Opinions on the NFL National Anthem Protests

I'm done. Agree with Jen. And I used to LOVE watching Pro sports. I will burn my Raiders jersey and record on social media. These asshats learned nothing from ESPN.

 

No one cared about this much til after Trump tweeted about it. So to get back at Trump, they kneel. They could give a shit about the high numbers of Blacks killing other Blacks. I hate the media too. I've hated the media for years even before Trump for their fake news, real news they choose not to cover, and blatant lies and biased liberal bullshit.

 

hahaha. Fans like you get beat up at Raider games.

 

Normally I'd get bothered by this comment, but with this political bullshit going on in the NFL, I am glad they lost the other day. Only Derek Carr didn't kneel.

But still yeah, dorky guys like you do get beat up at Raider games, and the Universe is well off because of it.

 

Most people who lean right don't want ANY of the politics in Sports. That's the real issue, although I do see how many see it as disrespectful towards Veterans too. I'm just done, and happy to boycott these asshats now. I spend a lot of money on NFL merchandise and watching games to, but no more.

 

Do you see the irony in these two statements?

Authors of books and songs have purposes behind them--aka 'authorial intention'. The Star-Spangled Banner represents something specifically. If someone comes along and says, "well, that's not what it represents to me," their opinion has no bearing on the actual meaning of the song.

This is why I think the players aren't very intelligent--at least when it comes to making their point here. They're protesting their flawed opinion of what the flag represents. Meanwhile, the rest of the country, who know what the flag and the anthem actually represent, look at the players, assume the players know what the flag and anthem represent, and assume that's what they're protesting against, to which they naturally say, "f*** the players." And who can blame them?

 

As a protest of my own I decided the money I'm not buying NFL merch with I will use to purchase right wing gear. Bought an American flag shirt from Breitbart last night, so I will be rocking that in public soon.

 

Boycotts are just a combination of two first amendment freedoms--freedom of speech and freedom to peacefully assemble. Fundamentally, a boycott is no different than a Kickstarter campaign in reverse. Everyone has a right to free speech, but they don't have a right to have zero consequences as a result of that speech. When you choose to take a public stand on a controversial issue, it's going to come with a cost, no matter which side you take. The NFL's ratings are down double-digits from last year, and that's on them ... not on some aggressive, organized boycott effort.

 

@CassTeaElle, you make some great points and I'm glad someone mature and level-headed started this inevitable thread.

I voted yes, they absolutely do have the right to kneel during the national anthem, because it is just dishonest and stubborn to argue against that. And it frustrates me to no end when I see people try to rebut that fact. But I strongly believe that the "It's their right to protest" narrative is distracting us from the real issue, the thing that actually has so many people entrenched in their side of the argument and unwilling to listen to each other (which by the way has prompted me to take a 30 day leave of absence from Facebook as I cannot deal with any more ignorance at this point). But the real issue, at least from the way I see it, is symbolism versus intent.

Taking a knee during the national anthem is symbolism. It says, in the protesting players' eyes, that there is a glaring injustice in this country, primarily with the law enforcement system, without actually saying it. But people so quick to defend that form of symbolism need to realize that it goes both ways. More often than not, during these NFL games over the last several years, the announcer specifically mentions the honoring of those who fought and died in the line of military duty when presenting the flag and asking for everyone to rise and remove their caps. Those of us who have been to these games have seen the overwhelming military influence during the playing of the national anthem. Standing and honoring the flag, the anthem, and military is its own form of symbolism. And I'm sorry, but kneeling during a ceremony which primarily recognizes the flag and the military is just bad optics if your platform is law enforcement issues. Regardless of the players' intent, and regardless of how many times they say they aren't against the flag nor the military, taking a knee during this time does more to say "F you" to the flag and the military than it ever does to condemn police brutality or Donald Trump's stupid comments.

So what I'm trying to say is, every American has the right to peacefully protest any issue they deem unfair and unjust. I served this country to defend those rights. But if you're going to use symbolism to make a point, you should probably be more direct and coherent with the symbolism you want to use. Otherwise, it's going to fall on deaf ears (or in this case, pissed off patriots). To deny how their actions look is as dishonest as denying that they have the right to do so.

 

Saying stick to sports is such a bad, bad take. These guys have a platform they worked hard to get and should use it how they see fit. Also sports have always been intertwined with politics, and always will be.