I don't see it as a bad result if fewer people watch the NFL. We apparently have a significant demographic in the fanbase who see the concerns black players have about their own civil protections as fundamentally illegitimate and yet are still happy to come pay good money to watch those players give each other debilitating concussions. If the NFL passes away, maybe our future gifted athletes will apply themselves to sports where their health and their dignity are less compromised.
Good grief you've got your head wrapped around the axle. The fanbase is pissed that these players are doing it during the national anthem. That's disrespectful to many people for many legitimate reasons. Somehow you twist that into the fanbase not caring about black players' civil protections.
How do you guys feel about young children learning to stand and put their hand over their heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance in school? Should they be taught to show respect by standing and putting their hand over their heart, or dump all traditions if they don't want to?
I did not find fault on any sides of the issue-- players, owners, fans-- until Trump got himself involved. It's the same feeling I had with the Jamele Hill situation when Trump's spokesperson Sarah Sanders called her voicing of anti-Trump sentiments a "fireable offense." The First Amendment is a restraint on government action against free expression, particularly of political opinions. In this case, a player is free to express his opinion via protest, a team is free to associate or not associate itself with such a player, and fans are free to voice their approval or disapproval of the team and player and vote with their dollars. None of this is problematic to me. However, when the President of the United State and his officials gets involved calling for punishment of some sort (even if not a sentence from a court), it closer to the realm of governmental action and it starts to bother me. I am fine with Trump or his officials saying that the protests are stupid or offensive, or even the players are morons, but to suggest that the players get fired or fans boycott the NFL's business just does not feel right.
Isn't there a difference from not doing the Pledge because you don't want to and pointedly refraining from the Pledge to make a political statement?
As much as the faux outrage from people about the NFL players protesting during the anthem bugs me, a small part of me would not mind seeing the NFL as a whole financially contract because these people actually end up boycotting. The fewer kids playing peewee and HS ball the better in my opinion. Let the kids play basketball, soccer and even rugby.
I am talking about young children in Elementary School. Do you think they should be taught the tradition of facing the flag, standing, putting their hand over their heart and saying the pledge of allegiance?
I've stepped in puddles deeper than your understanding of this issue. Changing gears; hear it from the mouths of the originators. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/...tball-protests.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur Of course it shouldn't baffle him why this flew right over the Trump voters' heads.
if anything, they should be taught to respect their teachers first lol....kids these days have no respect
[QUOTE ="Azadre, post: 11324752, member: 2805"]I think that explicitly is a dumb practice that serves no purpose.[/QUOTE] OK, well I see it means nothing to you. That's your right obviously, but I feel it is important to teach children to respect the flag, their country, and the traditions and meaning behind it. When they grow up they will obviously have their own ideals, and those may be to choose to move to another country, or love this country. They may choose to fight for their rights, whether in protest, or in defense, such as the military. But, I feel just like teaching children good manners, teaching them basic respect is important.
I'm confused. So for the people that attended Trump's rally in Alabama, it's a complete travesty for athletes to kneel during the national anthem because it's disrespectful toward the flag, the country etc. But on the other hand, it's perfectly okay to use/wave confederate flags, have revisionist confederate monuments on government buildings & schools and somehow that's not being disrespectful toward the flag, the country?
I hate that Trump made those comments. I like that Villanueva's jersey sales skyrocketed. I enjoy sports because they are usually not political. This wasn't my favotite weekend but i did think the Texans were classy before their game.
Countries all over the world have similar traditions, and I am not talking communist nations. Do you really think it is communist for your child to learn how to respect the flag of the nation they live in? People from nations all over the world stand in pride when their country's flag is raised, and many sing the anthem as well. It's not just Americans or communists.
I find it funny that you have MLK Jr in your profile, quoting him proudly, but people said the same things about him as well. In fact, the entire Civil Rights Movement was seen as disprespect, blah blah blah and mostly "Not the right time." It's a peaceful protest, there is nothing wrong with it. Period. It's pretty sad, isn't it? Trump readily calls these people disrespectful towards America and calls the White Supremacist "fine people" and people wonder why many think he's racist?
