'Taking the knee' seems to be from Game of Thrones - UK foreign minister

 

Britain's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dominic Raab speaks during a daily briefing to update on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain June 15, 2020. Pippa Fowles/10 Downing Street/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IMAGE CAN NOT BE USED FOR ADVERTISING OR COMMERCIAL USE. IMAGE CAN NOT BE ALTERED IN ANY FORM. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Thursday that “taking the knee” seems to have come from the fantasy TV drama series “Game of Thrones” and felt like a symbol of subjugation and subordination.

 

The death in Minneapolis of a black man, George Floyd, after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes has sparked protests around the world, with many demonstrators kneeling in streets and squares to protest against racism.

 

The position was first taken by National Football League player Colin Kaepernick during the playing of the U.S. national anthem to call attention to racial injustice, and has been adopted by many sports players since.

 

In England, Premier League soccer players including champions Manchester City took a knee before kickoff in support of the “Black Lives Matter” movement when the season restarted on Wednesday.

 

Raab, asked if he would adopt the position during a TalkRadio interview on Thursday, said he understood the sense of frustration and restlessness driving the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

He added: “I’ve got to say on this ‘taking the knee’ thing, which I don’t know, maybe it’s got a broader history but it seems to be taken from the Game of Thrones.

 

“It feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination rather than one of liberation and emancipation. But I understand people feel differently about it so it’s a matter of personal choice.”

 

Asked again if he would take a knee to protest, he said: “I take the knee for two people, the queen and the missus when I asked her to marry me.”

 

In “Game of Thrones”, the phrase “bending the knee” is used when someone pledges fealty to a monarch or lord.

 

Raab later tried to clarify his remarks, saying he had “full respect” for the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

“If people wish to take a knee, that’s their choice and I respect it. We all need to come together to tackle any discrimination and social injustice,” he said on Twitter.

 

A clip of Raab’s interview attracted 1.5 million views on Twitter within hours of it being posted and opposition lawmakers were highly critical of his words.

 

“This is not just insulting to the Black Lives Matter movement, it is deeply embarrassing for Dominic Raab,” David Lammy, the justice spokesman for the Labour Party and a longtime black rights campaigner, said on Twitter.

 

“He is supposed to be the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-18

 

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For once, I must agree with a member of the government. You don't need to show tokenism to have conviction. Over the past few months I never stood on my doorstep and clapped for the NHS as my neighbours did. That doesn't mean that I care any less, or have less appreciation for key workers, but that I have never understood or felt comfortable with group gestures. This is a non-story. 

It started with a sheep and the rest followed, baahhh.

It's called Genuflecting.

Can't go kneeling about in a savile row suit you could end up killing a rough sleeper ????

6 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

For once, I must agree with a member of the government. You don't need to show tokenism to have conviction. Over the past few months I never stood on my doorstep and clapped for the NHS as my neighbours did. That doesn't mean that I care any less, or have less appreciation for key workers, but that I have never understood or felt comfortable with group gestures. This is a non-story. 

Mirror that ????

Life imitates Art on a daily basis.  How else do you think the world can be full of Jokers and bad actors....

How many of these protesters and BLM matter members took the knee for the poor white girl that was stabbed to death in the back by a young  black guy trying to get into a gang in London ? None would be my guess. 

I wonder what the new gesture will be when genuflecting gets old ?

 

All the racism fighting this month because the police knee George Floyd.

 

Now is “taking the knee” is popular. 

 

Strange people.

 

IMO fighting for statues is strange same.

 

The statue is the white guy, but is black color statue. More strange. Fight about color.

 

IMO

 

 

2 minutes ago, Yinn said:

All the racism fighting this month because the police knee George Floyd.

 

Now is “taking the knee” is popular. 

 

Strange people.

 

 

Two different "taking the knees " , they are not supporting putting the knee on Floyds neck , they are protesting against it  

They aint  having my knee  but their welcome to my  finger

Respect to Dominic Raab for not being overwhelmed by the whole virtue signalling nonsense. 

