Disrespecting The National Anthem And The American Flag Are Not Legitimate Forms Of Political Protest - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Disrespecting The National Anthem And The American Flag Are Not Legitimate Forms Of Political Protest Posted: 24 Sep 2017  Michael Snyder  THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG This is going to backfire on the left in a major way.  On Sunday, more than a hundred NFL players knelt during the playing of the national anthem.  It was obviously an attempt to make some sort of public statement about President Trump, but it was an exceedingly poor way to go about doing that.  Because our young people are not even taught about the importance of our national anthem and our national flag in school, most of these players didn’t even understand what they were doing.   Our anthem is sung and our flag is proudly displayed prior to major sporting events for a reason.  The truth is that our national anthem and our national flag are both symbols that directly represent our nation.  In other words, when you show disrespect to the anthem or to the flag you are literally showing disrespect to the United States of America.  So what these players did on Sunday was essentially to spit in the face of every single American citizen. This is not just an American thing.  All over the world it is well understood that respect for the national flag and other national symbols is not optional.  What transpired at NFL games on Sunday will be broadcast all over the planet, and the rest of the world will be laughing at our national disgrace. The very first NFL game scheduled on Sunday was held in London, and “dozens of players from both teams” knelt while the national anthem was being played… The first game of the day between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars saw dozens of players from both teams kneel while almost the entire Jaguars’ on-field and sideline players and employees locked arms during the U.S. national anthem, including owner Shahid Khan. Some players stood while others knelt. And of course similar “sideline protests” happened at other NFL stadiums all over the nation.  Never before in American history have we ever seen anything quite like this… Demonstrations spread throughout the league as many players broke out of their routine by joining the protests or engaging in team-wide displays of unity. Several players from the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons were among those who chose not to stand for the anthem. The Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers and Green Bay Packers stood with arms locked, though some players from those teams chose to kneel. I honestly don’t think that the NFL will ever be the same after this.  It had already been transformed into the “no fun league”, and now the focus will squarely be on political protests rather than football for the foreseeable future. Needless to say, millions upon millions of Americans were completely disgusted by the disrespect shown to our national symbols on Sunday, and President Trump was one of them… “If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect …,” Trump said in tweets Saturday afternoon. “Our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!” If professional football players want to speak out against President Trump, I have no problem with that whatsoever. But for them to openly and brazenly disrespect our entire country is crossing a line that should never be crossed. What in the world has happened to America?  All over America high school football coaches are being banned from saying prayers before games, and yet disrespecting our anthem and our flag is somehow acceptable?  The following comes from Zero Hedge… Marc Short, the president’s legislative director, has also backed his boss, telling “Meet the Press” that a double standard for players who chose to voice their views on the field, and that the president was speaking for the majority of Americans on what sort of expression was appropriate. Short compared a crackdown on protests to the ban on high school football coaches leading players in prayer before games. “There are high school coaches across America today who are punished for leading their players in prayer, and yet, when an N.F.L. player takes a knee, somehow that player is presumed to be a martyr for a social cause,” Mr. Short said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The president is standing with the vast majority of Americans who believe that our flag should be respected.” Many of these players are going to look back on what they have done with great shame.  They may have believed that they were disrespecting President Trump, but the truth is that they were disrespecting this great land and every single American that has ever lived.  They owe all of us an apology, and that should happen as soon as possible. And the NFL may think that it is all powerful, but stunts like this are going to cost it millions upon millions of dollars.  Already, ratings were way down because of the few players that were kneeling whenever the anthem was played… Player protests of the National Anthem – such as when quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee in protest – are the number one reason sports fans watched fewer National Football League (NFL) games, a new survey shows. If just a few players kneeling had that much of an impact on the ratings, what do you think is going to happen now? Unfortunately, I have a feeling that this is just the beginning.  In fact, one former Democratic member of Congress is calling on all NFL players to kneel while the anthem is played… A former Democrat Congresswoman has called for every NFL player to kneel during the national anthem at Sunday’s games, while branding President Donald Trump a ‘white supremacist’. Donna Edwards, who retired as a US representative for Maryland earlier this year, issued the bold statement on Saturday, responding to Trump’s criticism of NFL players who refuse to stand for the anthem. ‘On Sunday, I hope every @NFL player takes a knee in solidarity w [Colin Kaepernick] against the white supremacist who squats in our White House,’ Edwards said in reference to the former San Francisco quarterback, who is now a free agent. No matter what your political perspective is, it is wrong to disrespect our national anthem and it is wrong to disrespect our flag. And anyone that disrespects our anthem and our flag is spitting in the face of the entire country. What happened on Sunday was a national disgrace, and those involved need to apologize to the American people immediately. Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

