Welp….
I’m sure you know that everybody
is up in arms right now about the
proper decorum and behavior that
one should don when the national
anthem is played.
Recently, Colin Kaepernick, a
biracial player on the San Frisco
49ers American Football team
decided that he will kneel during
the National Anthem instead of
stand.
He’s doing thin in protest of what
he believes are unfair practices
that the United States has against
minorities.
Since this has happened, I have
received so many emails, phone calls
and direct messages concerning
“my stance” or opinion on the situation
as an U.S. Olympian.
And my stance is the same as Colin
Kaepernick’s and the same as every
other citizen of America. I love
the United States of America. From
what I’ve heard Colin say, he loves
it too. He has something that he
believes in strongly and he is in
support of that thing.
I do not get upset with people if
they do not support the American
Diabetes Association. My brother-in-law
died due to complications of the
disease. And because I feel strongly
about does not mean that I’m saying
to hell with breast cancer or sickle
cell anemia. It just means that I’m
on a mission for diabetes right now.
And that’s all it means.
Colin is no less American because he
kneels and I’m no more American because
I stand. We have the privilege or
choice to choose as we decide.
For those who ask me, “Well do you think
it was right?”
My answer to them is, “Well, is he wrong
because you don’t agree with him or is
he wrong because he did something WRONG?”
Personally, I stand.
Somebody asked me, “Why?” to which I
replied the same way I do about my
religion. I said, “It’s a personal
choice.”
And what I’ve found is that the same
people who dislike Jewish people for
practicing Judaism and Muslim people
for practicing Islam are the same people
who dislike people who kneel during
the National Anthem for kneeling.
No, it’s not what I would do. And I
don’t attend a mosque or a synagogue
either. And I respect those who choose
to worship and express their opinions
as they see fit.
Look, if you eat dinner at my home or
with my family at dinner, we will
ask you to join hands and we pray and
bless the food. IF YOU DO NOT CLOSE
YOUR EYES AND BOW YOUR HEAD IN REVERENCE
TO THE GOD THAT I SERVE, I am NOT going
ask you to leave the table, call you
a pagan or tell you that you are one
of the dregs of society. NOR AM I GOING
TO SAY THOSE THINGS SILENTLY.
I will respect you and will love you
because that’s the right thing to do.
===============
Loving You And
Listening To You
===============
Yesterday I asked many of you to provide
me with some ideas for a new video project.
I appreciate all of the feedback.
If a few of you would still like to provide
some feedback about what you would like to
see me do next I would definitely appreciate
it and welcome it.
Please click this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/95ZZL7M
==============
Closing
==============
Tomorrow I will share all of the feedback
I received and everybody can “vote” and
voice their opinion on what they would
like to see me do next.
I will post all the responses on my
facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/newazaexcellence
and everyone can give their feedback and then
once we get consensus I will head to the lab and
make a concerted effort to get everything done
in 1 week. (Lord Willing!!)
Take care.
Dedicated to your improvement,
Rhadi Ferguson, PhD
2004 Olympian
BJJ Black Belt
www.DrRhadiFerguson.com