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.

I absolutely respect Dominic Raab on this. No one should be expected to make any kind of solidarity gesture if they don’t want to. In fact, I have told my kids not to bow to pressure and take the knee as I see this as absolute manipulation on a global scale. First of all you have to clap, now you have to take the knee. For Christ sakes, what ever happened to individual thought and choice? If people want to do it then great but if it’s because of mass pressure and fear of reprimand then that’s a very different thing.

I'm shocked at this thread. I thought there would be utter condemnation of what Raab said. But some here are agreeing with him. He said he'd only take the new for his wife and the Queen.
Fucking idiot

'am not sure what to say about people who don't want to show their solidarity with people by joining in and taking a knee.'

Again, it isn't about not wanting to 'show solidarity with people' it has become a cult like symbol for showing support for BLM the far left political activists. It isn't about showing support for equality now. You know that, stop with the faux outrage.

Thought it was totally wrong to have football players ‘show the knee’ during last nights matches. Not sure all the players felt comfortable doing it, but literally had no choice. I know there is racial prejudice out there and it needs to be addressed, but I would not take the knee nor would I go on a protest march. My choice.

@SandyY2K

Hearhoovesthinkzebras

It's not a contradiction. Of course it's his choice, but his words speak volumes.

But then you are removing a person's choice to do it or not do it by creating hostility around that choice.

It's coercion isn't it? Same as the police that were coerced into doing it - where is the choice?

Entirely their choice - but I do think it's a way of showing solidarity.

Yes, with far left political activists. Not everyone agrees with that.

Er...The point isn't whether the people of Mumsnet agree with taking the knee or not (although there are some horrendous views on show here) - the point is that as Foreign Secretary he should know about the recent history and the Martin Luther King link. And if he's too bloody arrogant and ill-informed to know, then say something neutral, and not so crass as comparing to Game of Thrones FFS!! It's like something Trump would say!

The man is unfit for his office, as are so many of this cabinet.

'Black communities are hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. Black people are dying at up to four times the rate of their white counterparts. This is racism.'

From BLMUK fundraising page. 'black communities are hardest hit' not BAME. Why do BLMUK seem to want to airbrush out Asian and other ethnic minorities, isnt that racism? The organisation is why people don't want to 'take the knee', not solidarity. Well that and their plan to defund the police.

So when people reference Colin Kaepernick, his actions and the reasons he did it, you think that subserviance and not solidiarity with his actions?

He was being subservient and challenging at the same time.
One action with two outcomes.

It was specifically designed to be a respectful protest.

I don't have much time for forced clapping, forced kneeling or any other public virtue signaling which is demanded by others.
Nothing is changed by it.

I agree with him. It’s totally pointless.

I would expect him to understand what it was about though and I would strongly suspect that he did.

You’re right on that I guess, endless. He should have acknowledged the history and then explained that to him it has duel connotations and he wouldn’t want his gesture to be twisted. However, really he shouldn’t have to justify his reasons for not wanting to take the knee. It’s his own choice.

I am not sure what to say about people who don't want to show their solidarity with people by joining in and taking a knee.

You could just respect that there's more than one way to show support and not try to shame them for not doing it your way 🤷🏼‍♀️

YANBU to think that a man in Raab's position should know more about this subject, but I agree with Raab's stance of not taking the knee. The pressure for white people to take the knee, or virtue signal their support of the BLM cause in some other way, seems relentless. There is a type of mob bullying taking place, which is alienating people.

lyralalala - Dominic Rabb is our foreign secretary. For him to not know where it comes from is ridiculous. The number of times that man makes himself look stupid when he opens his mouth it’s baffling that he’s in such a senior position.

The same qualities haven’t held his boss back!

Personally I’m in favour of a symbolic action that shows support to the BLM objectives. Obviously the action itself doesn’t effect change but adds to the pressure for systematic change. Footballers taking the knee pre-match reasserts that racism is not acceptable and there are a lot of people watching.

I don’t think there’s ‘mob bullying’ taking place, has anyone asked or expected you to take the knee Defenbaker?

I don’t think there’s ‘mob bullying’ taking place, has anyone asked or expected you to take the knee Defenbaker?

Right here on this thread there is "confusion" being expressed as to why someone wouldn't want to take the knee? Why wouldn't they want to show support? What are they worried about? It doesn't have to be overt but there is definitely increasing social pressure to "take the knee" and explain yourself if you won't.

It isn't about showing support for equality now. You know that, stop with the faux outrage

I think it is about showing support for equality. It's a very simple way of showing support,

Why wouldn't they want to show support? What are they worried about? It doesn't have to be overt but there is definitely increasing social pressure to "take the knee" and explain yourself if you won't

There probably is.

I think it's a great and a visual way to show support.

Then again - I don't like to sing the National Anthem. However, I can give a clear explanation of why I don't like to sing it. I do wonder why people wouldn't want to show their support for being anti-racism by doing what the footballers did. It may be a gesture - but what 'harm' would be done by associating yourself with that gesture.

It is not up to you to decide that for everyone else, so yes stop with the faux outrage/confusion which implies that if white people won't do it then they must be racist. Because that's what you're implying isn't it?

but what 'harm' would be done by associating yourself with that gesture

I would have severe flashbacks and a panic attack having been threatened with a weapon and forced to perform oral sex in a kneeling position as a child.

But it seems inappropriate to discuss that at any public event I go to.

t is not up to you to decide that for everyone else, so yes stop with the faux outrage/confusion which implies that if white people won't do it then they must be racist. Because that's what you're implying isn't it

No, it isn't.

I think it people who take the knee are showing their support for anti-racism. It's a great gesture.

If you don't want to take the knee, then I do wonder why you wouldn't want to show your support for anti-racism in such a simple way. It's got nothing to do with being submissive or anything.

Then again, people don't want to wear poppies or sing the National Anthem - and those people have their reasons.

I used to be in a job that demanded obedience. If you were given an order you obeyed it. You could be charged, sent to court martial and then jailed for even disobeying a minor order. No one ever expected any one of us to kneel though.

I won't kneel to anyone, for any reason and I wouldn't expect anyone to kneel to me for any reason, and that is an excellent and perfectly sufficient explanation of why I won't kneel.

I won't kneel to anyone, for any reason and I wouldn't expect anyone to kneel to me for any reason, and that is an excellent and perfectly sufficient explanation of why I won't kneel

This is not about kneeling 'to anyone'. There are no people demanding you kneel to them.

It's about what it represents as a gesture of solidarity.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/18/raab-betrays-his-ignorance-of-the-origin-and-meaning-of-taking-a-knee

They aren't kneeling to anyone.
They are taking a knee.

Big difference

twitter.com/BerniceKing/status/911603501968642049/photo/2

If Raab doesn't want to take the knee its his choice. I would, however, expect him to know that it is not something from Game of Thrones.

I think it was a snide attempt to mock BLM but he just made himself look an idiot.