Choose Respect

By Victor L. Midyett

My wish would be for the National Football League and its players to be open to a serious discussion about the American flag and our national anthem’s being off limits to anything other than our nation’s traditional habits of somber respect.
    Is change needed? Yes, and I completely agree with the players’ issues. Their reason is righteous. Their “tool” to advocate change is not.
    I believe our choice of “tools” for effective change is philosophically based. There are many ways to encourage change, but from a philosophical point of view, as I see it, there are two main ones, and they are opposed:

• Push against (tool = hammer)
• Encourage forward (tool = piper’s flute) 

    Australia has the same kind of race issues that the United States has. It seems as though, because we are exposed to so many international pictorial examples of atrocities and horrid news stories, that third-world folks only seem to know how to show their disdain for things that are “wrong” by hitting them on the head with a hammer. We Americans seem to be adopting the same mindset.
    Well, we need to further our “good,” not our “bad or ugly.” The problem is societal, not political.
    Here is an example to make clearer the philosophy of pushing versus encouraging. Australia has TV ads, banners, posters, and signs at every sports field, school, shop entrance, doctor’s office, library, and even public/government office that display two simple words:

Choose Respect

As far as I can tell during the past two years, it has been effective! Every time I myself see it on the front of a service counter, I am reminded to be nice. The message is a tool that encourages an issue forward to better behavior and a better mindset for all.

Going against America’s national tradition of standing for the national anthem, by taking a knee to the flag and the anthem, is not respectful; the act disrespects the fallen who fought for our freedom. In my opinion, it is pushing against; it discourages our good, our respectfulness, our human decency. It creates yet another disagreement, and that should be obvious to everyone by now.
    Over the years, I have witnessed both ways of trying to “encourage” change, and I offer myself as evidence for which is more effective. If I as a customer need a “wrong” to be corrected, I can proceed with obvious, even condescending aggravation, or I can choose respect. I have tried both, and choosing respect wins hands-down.
    So many people in contemporary American society seem to want to first get their hackles up and push against. While the NFL players are most definitely trying to correct a wrong, there has to be a better way than by creating yet another wrong.

NFL players, you now have the perfect stepping-stone. You could announce:

Now that we have the world’s attention, allow us to make the next and more positive step forward. Let us all stand together for our nation, our flag, and our anthem, and lead by example by choosing respect for all.

Being careful in your wording allows you to “save face,” defuse both issues, and start a positive movement forward.

If we choose respect, we are far more likely to have it returned.
    Or think of it this way. If we can’t lead a horse forward with a handful of thistle, we may want to choose a carrot. No self-respecting horse would refuse a carrot.

Copyright © 2017 by Victor L. Midyett