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Trump NFL Anthem Free Speech Protest and Willful Ignorance

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posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:29 AM
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First, to avoid drive by posts, see sig for disclaimers...

Unless you live under a frigging rock you know that yesterday N.Korea declared that they WILL hit the US with a nuclear weapon as soon as they are capable. They did this at the UN. You probably also know that the protest that began last NFL season continued into this one. The thing is, hardly anyone was talking about it anymore beyond week one which involved commentary on Colin Kapernik's lack of employment. So Putin's little jar of marmalade lube decides to take a match to a powder keg... brilliant. Didn't we used try to prepare for getting nuked?

The NFL is a private organization that has contracted with the US military to promote a pro military, hyper patriotic image. This is the prerogative of the NFL and no one is forced to work for them. However it does change up free speech issues for employees by creating a dynamic beyond 'no freedom from consequence', by bringing tax dollars, ideology and politics into the workplace. There's a compromise though, everyone must be on the field for the anthem but they don't have to participate. I was happy to see the owners, coaching staff, support staff and teams standing/kneeling in solidarity today. It made me feel like Bugs Bunny had put that lit powder keg behind Yosimite Sam's back while he had his eyes closed and ears plugged.

On an ethical level at least, Trump violated the US Constitution yesterday by suggesting a private business fire employees for exercising their 1st Amendment rights. There is only one thing that can threaten the 1st Amendment and that is the government. Trump happens to be the head of the government. It honestly makes me shake my head at how many people get this wrong and/or are willing to let the 1st be compromised just because they are offended by how other people exercise said right. His statement is also potentially a violation of federal law:


(a) Whoever, being a covered government person, with the intent to influence, solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation, an employment decision or employment practice of any private entity—
(1) takes or withholds, or offers or threatens to take or withhold, an official act, or
(2) influences, or offers or threatens to influence, the official act of another,
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 15 years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.
(b) In this section, the term “covered government person” means—
(1) a Senator or Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress;
(2) an employee of either House of Congress; or
(3) the President, Vice President, an employee of the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission, or any other executive branch employee (as such term is defined under section 2105 of title 5, United States Code).


Source

Why are they protesting? Stop asking if you're not going to accept the answer. You don't have to agree with the answer to accept it (even if there's plenty of supporting evidence), anyway...

A lot of people believe that our justice system is not as blind as it should be. That minorities, especially black men are disproportionately arrested and prosecuted, shot and/or killed by law enforcement and sentenced more harshly. Some professional athletes have decided to use their time on the national stage to bring attention the issue by kneeling to show that they are not represented equally by that anthem.

You should ask yourselves if you believed such, what would you do? Could you respect something that you felt not only didn't respect you but belligerently and actively disrespected you?



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:34 AM
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a reply to: Kali74

And you couldn't post this in an existing thread on this topic why?

You added nothing of value to the discussion.




posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:37 AM
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a reply to: Metallicus

Would you like a tissue?



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:37 AM
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i think it's a valid point. the other threads are trashed up with people going 'racism is over so there's no reason to protest' or some kind of equivalent. obviously that opinion is not shared by those of us who protest racism.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:39 AM
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originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: Metallicus

Would you like a tissue?


You're the one posting a rant.

The fact that someone like you dislikes me so much is reassuring.




edit on 2017/9/25 by Metallicus because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:41 AM
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a reply to: Metallicus

The day I give a fk about the opinion of a wanna be human that supports the murder of Heather Heyer... I'll let you know.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:42 AM
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Donald Trump ran for the presidency for one reason only. To find a larger group of buyers for his corporate brand.
He won.

And now he is declaring war on American sports corporations, ''tow my line or you will suffer''. I will lead my troups against you and your profits will tumble.

Donald Trump is a corporation. He is a corporate brand. His gaunlet, tossed on the ground at the sports corporations is corporate warfare. His motivation all along has been to alter the economic landscape in the US so that his brand can gain economic value.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:45 AM
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a reply to: TerryMcGuire

I think that's only part of it unfortunately.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:47 AM
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originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Kali74

And you couldn't post this in an existing thread on this topic why?

You added nothing of value to the discussion.



This topic has been hashed over a half dozen times today.
Funny thing though, your comment about adding Kali's post to an existing thread??
Why is it you did not object to the anti-player protesters thread that appeared just prior to this one.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:50 AM
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Thanks, I believe this adds value and needed it's own thread.




posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:51 AM
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a reply to: Kali74

From what you posted in the OP, there could be a pretty good argument that Trump broke the law in calling for the owners to fire the players.

I had no idea it was illegal for the president to try to get someone fired from their job because of their politics. It actually carries a 15 year jail sentence.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:54 AM
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originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: TerryMcGuire

I think that's only part of it unfortunately.



