Irony Hits Texas With Knee Scandal

           Texas official Sid Miller went to Facebook the other day to announce that he will no longer be watching any of the NFL games until its players are forced to stand during the national anthem according to the Texas Tribune. In his post he states that "disrespect to our flag, and our great country" is something that he apparently can no longer stand. This coming from the recent trend of athletes taking a knee during the national anthem in order to show their disapproval of the racial injustice that occurs in our country. Many players have resorted to this form of protest. Both men and women, minorities and white Americans, and even college and high school players. This first started when San Francisco player Kaepernick first took a knee before his highly televised game.

          Sid Miller is a Republican who is the Texas Agriculture Commissioner. He is a supporter of Donald Trump and has received many negative comments for various scandals. He recently billed tax payers for a trip to Oklahoma where he claimed to be speaking on politics with officials in Oklahoma's government. While instead he flew there to get a "Jesus Shot" from a doctor there for "chronic pain." He also received criticism when he posted a photo on his Facebook insinuating that the only way to have peace with the middle east is to bomb them.

           We have all heard the controversy over the taking a knee during the anthem protest. And to be honest, if there is a point to be made against this protest, it doesn't help that it is constantly being made by old white Republican men. I am just being honest. It helps those against this even less when the same guy saying that its a "dishonor to our country" has been caught lying to tax payers and abusing his power in government. If that isn't dishonorable I don't know what is. Whether you agree with the "knee protest" or not, it leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth when the same people who are angered by this don't seem to be angered by the actual injustice that these players are protesting. The same people who are angered by this are not angered by their presidential hopeful Donald Trump not placing his hand over his heart during the pledge on live TV.

          It is important for people to know what their politicians are doing and believe in. Especially if those beliefs have a bit of a racist underlying tone behind them. As the very well spoken Jesse Williams once said, " If you have a critique for the resistance, then you better have an established record of critique for our oppression."