Philosophy, politics, and religion from behind the bar.

    Most TV pundits have it close, but not spot on, on the issue of NFL players kneeling for the National Anthem. For the players, it is not just a free speech issue. It's not their First Amendment right to be "allowed" to do it. It is their historical responsibility to do it.     My hope would be that, after Trump's blatantly racist comments on the matter, the habit catches on like wildfire across the players on all the teams today.And all the players in every sport, professional, or other. This is their moment to stand up and do what's right.    But, more of an impact would be if the fans would refuse to stand for the anthem. It's time to show some solidarity here.

 We wandered out onto the little plaza around Rua de August in Lisbon on an unusually cooler and breezier late morning and watched one of the local street artists, a woman in white, white flowing dress, white wide brimmed flouncy hat, visible skin painted in all white, sitting on a small stool trying to keep it all together while leaning against a store front. Her purse was tucked under her dress and stool, meant to be hidden under her long dress which blew with the wind.   I watched her struggle as we walked slowly past, and she stood up to move away from the storefront to a spot more in the center and head of the pedestrian street, gathering up her purse and stool and holding her hat and dress hem as she scurried over to her new roost. The wind did not relent. We went on our way while she continued to try to put purse beneath skirt, and hold everything down for the show.  I got the idea that she was one of those "human statues" that moved slowly to greet the passersby in