"Giving the knee"

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I see Dominic Raab is in trouble today over his remarks about "taking the knee". I haven't a clue about this Games of Thrones thing but as I have already mentioned in this thread it does seem an odd gesture to me. However obviously in these highly emotionally charged times it is very non-PC to question it. In fact it may well soon become very anti-social not to take part, akin to poppy wearing. I have no problem with wearing a poppy in November but I know others do object (glorification of war etc.) and it is very noticeable that anyone who appears on TV in any connection seems to be obliged to wear one. Interestingly Raab said he would bow to the Queen - I have met the Queen and would not - I simply shook hands as I would with anyone.

Raab is either extremely insensitive and being an arse on purpose or he is genuinely thick as shit

Boris is a racist , we know that already , I think raab is just an idiot

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Raab is either extremely insensitive and being an arse on purpose or he is genuinely thick as shit

Boris is a racist , we know that already , I think raab is just an idiot

Raab isn't getting criticised because it's "not PC" - he's getting criticised because he's the foreign secretary of a major world power during a time when people have been protesting en masse worldwide about a huge issue (including in his own country) and he hasn't got a clue about the origin of one of the modes of protest, and the dismissive tone he spoke about it in was awful. I'm not sure if it's arrogance or incompetence but I suspect, with this government, it's a combination of both

And also, it's not going to become anti social not to take part, the footballers are only doing it in the first round of games, protesters are doing it, people who want to show solidarity with the BML cause have done it.

What situation do you possibly envisage finding yourself in where people are taking the knee and criticising you for not?

[Gofer Blue]

Raab isn't getting criticised because it's "not PC" - he's getting criticised because he's the foreign secretary of a major world power during a time when people have been protesting en masse worldwide about a huge issue (including in his own country) and he hasn't got a clue about the origin of one of the modes of protest, and the dismissive tone he spoke about it in was awful. I'm not sure if it's arrogance or incompetence but I suspect, with this government, it's a combination of both

And also, it's not going to become anti social not to take part, the footballers are only doing it in the first round of games, protesters are doing it, people who want to show solidarity with the BML cause have done it.

What situation do you possibly envisage finding yourself in where people are taking the knee and criticising you for not?

I wasn't necessarily talking about myself but can you not envisage a situation where someone e.g. a footballer or a politician did not "take the knee" when everyone around him/her did so? That person would be immediately be in the spotlight with all the unwanted media attention that that would bring. If I was not isolated in rural west Wales but lived in Swansea or Cardiff I probably would have attended one of the demos but if I had, I would have undoubtedly felt under pressure to join in.

[the other bob wilson]

I wasn't necessarily talking about myself but can you not envisage a situation where someone e.g. a footballer or a politician did not "take the knee" when everyone around him/her did so? That person would be immediately be in the spotlight with all the unwanted media attention that that would bring. If I was not isolated in rural west Wales but lived in Swansea or Cardiff I probably would have attended one of the demos but if I had, I would have undoubtedly felt under pressure to join in.

My reluctance to take the knee stems from the fact that these days I might have more than a few problems untaking it.

[Gofer Blue]

My reluctance to take the knee stems from the fact that these days I might have more than a few problems untaking it.

Me too!

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I wasn't necessarily talking about myself but can you not envisage a situation where someone e.g. a footballer or a politician did not "take the knee" when everyone around him/her did so? That person would be immediately be in the spotlight with all the unwanted media attention that that would bring. If I was not isolated in rural west Wales but lived in Swansea or Cardiff I probably would have attended one of the demos but if I had, I would have undoubtedly felt under pressure to join in.

Just by attending the demos you're showing your support, if you don't want to take the knee there you don't have to and no one says a thing. Plenty of people not kneeling, their reasons are their own, and I say that as someone who did go.

In terms of your other point, it's not as if we're all expected to start taking the knee now. Like I said, footballers are doing it this round of games. If 10 of them did it and the other 1 didn't I think you're probably right there'd be questions asked. Not least by their black teammates I suspect, as to why they don't support racial equality.