Rogue cops

It appears we have a potential snafu on our hands. Because Colin Kaepernick has refused to stand for the national anthem, the cops that normally patrol the home stadium in which he plays have threatened to boycott unless CK changes his ways.

This is unacceptable, even outrageous. Kaepernick has every right to do, or not do, what he's doing. No law on any book forbids it. Conversely, the cops take an oath. They are sworn to protect and serve. That means everybody. They don't get to pick and choose on the basis of their own feelings.

Perhaps it's not the anthem thing at all. Reportedly, CK wore a pair of socks with a picture of a pig in a police cap. Maybe that's what really set them off. If so, those boys and girls need to do some serious growing up. People in America protest for, and against all manner of different things and in various ways. A pair of socks should hardly be a deal breaker when it comes to their duties.

If allowed to get away with this, it's hard to say where it will stop. If the cops can force Kaepernick and/or the 49ers/league into changing their position by threatening to withhold service -- what could come next?

Perhaps they'd refuse to respond to a home burglary if the owner had once displayed a "Vote No" sign for a police millage on their lawn. Or ignore a bank robbery in progress if the institution hadn't contributed handsomely to one of their fundraisers. Letting them force their beliefs on a citizen exercising his rights, in this case Kaepernick, could be opening Pandora's box to all manner of abuses.

Good grief, cops in America already have a bad enough image with many people. And the ones in the Bay area are ranked high on the list, perceived or real. They don't need to bring even more aggravation down on themselves. Pulling a hair-brained stunt like what they currently threaten would be counterproductive to the folks in blue. How come they can't see that?

Besides, patrolling football games is cream-puff duty. And trust me, cops know a lot about cream puffs. And glazed doughnuts. And fritters. And cinnamon rolls. Everything except actually paying for it. You get it, but I digress.

Here's what should happen. Any cop, from the commissioner and chief on down, that refuses to do their sworn duty in this case should be fired on the spot. This little blue revolt cannot be allowed to happen.

Because if it does succeed, they would have set a scary precedent, and you just know it will only be the beginning. Good luck with what will surely come next.

Agree or disagree with him, Colin Kaepernick is doing nothing he isn't absolutely entitled to do. On the other hand, what these cops are suggesting is nothing more than strong arm thug tactics. The people suffer more than enough of that already.

There's a difference. A big one.