Megan Rampinoe

Sho'Nuff wrote:

soccerjack wrote:

Sho'Nuff wrote:Me and mine stand, but I could care less about what others choose to do.

I do find this situation a bit odd.  Is there anything more lesbian than the USWNT? Softball, maybe.

USLNT. Lol

I thought I would catch more heat for this.

SCOTUS legalized gay marriage in late June 2015. In July 2015, the very first thing we saw on tv after the world cup win was Abby Wambach kissing her wife. There's definitely discrimination out there, but lesbian soccer players, specifically aging ones, don't have much to complain about.

The softball comment was the best.

Sigh - Mohammed Ali - Refused to be drafted. People in Sports standing up for what they believe (which is making a better America - at least in their terms) is just another thing I love about this country.

It's better but I think it's got a bit to go and it's great that the people here and with a lot to lose are willing to stand up and say that.

Change makes people angry and sitting quietly in the back where you belong doesn't seem to drive it. Hmmmm. Anger can be quiet and understated and it can be expressed by moving up to the front where you don't belong. In my very personal opinion that's courage.

Sigh...Megan is truly courageous. Risking all those sponsorships. What could be braver? Maybe some people are a little uncomfortable using the cause de jour as an excuse to disrespect the flag.

So she's risking her livelihood, reputation and guaranteeing angry reaction up to and including threats to her and her family. She's stepping out and making herself a target for something she believes in. I very much doubt she started with a desire to disrespect the flag and then tried to find an excuse to do it.

She's using a very risky act in this society to make a statement we are all now paying attention to in a way that will almost certainly cost her money and will make life tougher for her and those around her.

By all means question the act, you should but I think the motive is valid. I wouldn't personally do what she is doing but I can see that she is representing America, just the bit of it that wants to change things and wants to get our attention and shake us up. That's what I like. I might ask if there is a better way to do it that doesn't upset so many folks but the answer might be no there isn't.

It is the manner of the "protest". She should have the same 1st amendment protection as Hope Solo. Just kidding. It's just a question of common sense. As professional athletes they all get plenty of camera time. The kneeling for a club or city team is between the particular team/community and the player. There is a huge difference in protesting while wearing the national team jersey. She then represents US Soccer which is all of us. If I'm not mistaken they are paid to play for team USA. Doesn't accepting money to represent something you don't believe in kinda sound hypocritical?

Rapinoe has every right to do what she did.

We have every right to be angered about it and voice our displeasure with her.

Jill Ellis has every right to not play her, or even not put her on the active roster for any games going forward.

US Soccer has every right to not renew her contract when it expires, and they may even be within their rights to terminate her current contract (not sure what legalities come into play there).

If Jill Ellis and/or US Soccer do not wish to take any action against Rapinoe for her actions, you and I have every right to declare our distaste for their lack of action, both through our voices and words, but more impactfully through our wallets by refusing to buy tickets to USWNT games, by refusing to purchase USWNT merchandise, by refusing to watch USWNT games on TV, and refusing to economically support any of the USWNT sponsors.

Every one of these is a choice, and the freedom for each and every one of us to make those choices, is what sets the USA apart in it's greatness, and is what our military and first responders put their lives on the line to protect each and every day.  

I sincerely thank them for that.

Maybe another approach could have been to get into these communities and use her position with the national team to promote equality, fair play, and belief in all human kind. Proactive rather than reactive. Make her statement through being active in community to promote her ideas. Using her national platform to kneel during the anthem ,already being involved, increasing awareness we can make change by getting involved with community as athletes.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you Megan.

it is within everyones right to do everything you said and also within the national teams right (if its in their contract agreement) to punish her for it However, demanding COMPLIANCE doesn't change anything it just makes You feel more comfortable. They have said that your fellow americans are having these issues and the message back has been anger and indifference. And Will we apparently love the military and first responders so much it is our elected officials in congress who stood up and fought to deny them help when they got sick for responding at 9/11. It is our officials who make it nearly impossible for returning soldiers to get the help they need. And it is us who stand silently by and do nothing while we profess our love for them.