Pretty Clearly All About Supporting the Troops

The Cleveland police are protesting Browns players kneeling during the national anthem by doing their jobs and respecting the flag like they claim to believe oh actually also refusing to participate in flag ceremonies.

Cleveland’s police union will not be holding the American flag for a pregame ceremony for the Brown’s first game Sept. 10, Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Steve Loomis said late Friday.

Union members had planned on participating in the flag ceremony for the first game on Sept. 10 until some Browns players kneeled during the National Anthem before a preseason game, Loomis said in an interview with cleveland.com.

The players not standing for the national anthem is offensive because of the sacrifices that people make that allows these guys to enjoy the success that they have, Loomis said. While they’re benefiting from protection of the flag they are kneeling in disrespect of it, he said.

I’m not so sure the African-Americans refusing to stand for the flag have exactly benefited from it, but hey, I’m sure this person who is no relation to me is really just supportive of bringing America together, right?

“When management allows you to do those things, then that’s on them,” Loomis said. “It’s hypocritical of the Browns management and ownership to want to have an armed forces first-responder day, and have us involved in it when they allow their players to take a knee during the national anthem. That’s the very representation of what we stand for. That’s why we aren’t going to.”

Well, I’m sure at the very least, this clown is at least mildly sympathetic around the police murder of Tamir Rice, right? Oh ha ha ha, of course not.

Cleveland police union president Steve Loomis gave a press conference this afternoon to address the discipline delved out to Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback in the Tamir Rice shooting, which was announced earlier today in a press conference by Frank Jackson, Chief Calvin Williams and others.

You can watch the video for yourself below but the short version: Loomis supports his officers, thinks they did nothing wrong, and bemoans that the city felt it needed to come up with some justification for firing Loehmann, thus digging back into his application process, despite the fact that a review committee didn’t find any fault in his actions on the day he shot and killed Tamir Rice. It was politics, Loomis claimed, a political witch hunt, a byproduct of minister pressure and Frank Jackson’s re-election campaign. “The vast majority of the public supports us on this,” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind we’re going to get Loehmann his job back.” The union has filed appeals on behalf of both officers.

For all the tough guy antics around service and respect, the police whine and cry at the slightest criticism, not to mention when they actually murder someone. Killing a 12 year old black kid? Totally OK! Engaging in a mild form of silent protest against that action? Browns Stadium might as well be a Khmer Rouge killing field!

Nonetheless, stripping the police of their collective bargaining rights will do nothing to solve these problems.

So the police are special snowflakes and the national anthem is their safe space that needs protection from big mean protestors? I am sure glad these tough guys can handle the most difficult situations without crying.