[Old School Hound]

This thread deals with the controversy surrounding those who choose to kneel(like the UK players did) during the playing of the national anthem.  Is it disrespectful? Should we be disgusted by such actions or should we be supportive of those who are exercising their freedoms in a free country. I am going to make my case for the latter. 

Let me first say that I have been a history buff since I was a young kid. I am a voracious reader of American history, in particular. In college I took every class I was able to take in American history.

I want to begin this thread with a little story from history.   Let me take you back to back to September of 1814.

 You are probably aware that there was a war that had begun with Great Britain a couple years prior. On August 24,1814  British troops had invaded Washington D.C. and set fire to the White House, the Capitol , Library of Congress, and other government buildings.  Fast forward to September.  In addition to burning down the White House, the British had taken prisoners.  One of those prisoners was a popular doctor from Maryland by the name of William Beanes.   A friend of the doctor, a young lawyer, sailed on a ship with a truce flag, hoping to negotiate the release of his doctor friend in a prisoner exchange with the British navy.

This young lawyer, who later served for eight years as D.A. in Washington D.C. under Andrew Jackson, was successful in getting British commanders to free his doctor friend. However, while aboard the ship, he overheard plans for a surprise attack on Baltimore. Hence, he and the doctor would not be allowed to leave until the attack was over.  The attack, a 24-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry, was witnessed by the young lawyer and his doctor friend while aboard a British ship.

From his vantage point on the ship, the lawyer couldn't determine who was the winner and loser in the bombing of Fort McHenry. However, as dawn set on the Baltimore fort, the lawyer saw the American flag with its 15 stars and 15 stripes still waving over the fort.  The incident inspired him to pen a poem on September 14, 1814 , that would soon be set to the tune of an existing song.

The young 35-year old lawyer who helped secure freedom for his friend, Dr. William Beanes ,  and who penned  the poem inspired by the flag waving over Fort McHenry , was a man by the name Francis Scott Key .  His poem, originally entitled "The Defense of Fort M'Henry,"  would later be changed to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

And now you know... The REST of the story .

EXCEPT...  you don't yet know the rest of the story . It's the rest of the story that I feel we need to be aware of when deciding whether or not to support those whose kneel in protest of racial injustice during the playing of the national anthem.

STAY TUNED ....