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NFL’s Proposed National Anthem Rules: Penalties for Kneeling Being Considered

The misson was to get attention - not enlighten people about anything in particular. Attention accomplished.
 
We told them how we felt if they continued acting like thugs.

th
th


But then again, we should have been expecting it all along.....

th
 
The nfl is cutting any remaining ties.
Cannot see this going well when the season starts. The media will blow this up
 
I think this is a fair solution to the matter. If you dont want to come out. Don't come out. Which was the Steelers position on the weekend after the Son of a ***** comment. This decision says we will not force our players to do something but we will not annoy our fans with a protest that many find disrespectful. The only thing is that while I believe the anthem flap was part of the ratings drop I dont think it was the only part.
 
The only thing is that while I believe the anthem flap was part of the ratings drop I dont think it was the only part.

You're right, that wasn't the only reason by far. The ****** brand of football they are trotting out there week after week is also a big contributor. And that part will only get worse. Just wait until they start ejecting people for hitting too hard this year. A sack on Brady will probably be an automatic ejection under the new targeting standards.

And speaking of Tom Brady, the fact that fans of the other 31 teams can plainly see that the league office and refs are blatantly trying to get the Patriots every win possible can't be helping matters anyway when it comes to fan support.
 
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I think this is a fair solution to the matter. If you dont want to come out. Don't come out. Which was the Steelers position on the weekend after the Son of a ***** comment. This decision says we will not force our players to do something but we will not annoy our fans with a protest that many find disrespectful. The only thing is that while I believe the anthem flap was part of the ratings drop I dont think it was the only part.


A better solution might be for the NFL to announce that all team members will remain in the locker room with no cameras or reporters until after the anthem is played. Not sure that would keep the media from continuing to stir the pot though.
 
A better solution might be for the NFL to announce that all team members will remain in the locker room with no cameras or reporters until after the anthem is played. Not sure that would keep the media from continuing to stir the pot though.
Something about that annoys me. Because some ******** want to be dicks, put them all in a time out room. I like the idea of letting the protesters stay in the locker room and let everyone see who it was. A lot of players like to show their respect for flag and country.
 
the bottom line is playing football is a job. The owners are the players bosses and can set a conduct policy. The main issue i have is how is kneeling or protesting during the anthem actually accomplishing anything. if players were all that concerned they would find a more productive way to help. goto communities and talk to youths. Almost every case of police killing someone started with that person breaking the law. if you don't break the law the chances of you getting shot by a cop are slim to none. if you get pulled over unjustly don't act like an *******. maybe the cops were told to be ok the lookout for a certain type of vehicle. i am sure some cops are racist or have ego issues or whatever but it's best to be polite and live another day.
 
What's this protest about??????


AND



What strides have been made in regards of this protest??????





Salute the nation
 
I suppose we agree that the protest is not doing what it was intended, despite disagreeing with the player's rights to do so.

I posted this in the hockey forum, but I will post it here, because PK Subban vowed never to kneel for an anthem and even came up with a solution that he implemented this season:

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news...sets-an-example-for-all-the-anthem-protestors

I think the NFLPA should be talking about solutions, and using this as an example would be a good first step.
 
I suppose we agree that the protest is not doing what it was intended, despite disagreeing with the player's rights to do so.

I posted this in the hockey forum, but I will post it here, because PK Subban vowed never to kneel for an anthem and even came up with a solution that he implemented this season:

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news...sets-an-example-for-all-the-anthem-protestors

I think the NFLPA should be talking about solutions, and using this as an example would be a good first step.

I question whether there are solutions to this. We are a divided country. Short of a 9/11 disaster or a Pearl harbor, I just don't know if we can ever be united. I sometimes question if we ever really were, or ever were in my 50+ years, anyway. Our political class wants us divided, as that is how they think they can best get votes, on either side. Or as in this issue, people take a stand and common sense goes out the window. One side has a hard time even admitting that there has been occasions of police brutality against African-Americans, while the other side bases the whole protest off of a false premise with the Michael Brown situation. And that is where it all started. How the hell do you find a solution in there? Nobody is dealing in reality.
 
