Bar Owner Called Racist for Lynch, Kaepernick Jerseys as Welcome Mats

Because everything is racist. Everything.

9.29.2017

Supporters of the ridiculous “take a knee” movement are all about the First Amendment -- the kneelers' free speech right to express themselves however they like. In fact, I have seen it argued that there is nothing more patriotic than kneeling, because it's an exercise of their First Amendment rights. I would argue that the content of the expression matters. The people all excited about taking a knee, for example, aren't so excited about Jason Burtle, an Air Force veteran and bar owner in Missouri.

Burtle has created a new doormat for his bar: the football jerseys of Marshawn Lynch andColin Kaepernick. How is that going over? The media are calling it “offensive” and “racist extremism.” There is, of course, no reason to believe that there is any racist motive for this, but people are reading racism into the placement of the jerseys with “Lynch” to the left of “Kaepernick,” as though he was trying to give the directive, “Lynch Kaepernick.” Come on.

“We pulled them out of the box, taped them down,” Burle told KOMU. “There was no ill intent.” When someone was offended by the order of the jerseys, Burtle immediately reversed the order so no one's feelings are hurt.

His actual motive was in counter-protest to the way these football players have disrespected the national anthem. “A lot of us military folks take that personal to heart," Burle said. Inside his bar, Burle has flags flown overseas and photos of customers and their relatives who serve or have served. And the bar gives discounts to veterans.

As a veteran himself, Burtle says he's glad that the protesters are exercising their Constitutional rights. “I commend them for what they're doing, as far as the right goes. I fought for that right. The same thing that gives them that right gives me the right to place these out here.”

The media will go out of their way to say that the Take A Knee movement doesn't disrespect the National Anthem or those who fight under our flag, but are the first to cry “racism” when somebody disagrees. This is why we can't have nice things.