NFL players kneeling during National Anthem

[Parkbandit]

I don't have any problem with players exercising their 1st Amendment rights to free speech, but if I were an NFL owner, I would tell them to do it on their own time. When you are in an NFL stadium, you are now on MY time.

Granted, I think what Trump said didn't help the situation out and I expect a bunch of players kneeling today..

[Orthin]

this is soooo last year. (Yes I am aware Trump JUST mentioned it, but he isn't exactly on top of things on the regular)

[Tenlaar]

this is soooo last year. (Yes I am aware Trump JUST mentioned it, but he isn't exactly on top of things on the regular)

Mentioned it? This goes slightly beyond "mentioning" it, and you can see why it all started...

[Gelston]

I honestly couldn't care less about this. The only reason they are doing it is because, gasp, it causes people to take notice. If people stopped bitching incessantly about it it'd probably stop.

[~Rocktar~]

Simple solution, vote with your wallet. Stop buying gear, stop buying tickets, change the channel, move on. When enough people do that and it hurts them enough, they will either get fired, stop being highlighted and/or change their tune.

Edit: If I and likely most of us can't make political statements in our workplace, why is it acceptable for them to do so?

[Gelston]

Simple solution, vote with your wallet. Stop buying gear, stop buying tickets, change the channel, move on. When enough people do that and it hurts them enough, they will either get fired, stop being highlighted and/or change their tune.

Edit: If I and likely most of us can't make political statements in our workplace, why is it acceptable for them to do so?

Because their workplace allows them to do it?

[Latrinsorm]

Simple solution, vote with your wallet. Stop buying gear, stop buying tickets, change the channel, move on. When enough people do that and it hurts them enough, they will either get fired, stop being highlighted and/or change their tune. Edit: If I and likely most of us can't make political statements in our workplace, why is it acceptable for them to do so?

NFL players (and other athletes) are forced to make a political statement because the national anthem is played in their workplace. Sit, stand, kneel, salute, don't show up... all of these are political statements. If the national anthem was played in your workplace, you would logically be afforded the same acceptance.

Trump is only making such an outrage to rally his uneducated 'Murica base. It almost feels like Trump (and the Republican party in general) is focusing on fringe, divisive issues so that people don't talk about the many elephants in the room.

From Bryan Curtis at the Ringer:

"The last time Trump talked about Colin Kaepernick was March 20—the day James Comey announced that the FBI was investigating the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Similarly, last night’s rant came hours after Senator John McCain sank the Graham-Cassidy bill—the latest, and maybe last, attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act."

[~Rocktar~]

NFL players (and other athletes) are forced to make a political statement because the national anthem is played in their workplace. Sit, stand, kneel, salute, don't show up... all of these are political statements. If the national anthem was played in your workplace, you would logically be afforded the same acceptance.

If you work at a Catholic Health Hospital, you are aware that you will hear Christian prayers and see Christian symbols about your workplace. If you work at the DNC then you are aware that you will see Liberal/Socialist stuff about. If you work at a titty bar, you are aware that you will see titties. All of these places have parts of their workplace that express religious, political and/or social views and people are free to work there or not. If you work for the NFL or other organization where the standard of performance is the playing of the national anthem in your workplace and that standing during it is a previously expected standard of performance, then you again can make the choice to work there or not. If you work in a profession with certain standards of performance and you do not meet them, then you should lose your job. The only reason this is an issue is that a mediocre NFL quarterback of mixed racial origin chose to self identify as black and as a self entitled, spoiled brat, like many other "celebrities" before him, chose to make an asinine political "statement" without thinking about the repercussions. Now people have called him out about it and his response is the typical "racism".

Others have chosen to join him and they too can face the repercussions. If you won't stand for the anthem, then perhaps you need to not reap the rewards of the nation who's anthem you refuse to respect. He has the right to do what he wants, no one has questioned that other than the Left imagining it in their fevered little brains. We also have the right to not watch, pay for or subsidize him. And just like the advertisers that can remove advertising from so called "controversial" youtube channels, we can do the same. NFL stars, celebrities and politicians are all our employees and we can hold them to a standard with our money and votes if only we are strong enough to do so.

[Latrinsorm]

If you work at a Catholic Health Hospital, you are aware that you will hear Christian prayers and see Christian symbols about your workplace. If you work at the DNC then you are aware that you will see Liberal/Socialist stuff about. If you work at a titty bar, you are aware that you will see titties. All of these places have parts of their workplace that express religious, political and/or social views and people are free to work there or not. If you work for the NFL or other organization where the standard of performance is the playing of the national anthem in your workplace and that standing during it is a previously expected standard of performance, then you again can make the choice to work there or not. If you work in a profession with certain standards of performance and you do not meet them, then you should lose your job.

