Anthony Ervin Makes Statement After Kneeling for National Anthem at Raia Rapida

Idiot

Fight for equality and fight against racism. Peaceful protest!

Jeff Salomon you’re appreciated.

Jeff Salomon way to be divisive. Privileged white swimmers?

Idiot

Rick Bohner: Wow. An ill defined cause? I think the cause has been quite well defined. You are just one of those people who refuse to acknowledge reality. Take comfort in that you are not alone in ignorance.

Why would you discount his hard work to becoming a professional swimmer? If you look at the most well known swimmers, barely half of them are minorities. Did you even know him before this article? I doubt it. He’s one of the lesser known Olympic swimmers, drowned out by the accomplishments of other amazing (white) swimmers such as Phelps and Franklin

I’m 100% certain the sport of swimming won’t “die” because a swimmer peacefully protests!

I’m 100% certain the NFL is going anywhere either!

You know he won Gold (again) about a year ago, right? You know, in the Olympics?

Rick Parker so he’s a has been a year later? You ever swim at that level? Clearly not. I just don’t get the has been comment, hmm a guy who still makes national teams and spends his free time hosting clinics and talks for inner city kids and other at-risk groups making a peaceful protest seems to be making you upset- so you think he is a hasbeen? I’d rather be a has-been multi-gold medalist making a statement than a sad old white man making a comment on the internet trying to lessen this powerful move

It’s bad for the NFL and bad for swimming. And it will be bad for what’s left of his career.

Keep trying Jim, maybe your facebook comment will reach all the way to the top of the USOC! Lol man, read a book or go outside to see whats going on- just because someone has earned the spot to swim for USA doesn’t take away their right to peaceful protest- anywhere

Nissen Troy yes, they have that personal right, but some of those rights are modified once they don the red, white and blue as an official representative of our country. Ask Ryan Lochte how his personal embarrassment to the American team turned out while in Brazil . There are rights, and there are consequences. If Ervin or anyone has a serious issue with police, they should go directly to those they oppose! They should be smart enough not to offend the vast majority of Americans, including people like me who help fund the USOC. As Coach John Wooden once told Bill Walton ( paraphrasing) ” You are right, Bill, I don’t have the right to tell you not to have your hair below your ear, but I have the right to say who plays on my UCLA team… and we’re going to miss you!” Walton ran out the gym, jumped on his bike, and got a haircut! Again, there are rights, and there are consequences.

That’s a cute story about Wooden. He was legendary. This is 2017- times are different- you can be a good role model and speak up for injustice.

I’m glad you brought up Lochte, let’s compare both cases: Lochte wins medals, goes out and gets hammered, DESTRUCTS PROPERTY and flees the country to escape punishment… spends next year banned and says sorry, goes on Dancing with the Stars.

Ervin: wins medals. Spends year holding clinics, helping swimmers of all backgrounds, giving speeches and giving back- is it because he embarrassed his nation being an idiot like Lochte did in Rio? Nope, it’s because he cares for the people of this nation.

Now, tell me how Lochte committing a crime that destructed property during the Olympics and now Ervin protesting peacefully (without breaking any USOC flag/anthem rules btw) compare and deserve the same treatment?

Nissen Troy What is his complaint? Why kneel? It’s lame. A kneel does not say what his important issue is. People see it and are perplexed. It’s disrespectful to the country and those who fought to preserve and protect our rights, including right to protest. At least Tommy Smith and John Carlos stood tall when the Stars and Stripes were raised and they gave a Black Power salute in 1968. Ervin can protest all he wants about whatever concerns him… just not when he is a US national representative at events when he should be proud to be an American . When he and others kneel, it becomes about them, not the event people want to watch. Same with Lochte… I imagine he would have been sent home without damaging property. Being drunk and disorderly while wearing US gear would be enough disrespect to garner a trip home. By the way, have Ervin describe what injustice he is complaining about and to do sufficient, valid research to support his position.

But let me say again: your argument that the world has no idea why he is kneeling is long gone, the world has been watching for some time now.

not the USOC, Ervin and Lochte hold a Registration Card with USA Swimming and violated USA Swimmings Code of Conduct

Julie Tellier thank you, Julie! As we know, WIKI is not always reliable.

Nissen Troy There are plenty of media outlets and government leaders who aren’t sure what kneeling has morphed into. We know how it started… but junior and senior high kids do it for many different reasons.. some say it looks “cool”. Sad.

A piece of cloth and a song are not sacred. The ideals behind them are. He is representing the ideals very well.

It is his right to kneel. It is as respectful as praying and it is against the law to require him to stand. He doesn’t need to return anything.

Julie Tellier tell me how Ervin violated the code of conduct- I’m super curious as a former USA Swimming athlete and current coach. Oh, I also was on a Junior National team, never read that rule in my code of c

Jim Deitrick just to be clear what reply of yours I am replying to now:

“Nissen Troy There are plenty of media outlets and government leaders who aren’t sure what kneeling has morphed into. We know how it started… but junior and senior high kids do it for many different reasons.. some say it looks “cool”. Sad.”

So, firstly, what ‘media outlets’ or ‘government leaders’ are you talking about? This conversation has been going on for much longer than you imply. By pretending you and these so-called ‘media outlets’ and ‘government leaders’ don’t know what the kneeling are pertaining to you are discrediting your original argument.

By your statement, “We know how it started…” you clearly know what we are talking about- why did you claim that people don’t know why Tony would kneel???

And what with the comment about high school and middle school athletes kneeling without knowing why they are doing it? Can you PLEASE expand on that one? Because A) we know that high school/middle school KIDS take a lot of things they see and copy…
BUT, this is a pretty clear cut case- they’re not copying a rapper sagging their pants for whatever reason, they’re copying an athlete who is protesting racial injustice-
Also, what ‘empirical’ (to use your own words/worries) evidence do you have on high school and middle school students kneeling only because “they think it’s cool…”?? Can you show me that? And do you realize these kids probably know how to use the internet very well which means they most definitely know what the kneeling is about?

I expect you to return your copy of the pocket constitution because you seem to not really understand the meaning of the first ammendment