Ohhh, I agree, please feel free, go on.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:56 AM
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Here is the thing right or wrong these players have the ability to inspire and promote change. The people that argue against them using this platform either don't want change or want to remain blind to it.

I have seen a bunch of this across my news feed the last few days and honestly it's sad. I have seen comments such as " I watch football to get away from xyz..." Or "these rich ungrateful xyz's no respect, have it good why are they protesting" and so on and so forth ranging from comicly ignorant to racist garbage.

The reason these high profile players are protesting is for the people without a voice that cannot be heard. Its not that they are disrespecting America it's troops or even the law enforcement community as a whole, but that they are doing something that is all honesty is as American as baseball and Apple pie all out together, they are fighting g for the rights of a minority group that is being subjugated and treated as second class citizens.

While it is true we have came a long long way in the last 100 year's, it is also true that we still have a long way to go before we as Americans are all treated equally without regards to the color of our skin, the God we pray to or who's hole we want to poke.

Was this the best platform? Maybe maybe not but it has gotten people talking so it is working.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 12:58 AM
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a reply to: underwerks

It's another gray area I think because of this part of the law:



solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation


So while it violate the spirit of both this law and the 1st, it doesn't technically. Though I'm no lawyer.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 01:02 AM
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originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Kali74

And you couldn't post this in an existing thread on this topic why?

You added nothing of value to the discussion.



Trump-BOYCOTT NFL teams whose players refuse to stand for the National Anthem - posted on Sep, 23 2017 @ 11:58 AM

Hitting ESPN Where It Hurts Most - posted on Sep, 23 2017 @ 08:07 PM

Gosh. I wonder why the author of the second thread didn't just post in the first?



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 01:07 AM
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a reply to: crimsongod21

Well said and obviously I agree but it is their free speech to disagree and to state why it offends them (sorry for generalizing). My greatest concern here is that we have for the first time I can remember, the actual government attacking the free speech of private entities... and way too many Americans supporting this attack.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 01:09 AM
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We know, we know, Trump bad.



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 01:12 AM
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a reply to: theantediluvian

Maybe it was my lame lube joke?



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 01:23 AM
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originally posted by: crimsongod21
Here is the thing right or wrong these players have the ability to inspire and promote change. The people that argue against them using this platform either don't want change or want to remain blind to it.

I have seen a bunch of this across my news feed the last few days and honestly it's sad. I have seen comments such as " I watch football to get away from xyz..." Or "these rich ungrateful xyz's no respect, have it good why are they protesting" and so on and so forth ranging from comicly ignorant to racist garbage.

The reason these high profile players are protesting is for the people without a voice that cannot be heard. Its not that they are disrespecting America it's troops or even the law enforcement community as a whole, but that they are doing something that is all honesty is as American as baseball and Apple pie all out together, they are fighting g for the rights of a minority group that is being subjugated and treated as second class citizens.

While it is true we have came a long long way in the last 100 year's, it is also true that we still have a long way to go before we as Americans are all treated equally without regards to the color of our skin, the God we pray to or who's hole we want to poke.

Was this the best platform? Maybe maybe not but it has gotten people talking so it is working.


the moment they hitched their protest onto the national anthem was the moment this protest went wrong. many people were raised saluting the flag and reciting the national anthem from the day they entered school and some earlier. its a time where u put away any and all differences and stand as one to honor the sacrifices others have made so that liberty and freedom is afforded to every individual. so by holding the protest during the national anthem they instantly have offended a good many people who are not rascist, have never been rascist, and fight for equality and are constantly striving to improve this world. this is the key thing that most people miss and if they had avoided there would be little controversy over their protest and far more support from the vast majority of people.
edit on 25-9-2017 by TheScale because: (no reason given)

edit on 25-9-2017 by TheScale because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 25 2017 @ 01:28 AM
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originally posted by: TerryMcGuire

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Kali74

And you couldn't post this in an existing thread on this topic why?

You added nothing of value to the discussion.



This topic has been hashed over a half dozen times today.
Funny thing though, your comment about adding Kali's post to an existing thread??
Why is it you did not object to the anti-player protesters thread that appeared just prior to this one.


And it goes further than that.


Fortune
But Trump’s plan was typically audacious and risky. Rather than organically grow a new league, he hoped to force an immediate merger with the NFL, which would provide huge returns for surviving USFL team owners. That goal hinged in part on an antitrust lawsuit alleging the NFL was an unlawful monopoly.

But things didn’t go Trump’s way. While the USFL technically won the antitrust case, the jury concluded mismanagement was mostly at fault for its problems. There was no merger and no buyouts. By 1986, the USFL was finished.


So not only did he advocate players being fired for their beliefs, he also has an old grudge with the NFL. The entity he just said should be boycotted.




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