Nebraska's Michael Rose-Ivey receives racial backlash for anthem protest

Flood said:
I, and many of my friends, spent a few years toting guns around the desert in the early 1990s so Mr. Rose-Ivey and others (including YOU) could continue to say your piece and express your views. I did not like being there and still wonder whether it was helpful in any way. But a whole bunch of Kuwaitis were awful glad we showed up.

This country was founded on and built for dissent. The flag is a piece of cloth, the song is a ripoff of much older music but with patriotic American lyrics. There is nothing sacred about anything involved except the blood spilled and lives given by those who fought to make sure we all have the right to protest any damn thing we want. I don't care if it's the taste of the water, the treatment of our fellow people, or the color of the sky. Good men and women died so these people could make their political point.

You may or may not agree. You also have the right to protest THEIR protest in your own way. But do not call them un-American. There IS nothing more American than trying to make your voice heard. Boston Tea Party anyone? Kent State?

Because you do not see or agree with their cause does not make it any less important to them. And I would hope we can all agree on that, at least.

See this for the origins of our hallowed anthem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven#The_earlier_version_of_the_lyrics
Click to expand...
+1 Protesting is a double edged sword. I'm interested in the staying power of this cause we all know how fickle the public is I.E. Occupy Wallstreet

 
First off, if you have the time, listen to him address his comments on Monday:

https://soundcloud.com/game-time-with-nick-bahe/micheal-rose-ivey-addressing-his-protest-92616

Next, I want to say that I support this guy for what he did. I don't agree with the protest. I don't believe there is systemic racism within our culture, however I support this man's right to protest what he feels unjust, regardless.

Finally, I want to say that regardless of your beliefs, you should never make personal attacks or threats against someone just because they have different views. How f'ing childish. I believe the majority of husker fans are great people who support the team and the players. Unfortunately there are bad people in this world and you can't do anything about them defacing the group. Hopefully MRI and all the other players know not to let a small group of shitheads skew their view of true Husker fans.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why are these arguments being held in the football forum again when this is clearly a sociopolitical issue?

I get that MRI is a football player, but this issue goes beyond the football field. This doesn't impact the Xs or Os of a game.

 
I think MRI has every right to do what he did and I think his explanation was great, much better than Kappernick did IMO. I don't really agree with kneeling during the anthem, but it doesn't really bother me that much.

 
RunMickeyRun02 said:
I need a "/meh" option
Click to expand...
Let me just say this. If MRI missed a tackle and cost the huskers the game, would you support people sending him and his family death threats? Neither would I.

I was with you. "Three huskers kneeled during the national anthem" and my first thought was who cares. But when I realized that people feel so strongly about this topic that they are willing to threaten the players, I started to care.I don't want to be lumped in with a group of moron's who harass student athletes.

 
People write terrible things on social media. I would like him to call out names of people that made these racially biased slurs. On the flip side, I think MRI knew what he was going to ignite. Maybe if you're going to put yourself out there you shouldn't be offended by what a few might spew? For me to take MRI's stance on police brutality seriously, I would have preferred he issued a statement before and listed some specific instances of witnessed or experienced police brutality on the black population. This seems like it's just for the sake of drama.

Also I have never understood equating the American flag to police brutality.

 
krc1995 said:
People write terrible things on social media. I would like him to call out names of people that made these racially biased slurs. On the flip side, I think MRI knew what he was going to ignite. Maybe if you're going to put yourself out there you shouldn't be offended by what a few might spew? For me to take MRI's stance on police brutality seriously, I would have preferred he issued a statement before and listed some specific instances of witnessed or experienced police brutality on the black population. This seems like it's just for the sake of drama.

Also I have never understood equating the American flag to police brutality.
Click to expand...
I've read that a few different places. Sorry, that's total BS.

 
Michael Rose-Ivey should have expected reasonable opposition to his protest. Yes.

There is nothing "reasonable" about expecting his First Amendment rights to be taken away, expecting him to be kicked off the team, calling for him to be harmed in any way, or anything other than civil disagreement.

All of this outrage over kneeling during the anthem is a convenient distraction for people who don't want to face what they're actually protesting.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Just for perspective -- and this was before the internet -- Tom Osborne and family regularly suffered telephone threats and vandalism at their home because Tom wasn't winning enough games.
Click to expand...
And f#*k those people.

Also, there is systemic racism in this country, whether you want to believe it or not.

And it's really not that hard to believe.
Click to expand...
Maybe there is. Maybe I'm just naive. And maybe it's more prevalent in other regions. Regardless, the point of the thread is to show support for our players and what they do, not to discuss political issues.

I want current and future husker athletes to know that the vast majority of our fans are not going to judge or harass them for their beliefs, and that the vast majority of us will call out those who do.

 
I know I was quick to pass judgement on this.I realize now my past comments were wrong. To MRI and others, I don't agree with the way you did this. Be I respect the you for standing up for what you believe in. To many people just go with the flow and are Lemmings. For those who took to social media to attack these young men. How you you feel if the shoe was on the other foot.? Pretty chicken sh#t to hide behind your phone.

There is racism on both sides of the aisle. But who just that benefit - POLITICIANS.

 
What about the people who continue to go about their business while the anthem is playing? It amazes me that people get so upset about this, but when others continue to walk around, visit, etc it is not that big of a deal. I may not agree with those kneeling, but I am not going to let it ruin my day or influence my opinion of them.

 
Touchdown Tommie said:
What about the people who continue to go about their business while the anthem is playing? It amazes me that people get so upset about this, but when others continue to walk around, visit, etc it is not that big of a deal. I may not agree with those kneeling, but I am not going to let it ruin my day or influence my opinion of them.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you posted this because I have thought the exact same thing. These people are showing MUCH more disrespect than the three kneeling players.

 
Back
Top