Unless you have been living under a rock for the past week, you are tracking the issue brewing around athletes choosing to kneel instead of standing during the recitation of our National Anthem. Or others locking arms with their teammates during the anthem. And a few deciding to remain in the locker room until after the anthem is finished.

Well like most other things in this social media ran world, everyone's opinion is heard. So there has been outcries from half (undocumented percentage) agreeing with this peaceful protest while the other half enraged at the disrespect being given to the flag. So what is a flag? Well it's a symbol or emblem of a country.

So I want to determine just how mad you really are by discussing just one symbol we disrespect just about daily. No way am I saying they are on the same level. Someone sacrificing their life has no comparison. My only point is to direct us to another symbol we claim to uphold as being extremely important in our lives and reveal to you how disrespect really feels versus how it looks.

Take a look at your left hand, there lies a ring finger that symbolizes an union was formed between you and your rib. How do you treat that person you vowed your life to? Do you honor them and respect them? Do you stand up for your marriage?

She doesn't quite act like a wife. She doesn't cook. She doesn't keep a clean house like your mother did. She still has the baby weight and the kids are almost in high school. Sex is NOT happening as often as you'd like. Actually it's only every once in a while when she feels up to it. Why should you be faithful? You have needs to be met. Nothing is wrong with cheating especially if the girl knows her position as the other woman. As long as you don't lie to her and give her time, she is good with you going home to your wife.

He isn't man enough for you. He doesn't make enough money. You should be driving a new car by now. You need someone to spoil you like daddy did. Matter of fact, daddy warned you he wasn't good enough for his baby girl. You wished you listened to daddy. So he doesn't deserve respect. He deserved to be talked to like that. Forget him, he isn't a real man. So why give up my booty to him when he hasn't earned it.

Do you stand up for your marriage? It doesn't treat you right. It judges you and mistreats you based off flawed assumptions. It doesn't get to know you so it doesn't see you as being worthy of love. It disrespects you and it hurts. It hurts to come home to such disrespect. It hurts to be in the same room. It's not the same as saying, "if they cheat on me, I'll just leave. I don't have time for that." This hurts your souls to watch your marriage die.

In light of everything that is going on, let me make this very clear. I am NOT approving to disrespect the flag however, let's make this clear. The obnoxious and mean spirited comments aren't worthy of this perceived disrespect either. Yes, perceived as their is a difference between recognizing disrespect and feeling disrespected. You can't talk about the "men and women" that fought for that flag and actually feel disrespected if you don't personally know any of those men and women. And generations before you aren't the same. NO I'm not belittling your family history, just making a point that "perceived" and "felt" disrespect is totally different meaning your response should be different.

What do I mean by response? Well if you only perceived disrespect, maybe rolled your eyes, but that was about it...why are you so pissed, throwing up posts every day, continuing to feed into this division and now have adopted a new term. Be honest....since our POTUS said that, how many son of bitches have you seen? Go ahead and count the times you thought of that term to yourself Sunday while watching the games.

You see, him among many others on social media sites and at the water coolers at work have told you how to feel by putting all of their thoughts onto you. So yes, sitting during the national anthem is disrespectful but when you saw it (without someone saying anything), did YOU get pissed? Be honest as I can't call you out even though I'm calling you out. Did you get pissed? No, so when did you get upset about all of this and start ranting? You didn't get pissed and start on your rant until everyone else said something. At first that was your team and those were you players...now they are sons of bitches! You barely even know the history behind the flag...yet you so mad.

Ok how about this analogy. When someone cuts you off while driving, doesn't your blood just boil? So you drive to get beside them to curse them out or to give them THAT look but right when you gain eye contact, they lift their hands and apologize as to say "hey I'm sorry I didn't mean to cut you off." Immediately you nod back, wave and smile. And you instantly go to a simmer, no more boiling, just like that. You've given them a pass...you given them grace.

Grace synonyms: compassion, mercy,

pardon, reprieve, benevolence,and forgiveness.

Ok here in this situation, numerous times players have said with hands raised (me paraphrasing), "I'm not trying to disrespect the flag, I'm trying to bring awareness to the injustices that blacks are enduring. Disrespect was not my intention." This has been expressed over and over again. Even with explaining why only to be met with "that has no place here!" Where is the grace?

We are saying that we are tired of feeling like second class citizens. We've contributed just as much as other races to this great county yet we are being gunned down at traffic stops. Where is the grace?

We develop a group of beautiful words to express to the world to consider me and my family before you shoot me. Consider that I have feelings before you cast me away. Consider me as a human just like you. All we were expressing is that our Black Lives Matter and they turned those words around as if they were meant for evil. Where is the grace?

I kneel for less than 2 minutes on live tv so everyone can see the unity and the message NOT as disrespect but to simply be heard and those boys are called sons of bitches by the most influential man in this country. And by many told to SHUT UP AND FOOTBALL. We pay you to play ball, not have a brain. Where is the grace?

You ignore the cries of my people and focus only on the flag that we fought for too. Perceived or defined disrespect is not the same as felt disrespect. Where is the grace?

Thank you for your attention. Remember you are your own competition.

Competitionof1