There are a couple things wrong here. First, at no point has any NFL player ever had in their contract (i.e. their expected standard of performance) that they would stand during the national anthem, any more than any NFL player has ever had in their contract that they be an American citizen. Sebastian Janikowski is playing in his one thousandth year in the NFL and is a Polish citizen, for example. Second, the NFL has a monopoly, which cannot be said for any hospital, political organization, or adult entertainment facility. Monopolies are not comparable to free markets, because they are monopolies, not free markets.

The only reason this is an issue is that a mediocre NFL quarterback of mixed racial origin chose to self identify as black and as a self entitled, spoiled brat, like many other "celebrities" before him, chose to make an asinine political "statement" without thinking about the repercussions. Now people have called him out about it and his response is the typical "racism". Others have chosen to join him and they too can face the repercussions. If you won't stand for the anthem, then perhaps you need to not reap the rewards of the nation who's anthem you refuse to respect. He has the right to do what he wants, no one has questioned that other than the Left imagining it in their fevered little brains. We also have the right to not watch, pay for or subsidize him. And just like the advertisers that can remove advertising from so called "controversial" youtube channels, we can do the same. NFL stars, celebrities and politicians are all our employees and we can hold them to a standard with our money and votes if only we are strong enough to do so.

Neither NFL stars nor celebrities are strictly speaking our employees, but your point stands. Why do you suppose, then, that no NFL player has suffered any repercussions for this behavior? You declare Kaepernick a mediocre player, so his current lack of employment is irrelevant. Isn't the simplest explanation that the majority of the country actually doesn't mind this? The NFL is before anything else a business, and it is run by the owners, approximately half of whom have amassed over a billion dollars.
Surely you can concede that they know more about the business of business than you or I, yes?
Surely you can agree they have taken no steps whatsoever to litigate this behavior, yes?
Surely you can recognize that they have even sent their mouthpiece to criticize your criticism, yes?

How long until you realize that this is not a left vs. right issue? Not a 50/50 proposition? That you are in fact in the dwindling minority?

Step out of the echo chamber from time to time. It will do your ears good, at least.

[~Rocktar~]

There are a couple things wrong here. First, at no point has any NFL player ever had in their contract (i.e. their expected standard of performance) that they would stand during the national anthem, any more than any NFL player has ever had in their contract that they be an American citizen. Sebastian Janikowski is playing in his one thousandth year in the NFL and is a Polish citizen, for example. Second, the NFL has a monopoly, which cannot be said for any hospital, political organization, or adult entertainment facility. Monopolies are not comparable to free markets, because they are monopolies, not free markets.

Stating facts not in evidence. Neither you or I have full knowledge of all NFL player contracts. Also, I am sure that there is some behavior or meeting standards clause in their contracts.
One does not have to be a citizen to stand for the national anthem. For example, note the Ravens and Jaguar players today in Wembley Stadium.
The status of the NFL as a monopoly does not preclude the fact that should you chose to work for them, you must meet their standards of employment.

Neither NFL stars nor celebrities are strictly speaking our employees, but your point stands. Why do you suppose, then, that no NFL player has suffered any repercussions for this behavior? You declare Kaepernick a mediocre player, so his current lack of employment is irrelevant. Isn't the simplest explanation that the majority of the country actually doesn't mind this?

Again, stating facts not in evidence. You do not know if there have been any repercussions. No, the simplest explanation is that the NFL and people in it live in a bubble and the lost ticket sales and revenue have not yet reached sufficient levels to burst that bubble. There have indeed been comments and concern expressed by several owners so far even with some owners continuing to support the entitled "protesters".

The NFL is before anything else a business, and it is run by the owners, approximately half of whom have amassed over a billion dollars.
Surely you can concede that they know more about the business of business than you or I, yes?
Surely you can agree they have taken no steps whatsoever to litigate this behavior, yes?
Surely you can recognize that they have even sent their mouthpiece to criticize your criticism, yes?

They may know more about their business, however that does not invalidate anything I have said.
Again stating facts not in evidence, the lack of public knowledge of any litigation does not guarantee that it has not happened and more importantly does not mean that it will not.
Sending Goodell out to voice an opinion that differs from mine has no bearing on the issue.

How long until you realize that this is not a left vs. right issue? Not a 50/50 proposition? That you are in fact in the dwindling minority?

Step out of the echo chamber from time to time. It will do your ears good, at least.

At no time did I say that it is a Left/Right issue, you did. I saw it as an entitled brat showed his ass in "protest" got called out on it and then doubled down crying "racism".

If I am in the minority and I am a conservative and you are again positioning yourself with the "majority" then you are indeed conceding that you are the Liberal that we all know you to be, correct?

Further, arguing to the majority is not an argument. At one time, Lord Kelvin was quoted "Radio has no future." "X-rays are clearly a hoax". "The aeroplane is scientifically impossible." Just because you state something that appears to be so called "common knowledge" does not make it true.

Next irrational spewage disguised as "rational" argument?