to think the Foreign Secretary / Deputy Prime Minister should know a little bit of the history about Take a knee

[chomalungma]

twitter.com/matthewchampion/status/1273534016570957824

No - it's not from Game of Thrones. Even though he said he didn't know where it came from, maybe it was Game of Thrones.

I know that Colin Kaepernick took a knee during NFL games and this led to massive repercussions with Trump getting involved.

I know now that there is more of a history with Martin Luther King - but it's the recent history I am more aware of.

I do know that it's not Game of Thrones though.

But this is the same guy who didn't know the importance of the Dover - Calais ferry crossing.

Also possibly because we Brits absorbed a lot of cultural references through TV and movies over a long period of time?

Kneeling is also an act of respect and in Kapaernic's case it was a form of protest too. Yes it has historically been associated with subservience but I feel the Blm movement have deliberately used this sign and turned it into a power symbol. As it stands I won't kneel before anyone but would certainly bow my head as a sign of respect. I wouldn't curtsy before the queen though either, I would either bow my head or put my hand over my heart. I would only bow before god but to each his own.

I do agree that Dominic Raab is woefully lacking in many ways and because of the importance of his role in government should be more culturally aware. As it stands he represents this story government very well, he is a turd.

I also think defunding the police is ridiculous however whilst we have had very few murders by police in the UK bame are at a disadvantage in the legal system due to systemic racism. Just because something doesn't affect you doesn't mean it ceases to exist. This is something I really wish mumsnetters would open up their eyes to.

Just because something doesn't affect you doesn't mean it ceases to exist. This is something I really wish mumsnetters would open up their eyes to.

As someone whose DW uses a wheelchair, I can tell you that ableism is far ahead of racism in the UK.

It's cultural hegemony. More people in the UK think 911 is the emergency services number than know about 112, used throughout Europe (and nothing to do with the EU.)

We've had "CB Radio" when there was no such citizens' band, the term Baby Boomer, sometimes perjoratively abbreviated, when our birth curve follows a very different path. Plenty of other examples.

Taking the knee/not taking the knee and racism are mutually exclusive things. Your feelings over one of them aren't necessarily connected to the other. I don't get why some people have such trouble seeing that.

Plus, it's kind of ironic that in saying taking the knee isn't a subservient gesture, yet anyone not taking the knee is criticised almost to the point of coercion. Guilting/bullying/manipulating someone to take the knee when they are not 100% comfortable with the idea of it kinda DOES make it subservient.

It has to come from the individual - not from mass pressure - for it to mean what it's meant to represent. Otherwise it's a farce at best, fascism at worst.

Well said @Stressing

I have mixed feelings about taking the knee as a gesture of solidarity considering George Floyd was murdered by an officer kneeling on his windpipe.

Michael Spicer on the Foreign Secretary handling questions on taking the knee www.chortle.co.uk/video/2020/06/20/46350/the_room_next_door%3A_dominic_raab