Apparently when you insult Cleveland cops and paramedics, and the symbols they revere, they’re not the types to say “Thank you, sir, may I have another?” So after a dozen Cleveland Browns players refused to stand for the National Anthem in a preseason game, Cleveland’s finest won’t be holding a huge Old Glory on the field at the Browns’ home opener, as they’d previously agreed to.
Those Browns players, in an apparent effort to take the “lovable” out of “lovable losers,” (1 – 15 last season!) were emulating the currently unemployed Colin Kaepernick – he of the pig policeman socks and Fidel Castro fan-boy gear. We all know Kaepernick’s story. The cynical take is that he started sitting for the Anthem to make it politically problematic for the Niners to cut him and his fading talents. The more charitable view is that he’s just a jerk.
After the Browns caught the Kaepernick flu, the Cleveland Patrolmen’s and EMS unions pulled out of the home opener ceremony. EMS union head Daniel Nemeth told Fox 8 Cleveland, “This hit home with me. I am a veteran, an 8-year veteran with the U.S. Marine Corps. So, to disrespect the flag by taking a knee is not something I was going to be a part of.”
Fox 8 reached out to police union president Steve Loomis. “I’m here at a national police convention,” said Loomis, “and soon as they hear that I’m from Cleveland, the first question is ‘What about those stinking Browns?’” (In fairness, that’s a question anybody from Cleveland is apt to hear at any time. Did I mention they were 1 – 15 last season?) “So if the ownership of the Browns and the league are going to allow that type of stuff to happen, and then come to us and say, ‘We want you to help us with the flag,’ that's hypocritical. We’re not gonna participate.”
Well said, Mr. Loomis. And you’re not alone. At this writing, it doesn’t look like Colin Kaeperhick’s going to be participating in games either.
