NFL players kneeling during National Anthem

[Tenlaar]

I recognize their rights to express their views. I also recognize my right to think they're assholes.

That's nice and also has nothing to do with the President saying earlier this year that he recognizes the rights of people to express their views and now rage tweeting that people who are peacefully protesting are un-Americans who should lose their jobs, and that it's not acceptable and their employers should be boycotted until the un-Americans are either fired or forced to stop expressing their views through peaceful protest.

If they have a problem with Trump then take it up with him, why take it out on everyone who thinks it's disrespectful to disrespect the national anthem?

Oh I'm sure they have a problem with him now, but I've never seen anything to indicate that this started because of Trump in any way.

[Latrinsorm]

And that's exactly why the protest is bullshit. It's like those idiots who march against institutionalized racism, then you ask them what specifically are they referring to and they just say "You know, the racism, that's out there. It exists. If you don't get it it's because you're white." Or my favorite is when a black person says "It ain't MY job to educate you why you're racist! You're supposed to figure that shit out on your own." If these protests had a specific issue they were drawing light to I might not give as much shit about. But when you literally just make something up and "protest" against it you're "justified" (in your own mind) to protest it forever because there is no way to ever fix the thing you just made up in your head.

Colin Kaepernick stated a specific, actionable issue from the beginning. He can't force you to read it. No one can.

Yeah right. I wonder how long a player would last if during the anthem he held up a sign reading "FUCK BLACK LIVES MATTER." What the NFL owners have come out in "support" of is their players being able to freely express themselves...as long as it's the narrative the left currently is comfortable with.

Holding up a sign is actually forbidden by NFL contracts.

Yeah, but I also have the right to state my opinion regarding other folks opinions - that is also freedom of speech. And if you kneel before the flag during the national anthem, you are showing disrespect to the flag. Duh.

That's the thing though.. whatever their reason for doing it... but sitting or kneeling or putting your fist up in the air during the National Anthem IS protesting THE anthem. Why not do it during halftime.. or do it on the field before the game.. or do it right after the game? But if you are doing it during the anthem, you are disrespecting the anthem.

Paraphrasing a tweet I read, these protests are as much about disrespecting the flag/anthem as Rosa Parks' protest was about disrespecting public transportation.

[drauz]

Colin Kaepernick stated a specific, actionable issue from the beginning. He can't force you to read it. No one can.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

That is not specific at all, it is exactly what Tgo complained about. It is vague and doesn't help the problem. If anything it exacerbates it. As Ben Sharpiro puts it "It leaves you chasing ghosts". Show where the racism is and then it can be fixed. Just shouting that there is racism some where out there in the ether doesn't help anyone.

[Tgo01]

Remember when the NFL was actually good like 40 years ago?

Before it was filled with murderers, wife beaters, and dog abusers?

[Tgo01]

That's nice and also has nothing to do with the President saying earlier this year that he recognizes the rights of people to express their views and now rage tweeting that people who are peacefully protesting are un-Americans who should lose their jobs, and that it's not acceptable and their employers should be boycotted until the un-Americans are either fired or forced to stop expressing their views through peaceful protest.

So...the president doesn't have the right to think they're assholes and should lose their jobs and be boycotted?

Oh I'm sure they have a problem with him now, but I've never seen anything to indicate that this started because of Trump in any way.

It didn't start because of Trump, but it's pretty clear it's being tied to Trump now.

[Tgo01]

Colin Kaepernick stated a specific, actionable issue from the beginning.

Give me the cliff notes

Holding up a sign is actually forbidden by NFL contracts.

And not being on the field during the national anthem is against NFL rules too but that didn't stop entire teams from not showing up.

Paraphrasing a tweet I read, these protests are as much about disrespecting the flag/anthem as Rosa Parks' protest was about disrespecting public transportation.

That's a lamer analogy than your haircut.

[Candor]

So...the president doesn't have the right to think they're assholes and should lose their jobs and be boycotted?

Funny thing about free speech - it doesn't apply just to liberals.

[Tisket]

So...the president doesn't have the right to think they're assholes and should lose their jobs and be boycotted?

To be honest, I feel the President of the US should be held to a higher standard. He doesn't need to spew out every thought he has. It's not a question of free speech, it's a question of discretion.

[Tgo01]

To be honest, I feel the President of the US should be held to a higher standard. He doesn't need to spew out every thought he has. It's not a question of free speech, it's a question of discretion.

8 years ago I would agree with you, but after Obama destroyed the integrity of the office it's kind of a moot point now. I think this is partly why Trump won and still receives a lot of support; people are tired of this two faced system where one side is guilty of doing shit yet when the other party is in power the aforementioned party expects the party in power to be held to higher standards then they held their own party to.

Trump just doesn't care about playing nice because some people (who haven't been nice at all in 8+ years) feels he should be nice. It's actually refreshing to be honest. If Jeb! got in office he probably would be bending over backwards to appease people every time someone accused him of sneezing wrong.

[drauz]

8 years ago I would agree with you, but after Obama destroyed the integrity of the office it's kind of a moot point now. I think this is partly why Trump won and still receives a lot of support; people are tired of this two faced system where one side is guilty of doing shit yet when the other party is in power the aforementioned party expects the party in power to be held to higher standards then they held their own party to.

Trump just doesn't care about playing nice because some people (who haven't been nice at all in 8+ years) feels he should be nice. It's actually refreshing to be honest. If Jeb! got in office he probably would be bending over backwards to appease people every time someone accused him of sneezing wrong.

Have to agree with Tisket, he should put the phone down 90% of the time.