audience

[gavin]

It is up to the players if they want to do it. I see absolutely no good reason to boo it.

[Hesperus]

The players have come out and said they want to do it help stop racism, nothing else. So if someone wants to boo the players they are clearly against stopping racism and hence admitting they are themselves in fact racist. They can try to pretend it’s a political thing but for the players it isn’t.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Spot on Hesp.

Taking a knee isn't going to stop racism, but the act has got plenty of people talking and it's talk that gets things changed, irrelevant of how difficult that talk is.

Racism will never end as long as there are idiots. But these idiots need to learnt to keep their opinions to themselves. Again, I doubt that will ever change, but once they start booing then the finger gets pointed at them, although they are actually pointing the finger at themselves.

[lee]

Im all for anything to stop racism but taking the knee is tied up with BLM and no political party should be affiliated with sport.


As Morgan Freeman recently said "“Stop talking about it, “I’m going to stop calling you a white man, and I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man.”

[gavin]

Black Lives Matter is not a political party

[KunDB]

For me each player should choose to do this or not to do this themselves. They can do it just before kick off, it does not need organised by the referee or authorities.

It is a political statement of sorts, as all things are inevitably, but primarily it is a gesture of support for people who suffer daily discrimination in our society and for footballers who suffer regular abuse on and off the field of play. 

The political right (including the countries disgraceful Prime Minister) in this country are in my opinion the ones who have sought to 'politicize' this matter and ignite dissent against it.

Clearly that is, in my opinion, because they do not want to remove inequality and discrimination from our society.

If taking a knee to condemn inequality and discrimination is a political gesture then we may as well all move to North Korea and just do what our leader(s) tell us to do, and societal change and progress will be dead.

Shame on the fans who boo players taking the knee, and their hiding behind political excuses that are hollow and totally insincere.

[KunDB]

Im all for anything to stop racism but taking the knee is tied up with BLM and no political party should be affiliated with sport.


As Morgan Freeman recently said "“Stop talking about it, “I’m going to stop calling you a white man, and I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man.”

While I understand why Morgan Freeman said that, he is wrong. He is also a successful exception who now enjoys privilege and they cannot always speak for the majority disadvantaged others.

It’s my opinion that if you don't talk about what is happening in society is wrong you run away and don’t change society. If you pretend we are all equal nothing changes, when we clearly and blatantly are not all equal.

As a person who has witnessed a different but similar form of systematic discrimination all through life, I can safely say confront it do not accept it, but do not use violence as a means to change, confront it peacefully like taking a knee does.

[lee]

Black Lives Matter is not a political party

I never said it was.I was saying that any political stuff should be kept out of football just like when Pep got done for wearing his yellow ribbon.
BLM is a decentralized political and social movement and even themselves say so.

“BLM is proud to be a political organisation, but has no plans to set up a political party"

Confusing 

[lee]

While I understand why Morgan Freeman said that, he is wrong. He is also a successful exception who now enjoys privilege and they cannot always speak for the majority disadvantaged others.

It’s my opinion that if you don't talk about what is happening in society is wrong you run away and don’t change society. If you pretend we are all equal nothing changes, when we clearly and blatantly are not all equal.

As a person who has witnessed a different but similar form of systematic discrimination all through life, I can safely say confront it do not accept it, but do not use violence as a means to change, confront it peacefully like taking a knee does.

Morgan Freeman can say whatever he wants just like Zaha at Palace.Everyone is entitled to their opinion thankfully.

[Hesperus]

Im all for anything to stop racism but taking the knee is tied up with BLM and no political party should be affiliated with sport.

I don’t think that’s case here though Lee. The England football team have made it clear it’s not about BLM. It’s just about them saying no to racism in their own way. They have stated that, so we should take them at their word and try not to conflate 2 different things. That’s why booing the England team just doesn’t make sense for this. If they boo, they are only booing a stand against racism and if they do that, what are they?  Racists.

[KunDB]

I don’t think that’s case here though Lee. The England football team have made it clear it’s not about BLM. It’s just about them saying no to racism in their own way. They have stated that, so we should take them at their word and try not to conflate 2 different things. That’s why booing the England team just doesn’t make sense for this. If they boo, they are only booing a stand against racism and if they do that, what are they?  Racists.

Exactly

[Stephen Paul]

Alot of different points here and confusing also

Thats what the general public are saying

[Paddy]

Racism in any sport or walk in life will never be completely erased certainly not in my life time ( that gives them approx 18 months). seriously it is far to embedded in everything we do

[lee]

Racism in any sport or walk in life will never be completely erased certainly not in my life time ( that gives them approx 18 months). seriously it is far to embedded in everything we do

Sad reading that Paddy.Anyway up the blues!!

[Stephen Paul]

Republic of Ireland booed after taking the knee in Hungary

[Neil Mcnab]

Another American import we dont need. Bin it off.

[Stephen Paul]

It's awkward with so many people divided on the issue