[Shiver Metimbers]

Please let me know when I accused you of 'offending against Free Speech'. I can't find when I said that.

Right here. 

I've never understood those who are proud to be an American but then are unhappy when other Americans express their differing opinions. I'm pretty sure our country is founded on freedom and liberty rather than conformity and unity of thought.

This implied that I was 'proud to be an American' but was 'unhappy when other Americans express their differing opinions.' In other words, a hypocrite, who wants free speech curtailed, at least 'for them, not me'. In short, a Twitler.

Answered fully in post #3 above.

Also, please explain the lie that these athletes protests are based on. I know it's obvious to you, but not to me.

This statement appears to me to arise from ignorance of the facts. If I have misunderstood, then the following is non-responsive, but here's what I'm talking about.

The entire premise of Kaepernick's kneeling during the national anthem - and no, that is NOT "respectful," it is incredibly *disrespectful*, was intended to be such for its powerful effect, which it has had, same as the Black Power fist-pump on the Olympic stage algaeman referenced above - and the subsequent #metooers like Rapinoe and BLM is the lie that blacks are targeted in this country by police for unjust shootings, i.e. murders born of racism.

If you are so truly uninformed of the actual facts regarding who shoots whom, and when, and why, you have a lot of homework waiting. I deeply respect any well-informed opinion that differs from my own well-informed opinion on any subject, because my view / opinion / theory could be wrong. Sometimes it has been changed by superior grasp of the facts and a better theory / opinion.

I have little respect (ok honestly none) for opinions (or theories or hypotheses), especially if held strongly, that ignore mountains of evidence and facts.

In the first instance, the incident in Ferguson as portrayed in the media, the 'couldn't be ignored any longer' justification for this pernicious campaign that 'justified' the billions of dollars in burned business, destroyed neighborhoods (typically those of the very people the BLMers and Antifa thugs claim to favor) and many murdered in 2020, was a LIE. "Hands up don't shoot" is a LIE.

Look it up. Then look up the rest of the so-called 'blacks targeted' incidents and the general stats, then let's talk.