Take a Knee

This one is going to hit nerves people. It just is. Since a now infamous quarterback knelt down for the national anthem, it has been a symbol for a movement that I will argue is founded in hate.

I have been watching the news lately and it is everywhere you turn. Politicians, police officers, and the general public are down on their knees. The foundation of taking a knee has a couple different meanings as far as I can see.

The first is the one I mentioned above. It has its own meaning, which fringes on what it is being used for today. This kneeling down is the act of protest.  Second, George Floyd was knelt on, and killed by a police officer, hence take a knee. It is really a horrible, sad, and I will debate with anyone who wants to, act of mockery by a group of people that have really lost their way.

The first act is protest. Initially, this protest was against the flag of the United States of America. An overpaid athlete, decided that he would speak out against police brutality. The dictionary definition of brutality is savage physical violence and great cruelty. He decided he could speak for all people in a community. The anthem played in the filled stadium that wrote his check and he decided to take a knee. He is, by the act of doing this, calling all police brutal and fueling hate. He must know in his heart this not to be true. It is such a shame really. It is immoral and unfounded. This movement took off, and gained momentum with other high priced individuals in entertainment, politics and athletics and now and forever signifies protest in our nation.

This protest is not for morality but for equity. Equity is unachievable I have said. Life is not ever going to be equal, only right or wrong. Morality decides right and wrong. Morality, lovely people is the only way out.

The problem with this form of taking a knee,is that it is founded in false narratives. The statistics pointing towards police brutality do not lie. Go to the Washington Post and look up their statistics. They are clear for all to read. Then, you may compare these same statistics to the crimes committed by people of color, upon people of color, and then you can really be upset!

This is a twisted dialogue meant for political purposes and strife. This is meant to do the exact opposite of what those shouting the loudest claim to want to achieve. They claim to want the community to come together. I do not believe we are that far apart. They want those who are causing brutality as they claim, to take a knee and admit fault. Those who are now bending and yelling at everyone, my great humans, are those seeking to divide everyone even further and stoke hate. They are forgetting or even worse, ignoring, all of the good things, the 99.9% of good things I will argue, that the police bring to a community each day.

I have had long conversations over these past weeks with my dear husband. We have seen images of officers kneeling, politicians weeping, a police chief laying on his stomach in handcuffs and people washing other peoples’ feet. Here is what I do know from these conversations: My sweet, dear, wonderful husband will never take a knee for any man! Kneeling is for God. That is where it ends. Unfortunately, right now, kneeling is also for cowards and those who peddle hate.

Kneeling for 8 minutes and 46 seconds is another form of acting that has been all over on display. At first I thought I understood this, but when I searched in my heart and soul, I do not comprehend. I see many images of this happening, all over America right now. I see politicians, protesters and many others taking part in this. I think what these people participating in doing this have failed to understand is that this is only replaying this horrific act for his family for political and personal gain. This does not help his family in any way. This does not bridge back together these communities that are broken. This does not help anyone heal pain. This is a power play people and meant to breed hate.

I challenge us to find a way to get up off those knees and have an actual conversation. Be courageous, be brave, and take risks. Talk to those who are hurting, have civil conversations and do not get so damn easily offended. If we truly believe that something is broken, maybe look inside our hearts and find out what is right. If we misunderstand something, ask questions. If we want knowledge, go to the source.

Don’t you dare ask my police officer to take a knee in front of you. Don’t ask him to do something he only reserves for God. Do not ask him to leave a job that he believes in or apologize any more. Instead of making a mockery of each other, how about we join together and figure this out. If THIS, taking a knee, is the only thing you are really concerned about, then you are completely missing the point.