10 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Respect to Dominic Raab for not being overwhelmed by the whole virtue signalling nonsense. 

Probably has TR taking a knee for him lol

The backlash will be along soon, as sure as night follows day.

16 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

The backlash will be along soon, as sure as night follows day.

A few racist thugs is not a backlash. Most British people are all talk and no action.

Edited June 18, 20206 yr by tribalfusion001

In one of the opening sequences of Game of Thrones.

1 hour ago, RuamRudy said:

For once, I must agree with a member of the government. You don't need to show tokenism to have conviction. Over the past few months I never stood on my doorstep and clapped for the NHS as my neighbours did. That doesn't mean that I care any less, or have less appreciation for key workers, but that I have never understood or felt comfortable with group gestures. This is a non-story. 

This is not a "non-story"... it's one of the best stories I've heard for quite some time. His answer to the reporters was absolutely brilliant. I take a bow to the UK Foreign Minister.

 

Bending the knee is subordination and subjugation. Too many people have been watching Game of Thrones. This BLM movement has morphed into 'Only Black Lives Matter'. 

15 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

The backlash will be along soon, as sure as night follows day.

I'll put money down more support him than not. The problem is people put their lives in danger if they don't bow, bend the knee and scrape to the protesters, so they remain silent. The least we can do even if we are afraid to speak up is NOT bend the knee.

11 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

I'll put money down more support him than not. The problem is people put their lives in danger if they don't bow, bend the knee and scrape to the protesters, so they remain silent. The least we can do even if we are afraid to speak up is NOT bend the knee.

I'm not actually seeing any criticism of him for saying he's not prepared to take the knee.

Wrong. 

Kaepernick explained this back when he started it.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/08/29/colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-protest-49ers

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/veteran-kaepernick-take-a-knee-anthem/

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 20206 yr by bendejo

Quote

"I'd take a knee for two people, the Queen and the missus when I asked her to marry me."

I can't argue with the guy.  Actually the most pragmatic response by a minister to all this recent nonsense.

 

I also don't follow the crowd as there are those that want to lead us somewhere that we really don't want to go and those of blind faith that don't fully understand the destination.  

1 hour ago, bendejo said:

Wrong. 

Kaepernick explained this back when he started it.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/08/29/colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-protest-49ers

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/veteran-kaepernick-take-a-knee-anthem/

 

 

 

Outside of the US nobody knows or cares who the guy with the strange hair is.

I think if most of the forum members took a knee, they would never get back up????

 

It was truly embarrassing to see drunkard Pelosi and her fellow decrepit sycophants take the knee.

They all had to be dragged up afterwards as they hadn't got the strength to get back up; looked so weak 

Fair play, Mr Raab just went up in my estimation. PM material. Black belt ain't he?

 

I see the footballers are also at it. They're all going to conform of course, lest they be classed as racist and lose their job/fans etc. Sad that one can't have their mind without recrimination.  

35 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

They all had to be dragged up afterwards as they hadn't got the strength to get back up; looked so weak 

Reminds me of Hillary when she had her afternoon 'turn' and was unceremoniously launched into the back of the wagon by the security services.  

A post using a vulgar representation of Twitter has been removed.

You ever seen any white statues outside, POTY?

 

 

3 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

I think if most of the forum members took a knee, they would never get back up????

 

It was truly embarrassing to see drunkard Pelosi and her fellow decrepit sycophants take the knee.

They all had to be dragged up afterwards as they hadn't got the strength to get back up; looked so weak 

Let's not shame the aged for fragile knees. Nancy is 80. Bending the knee is quite dangerous at that age and can easily tear the cartilage. That would more likely happen on the way down.

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

5 hours ago, bendejo said:

Wrong. 

Kaepernick explained this back when he started it.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/08/29/colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-protest-49ers

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/veteran-kaepernick-take-a-knee-anthem/

 

 

 

Outside of the US nobody knows or cares who the guy with the strange hair is.

And it's irrelevant here. Bending the knee for BLM is not related to the national anthem or love of country (or not).