Yeshua, Israel and Yom Kippur - ONE FOR ISRAEL

Dr Erez Soref President of  ONE FOR ISRAEL  Shalom! The ten days between Rosh HaShana (the Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur are often called the ten "Days of Awe". Jewish people often take Yom Kippur seriously as a time when they can get right with God. Many may fast, go to the synagogue, and truly hope for a clean slate. But since the temple was destroyed, there can be no sacrifices. Is there forgiveness without a sacrifice? At this contemplative time of year, some come to the conclusion that something big is missing. Something that cannot be fixed by missing a couple of meals... Click the picture to watch Ari's story below! "I realized I was as far away from God as the moon is from me, and I had no way of being able to get back together with God, of having atonement..." As we come up to Yom Kippur this Friday night, we would love it if you would join us in praying for the Jewish people to meet their Messiah at this time. If you want to hear of more Jewish people who have come to faith at Yom Kippur, you can read some stories here. STAFF IN THE SPOTLIGHT: DR DAVID MISHKIN Dr. David Mishkin is a professor with us at Israel College of the Bible, and he teaches both on campus and some online courses. Last week he was teaching an intensive course to the students in our Year in Israel Program: "The Jewish Jesus of the New Testament". He says he's happy to play checkers if anyone wants a game, but his expertise is really in ping pong. David has a PhD in Biblical and Religious Studies with the University of Pretoria, with a focus on Jewish Christian Relations. He has published several scholarly articles and books, including The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheim, and another called Rabbi and Redeemer: Discovering Yeshua in the Gospel of John.  Today we are excited to announce that his latest book about Jewish scholarship on the resurrection of Yeshua has now also been published and is available to buy either on Amazon, or if you go directly to the publisher's website, you can find it for $5 less! "Mishkin takes up a controversial topic and deals with it intelligently and delicately. In a thorough and nuanced study, he covers and recovers the surprising twists and turns in the various Jewish approaches to the resurrection of Jesus. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the plurality of voices on this intriguing topic." -Neta Stahl, Johns Hopkins University        STUDY WITH US AT ISRAEL COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE! Study and live in the Land of the Bible with us for a year! Explore the land of the Bible, not in a classroom with maps, but with a pair of hiking shoes. Learn about the Feasts of the Lord not only with books, but by experiencing them for yourself. Now is a great time to think about applying for the next academic year, 2018/19. Find out more here!   And if you would prefer to study from the comfort of your own home, we have a special price for the Biblical holidays on all of our online courses until the end of October. YESHUA IN YOM KIPPUR There are many ways in which the Biblical ordinance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, foreshadows the greatest atonement of all: the sacrifice of the Messiah himself. God's lists of seemingly strange and even barbaric commands about blood sacrifice in the Law can be bewildering to us in the twenty-first century. But when we look carefully at the detailed instructions and what is behind them, it can be overwhelming to see the beauty and depth of God's wisdom and prophetic plans. Continue reading... THE DOUBLE MEANING OF THE HEBREW WORD FOR "SAND" Sometimes Israel experiences severe sandstorms, which can even result in fatalities as breathing becomes more of a challenge. Dense, yellow fog of sand particles can hang in the air for days, creating a surreal and unpleasant environment until the air clears and the skies become blue again. A few years ago we had a sandstorm during the 'Ten Days of Awe' between the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah) and the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, and here are some reflections on sand in relation to our own lives. Continue reading... FOLLOW US:

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Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog - The U.S. & West should support Kurdish independence. Here’s why.

