Would Spock kneel for the Anthem?
Photo by Dallas Cowboys Twitter Account
Logic does not seem to apply to the anthem-kneeling dispute raging now, but what if it did? We consulted Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the ultra-logical half-Vulcan/half-human:
Q: Would you take a knee if you were a football player?
A: What is a football player?
Q: A large, highly trained athlete who plays a sport where he collides with other large, highly trained athletes.
A: I wouldn't do that.
Q: Assuming you would, how would you respond to the current kneeling controversy?
A: I have no problem with kneeling.
Q: What about kneeling as a social protest?
A: What is the connection between the game and the social protest?
Q: The national anthem is played before the game, and those who protest some aspect of the nation whose anthem is being played kneel to symbolize that.
A: Why is the national anthem being played at a sporting event?
Q: It started as a patriotic tradition during a previous war.
A: Is the anthem played at other public events, like plays or operas?
Q: No.
A: Then why is it played at sporting events? Is there some special connection between sporting events and what's being protested?
Q: No.
A: Then why is this happening?
Q: Because athletes want to express themselves on these issues.
A: Do all the athletes agree on these issues?
Q: No.
A: So how is it determined what views get expressed?
Q: There is no organized process for that.
A: That does not seem very logical. Why bother if people have different views?
Q: Because the athletes are role models for the fans.
A: Is that why the fans come to the sporting events?
Q: No, they come to see the sporting event.
A: Then shouldn't these protests occur elsewhere?
Q: At the games is where the protests get the most exposure.
A: Then why not just stop playing the national anthem?
Q: That would be a loss of face for certain politicians and owners and is not likely to happen at this point.
A: How can politicians succeed if they don't act rationally?
Q: That's a long story.
A: That does not sound like a good way to live long and prosper.