They still possess the right as a person, not a player, to protest. They aren’t going to face criminal charges if they kneel for the Anthem. The NFL isn’t obligated to provide a venue for their protest and I suspect that is really what some people are upset about.
 
One side has a hard time even admitting that there has been occasions of police brutality against African-Americans,

I never got this feeling. I think they just know that brutality was against whites, etc. too.

Too many people singling out issues and twisting them to fit a agenda.

I think people have it wrong. I think there is equality and equal opportunity for every color.

There is just individual racism of every color.

But for some reason everything is discounted but the one agenda of whites mistreating blacks.

I think people sheep into what the media wants them too. You really have to think outside of the box to see an accurate picture.

Conditions in some other countries make this countries issues look microscopic.

But yet there is the 10 o'clock news and social media painting different pictures. And people getting too wrapped up in this and that.

While bigger issues are ignored...........
 
Saw this on another site.

Actually....
…there is grounds to rebut your assertion that "…a private employer can mandate any policy it sees fit as terms of employment, period."
Third Circuit’s ruling in Novosel v. Nationwide Ins. Co., 721 F.2d 894 (3d Cir. 1983), in which the court found a violation of public policy where an employer terminated an employee for refusing to participate in the employer’s political activities (lobbying efforts). The critical distinction here, obviously,*is that speech relating to matters of*public concern*may be subject to protection,*while speech concerning exclusively private matters, even matters relating to employment, may not. (emphasis added)

So, if the NFLPA does take the NFL to court in regards to this new policy, I would expect that they would use this ruling as part of the basis for their suit. I wouldn't expect the suit to commence until the preseason though since you can't bring a case like this in Federal court until "actual harm" has occurred. Expect a few players to challenge the policy by kneeling during the anthem before a preseason game.

Also, being well educated Citizens; and being aware that a private employer can not act as an agent of the government without accruing the same restrictions placed upon the government. I would expect the NFLPA to argue that the NFL did not start the "patriotic displays" until they received contracts from the military to do so. Thus making them an "agent" of the U.S. government. The fact that the NFL stopped accepting payments last year would be irrelevant under the NFLPA's reasoning, since the agency had already been created.
Further, I'd assume that the NFLPA would argue that the NFL was acting as an agent of the government when it enacted the new policy since the U.S. President had threatened to start proceedings to remove the tax exempt status of the league if it did not enact a policy he found suitable in regard to tempering or removing the protests altogether.

As far as the "time, place and manner" exceptions to freedom of speech. Such exceptions have only been enforced by the courts when they are seen as "reasonable". One of the major determining factors in regards to whether the exceptions being asserted are reasonable is "public safety". In this instance, I would expect the NFLPA to argue that the exceptions do not apply as the kneeling players are not engaging in activities that cause potential harm (physical, not emotional) to the public. i.e. being upset/mad/incensed because players kneel does not rise to the level of physical harm.

The NFL opened this can of worms when they accepted payments from the military for these patriotic displays/recruiting opportunities AND required players to be on the field for them. If they hadn't accepted the payments, it would be harder to make the case for an "agency" relationship. If they hadn't required players to participate, it would be harder to say that they were requiring their employees to engage in activities in support of their political views.
 
the NFL is an employer. When the players put on their respective uniforms, they are faces of their employer, just as you or I am representing our employer if we are at a company function on the clock.
if the NFL says their employees cannot do an act on the job, then the players should understand that they are not allowed to do this while on the job.

the players are stating that the NFL is curtailing their 1st amendment rights...which has been pointed out to not be the case. I cannot converse with clients and interject about police brutality, since it does not have anything to do with my job.

What also should be understood is that everyone in America knows that there are some **** bags in police uniforms. Yet, 99% of the men and women on the police forces are not racist, sexist **** bags. The vast majority of which just want to do their jobs and go home to their families. Being a cop is one of the most stressful jobs in the country, since these people absolutely may not go home at the end of their shift. Most of America has no idea how this must impact a person's mentality. Yes, they can quit or retire, or change jobs if the stress is too overwhelming, but that isn't the topic.

