Free Colleen Koldstinki....From His NFL Contract!

Carlton Krappantski* has every right to
state his opinion...and so do we.

You know the NFL has gotten a little too secure with its position in American culture. If they don't take a hard stance on the flag disrespect by players, they're likely to see everyone turn off their TV sets and not watch the game for a few weeks. They seem to have forgotten up at the NFL Commissioner's office that watching football is an optional thing for Americans. And they don't seem to get it that a huge majority of the folk who watch football, buy football gear and go to games don't like seeing an NFL player like Colon Klaptrapki disrespect the national anthem and the flag.

Maybe for a couple of weeks we all ought to change our Sunday afternoon routines. Perhaps we could flip off the TV, grab a football and go play touch football out on the lawn with our kids and neighbors for a few weeks while the NFL finds a way to apologize for and discipline its members. 

Freedom of speech means you can't be arrested for speaking your mind. We are protected from that by the first amendment and nobody is proposing that we arrest people like Colin Karpnackistan. In fact, setting Colin Krapernicrud free from his NFL contract might just be a proper response in this case - that is if the NFL doesn't want to see a fan boycott.

Just sayin'.

© 2016 by Tom King

* And I know I'm not spelling his name right, but I figure if Colonic Krapenema can disrespect the flag of the country that made him wealthy, I can disrespect his name too - as in I'll never spell his name right ever again. Just me exercising my freedom of speech.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Tim Tebow

Poor old Tim Tebow has been the topic du' jour among fans and critics alike lately. Apparently he prays before games and stuff.

His critics say he's "shoving religion down people's throats. To prove there's something wrong with praying on the sidelines, the sports and political press have really been working hard to find some sin or other they can pin on him so they can call him a hypocrite - without much luck, yet.


I don't get it.

If Tebow were to don feathers and do a little dance to the "Great Spirit" or bowed toward Mecca or burned some incense to a little golden Buddha he kept on the sidelines for spiritual comfort, the media would be all over the story.  Tim would be bravely practicing his faith in the face of great persecution. There would be feature articles and interviews aplent.  But because Tim's a Christian he's supposed to be "shoving his religion down people's throats". 

This is, of course, preposterous. The fact Tebow's critics can raise their voices to ridicule and mock Tebow's expression of personal faith merely proves that their throats are entirely free of any residue of Tebow's Christianity. 


C'mon guys. Check it out. Freedom of religious expression is one of the cornerstones of our way of life here in the United States. If Tebow was a Buddhist or Muslim or Native American shaman, you'd not hear one word of criticism from me. I am allowed to kneel and pray wherever I want to, so I respect the right of others to practice their own religion so long as it does not interfere with my right to not participate. I am allowed to practice my faith despite the fact that I'm in the majority religiously speaking.


If someone held a gun on the fans at Bronco games and made them recite the Lord's Prayer, I'd see what they were complaining about. But they're not. Tebow's periodic take-a-knee thank-you's to God force no one to change their beliefs, their behavior or their religious practices. They threaten no one's safety. They have no influence on the outcome of the game (though if you believe in magic or that God cares about how football games come out, I suppose you could argue that Tebow's prayers do impact whether or not Denver scores or not.  In that case, though, all you'd need to do is pray for the other team to neutralize it.

Unless, of course, you think Tebow's more holy than you and therefore a more powerful prayer. In which case you should apply to the NFL commissioner (whoever that is these days) to have the practice outlawed on the grounds that God is cheating for the Denver Broncos.  

I'd love to see the commish make a ruling on that one!

And, by the way. Christianity is not contagious. It's a choice and no easy choice at that. You can't become a Christian just by touching one or being near one that is praying. Tebow shouldn't be treated like a leper for being openly Christian any more than you should treat gay people like dirt for being openly gay.

Sometimes I think Tebow's critics have seen one too many Exorcist movies. Perhaps they fear that he's going to start exorcising demons from the NFL next. If he does, expect to see the Detroit Lions burst into flames any day now.


Relax, guys. Tebow's just praying. He's not reporting you to the Sunday School teacher with the boney finger that once told you that you were going to hell for whatever it was you were doing or touching that you weren't supposed to be doing or touching.

I'm just saying,

Tom

(c) 2011 by Tom King