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

The U.S. & West should support Kurdish independence. Here’s why. [Analysis of Kurdish referendum, to be held on Sept. 25] by joelcrosenberg On Monday, September 25th, the Kurdish people of northern Iraq will vote on a highly controversial referendum on whether to secede from the Republic of Iraq and create their own independent state. It is expected to pass overwhelmingly. But then what? Marsoud Barzani, the Kurdish president, laid out the case in a June 28th op-ed in the Washington Post, "The time has come for Iraqi Kurdistan to make its choice on independence." Most world governments, however, oppose the referendum. They see the move by the Sunni Muslims of the Kurdistan province as ill-timed and needlessly complicating an already highly volatile geopolitical situation in the Middle East. Especially adamant against the move are the Shia leaders in Baghdad and Tehran, as well as the Turkish government, which hates the Kurds with a vengeance. Unfortunately, the Trump administration also opposes the referendum, or at least its timing. This is a mistake. The Kurds deserve their freedom now. The Kurds were promised a state of their own after World War I by the Western allies who had defeated the Ottoman Empire -- but those promises were never kept. Since then, the Kurds have suffered genocide under Saddam Hussein and numerous atrocities by other regional despots. Along the way, the Kurds have proven themselves staunch and faithful allies of the U.S. and the West. They helped us fight and defeat Saddam Hussein in the 2003 war. [see a detailed account in Bob Woodward's book, Plan of Attack: The Definitive Account of the Decision to Invade Iraq] They have helped the West effectively fight the Islamic State in Iraq. They have helped the West effectively fight the Islamic State in Syria. They have welcomed thousands of Iraqi Christians, Yazidis and other minorities when they were fleeing from ISIS genocide. They have built a growing economy and a stable, functioning, pluralistic and imperfect but reasonably democratic society. They were promised a real partnership in a democratic, pluralistic Iraqi government, but those promises failed to materialize, as well. What's more, they have close and long-standing commercial and intelligence tiesto and warm relations with the State of Israel -- indeed, Israel is the only government that has openly support Kurdish independence -- and can be an ally in Middle East peace-making. I have had the honor of visiting the Kurdish province in northern Iraq four times. Over the years, I have met with Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani (who was the Kurdish representative in D.C. at the time), a range of other Kurdish government officials, and Christian pastors and ministry leaders in Kurdistan. I have been moved by their history, have fallen in love with their people -- especially the children -- and have been praying for the people and leaders ever since. In 1988, Saddam Hussein launched massive military attacks against the Kurdish people "that killed at least 50,000 civilians and destroyed thousands of villages," reported the New York Times. Throughout the 1980s, it has been alleged that that as many as 180,000 Kurds were killed by Saddam's forces. On March 16th, 1988, Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons against the Kurds, barbarically killing some 5,000 Kurdish men, women and children with poison gas. [For this, Saddam Hussein was ultimately charged with genocide against the Kurds, after U.S. forces liberated Iraq in 2003 and captured the Iraqi tyrant. Saddam was ultimately convicted and hanged for these crimes, among others.] When the U.S. led an international coalition to drive Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait in 1991, President George H.W. Bush called on the Iraqi people to rise up and overthrow the Butcher of Baghdad. "There's another way for the bloodshed to stop, and this is for the Iraqi military and the Iraqi people to take matters into their own hands and force Saddam Hussein, the dictator, to step aside," said President Bush (41). The Kurds responded to the call, but when Saddam launched a counter attack the Bush administration refused to help the Kurds. "In a written statement issued from their headquarters in northern Iraq, Kurdish rebel leaders Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani appealed to Bush to use American military force to prevent the Iraqi army from employing its tanks, artillery and aircraft to put down the rebellion," reported the Los Angeles Times. "You personally called upon the Iraqi people to rise up against Saddam Hussein's brutal dictatorship," the Kurds said. "They have now risen and are confronting the might of Saddam's tyranny." The referendum the Kurds have drafted is not perfect. Indeed, in some ways it is overreaching. And yes, it will complicate diplomatic matters in the region. Rather than oppose it, however, the U.S. and Western powers should be working with the Kurds and regional leaders to negotiate a peaceful and reasonable conclusion, one that gives the Kurds their independence but ensures they are cooperating partners in the region's security and economy. The Kurds have been patient for the better part of a century, while the world continues to cut them loose. Enough is enough. It is time to support their bid for self-determination. If not now, then when? The column expresses my own personal opinions. It does not reflect the views of The Joshua Fund, which is a non-political organization, and takes no position on legislative or political issues in the U.S. or other countries. (Top photos: Meeting with Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil.) See also excellent column by Eli Lake, "Iraq's Kurds Have Earned Their Right to Independence -- The U.S. should offer full-throated support, not a quibble over timing." ———————— September 30 — I’ll be speaking in Denver on Sept. 30 on the latest threats from Radical Islam, Russia & North Korea. Please register today. October 6 & 7 — I’ll be speaking at the 2017 Epicenter Conference in Orange County, California. The focus of the conference is, “What does the Future Hold for Israel and Her Neighbors?” Please register today. October 12 — I’ll be speaking in chapel at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Please click here for more information. October 10 through 14 — I’ll be speaking at Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (in chapels, classes, and public events in local churches) in joint-conferences on “The Gospel and the Middle East.” Please click here for more information and to register. ——————— >> To pre-order a copy of The Kremlin Conspiracy (which releases March 6th), please click here. Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization that my wife, Lynn, and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email.  joelcrosenberg | September 24, 2017 at 10:31 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-8pp