On the flip side, most NFL fans can also see that 99% of the players are good guys. There are some **** bags (looking at you, Burfict and Michael Bennett), but that doesn't detract from the fact that most NFL guys are just doing their jobs. We don't see fans taking a knee when Bennett or Burfict make a tackle or sack. Maybe we should? Yet the players, oddly enough, rally around each other just as police officers rally around each other.

I just wish someone would tell me precisely when the national anthem became the rallying cry for supporting the police. I've always understood the national anthem as a song for unity among everyone in this country, despite race, sex, income status, etc and a way to show respect to the people who fought for, died for and others who continue the fight to allow us to live in this country and experience the freedoms that are not so available to people in other countries.
 
Actually....
…there is grounds to rebut your assertion that "…a private employer can mandate any policy it sees fit as terms of employment, period."
Third Circuit’s ruling in Novosel v. Nationwide Ins. Co., 721 F.2d 894 (3d Cir. 1983), in which the court found a violation of public policy where an employer terminated an employee for refusing to participate in the employer’s political activities (lobbying efforts). The critical distinction here, obviously,*is that speech relating to matters of*public concern*may be subject to protection,*while speech concerning exclusively private matters, even matters relating to employment, may not. (emphasis added)

Reading this however, I think there is a difference between your employer requiring you to participate in political activity and your employer not allowing you to participate in political activity on your own on company time in the workplace.
 
Maybe these millionaire athletes should do their protests in their own time?

Most of us if we protest at our jobs it wouldn’t go over very well.
 
Maybe these millionaire athletes should do their protests in their own time?

Most of us if we protest at our jobs it wouldn’t go over very well.

Look: Antonio Brown takes knee in Instagram post following NFL's new anthem policy
https://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/1550378

He’s pathetic too.

Go find another job AB

I'm sure you realize that you contradicted yourself. AB did EXACTLY what you said he should do. He took a knee on his "own time". So, now he's "pathetic" and should go "find another job"? Apparently, it's not the time, place or manner of the protest you find offensive, but rather, the protest itself. If that's the case, you should just say so.
 
I suppose we agree that the protest is not doing what it was intended, despite disagreeing with the player's rights to do so.

I posted this in the hockey forum, but I will post it here, because PK Subban vowed never to kneel for an anthem and even came up with a solution that he implemented this season:

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news...sets-an-example-for-all-the-anthem-protestors

I think the NFLPA should be talking about solutions, and using this as an example would be a good first step.

Takes a Canadian Eh!!!!!!! But in all seriousness sports should bring people together and here you have a guy trying to do that. Real actions speak louder than words or gestures that piss a lot of people off and create more division.
 
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Reading this however, I think there is a difference between your employer requiring you to participate in political activity and your employer not allowing you to participate in political activity on your own on company time in the workplace.

There most definitely is a difference. Except for the fact that the NFL "REQUIRED" the players to participate in the ceremonies before the protests. And then, when the protest bonfire started raging, changed it up. Personally, I could care less how this all plays out other than a curiosity regarding the Constitutional issues at play. I would also imagine the fact that the NFL allowed Tebow to take a knee several times in protest of abortion will come into play. It should all be interesting should the NFLPA sue.
 
He’s pathetic too.

Go find another job AB

If the whole team does this on their time I am good with it. For one like Buck mentioned it was on their time.

Two that would be a good start, and I would support a collective effort (all colors) to realize it takes a group effort to make a difference.

I am never against peaceful on peoples own time protests.

Hopefully they would attack a lot of issues. But yeah.........
 
It appeared as though the whole "ANTHEM" positioning was near a closed subject UNTIL now with the new rule change it is famed fire out of control again. The NFL has short sightedness and will find this to be a thorn once again. Cope's hockey dude definately is approaching this the right way and I wonder why many many others can't actually do something / protests something. In a way that actually will make a difference. UNITY is the main ingredient to change and right now this whole kneel / anthem thing is doing the exact opposite.!!!!!!!!!




Salute the nation
 
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