Posted on 12/01/2014 7:41:03 PM PST by Phillyred
I guess life would be less complicated if we just left sports to be about the games.
I get it that a lot of people who watched Sunday’s NFL game between the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders were angered that Rams players Jared Cook, Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, Chris Givens and Tavon Austin made a visual statement about a polarizing social issue.
During the introduction of the St. Louis offense, the five players stopped near the tunnel and raised their arms in the universal sign of “I surrender.”
It was a statement about the recent grand jury decision not to indict Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson in the Aug. 9 shooting death of teenager Michael Brown. Wilson is white. Brown was African-American like the five players. Some witnesses to the shooting said Brown had his hands up and was surrendering when Wilson fatally shot him.
The grand jury decision not to indict Wilson for a trial set off a second series of protests - several that turned violent - and has re-opened a national debate about police and the value they place on the lives of African-Americans.
Still while I understand the position of those who say, this debate does not belong on a football field, I applaud the NFL for reportedly supporting our Constitution by deciding to not fine or discipline the Rams players for exercising their First Amendment rights.
In our society, sports, particularly televised sports, have become a powerful platform for addressing social issues.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
I guess it’s okay to insult cops in the NFL
How is the NFL ever going to punish anyone in the future for making any kind of overt political gesture?
They used extremely poor judgment but what can you expect from idiot football players?
Have they banned players praying yet?
How is the NFL ever going to punish anyone in the future for making any kind of overt political gesture?
The Fans have to stop being Stupid Fans and take their money elsewhere
So I guess you would be ok with the players running out onto the field and giving everyone the middle finger? Sure you would.
I suspect this “journalist” would be singing a different tune if instead, some of the players came out of the tunnel and supported Officer Wilson.
Of course how many of the players have gang affiliations from their younger days? Hmm . . .
Stupid ‘hands up’ gesture by a bunch of black millionaires. How about they put up or shut up and donate some of their millions to the burned-out business owners of Ferguson?
This is what the NFL wants. They have embraced the idiot-urban-gang culture as part of their marketing. It seems to be working, as the league is very popular. More dreads, more tattoos, more run-ins with the law. It will get worse.
They can do what they like and I can do the same by not watching the games or supporting their sponsors.
It go’s both. Ways.
Well heck no they shouldn’t be punished, after all it’s not like they offended Black people.
Sure it is OK to insult the police in the NFL. After all, it is their game and they can do with it what they want.
We just don’t have to watch it. We don’t have to purchase their merchandise. We do not have to purchase their sponsors products or services. Hell, we could all go to the races and bitch about NASCAR or Indy Car or AMA Racing or SCCA or ARCA.
But wait, that is what I do now. Damn! it is hard, real hard to boycott something, I do not use or watch.
If the national felons league lets ray rice play after punching a woman......well...good thing there’s college football.
I don’t think they need to be disciplined, either. They have a right to say whatever they want.
They also have the right to be criticized loudly for being a bunch of dumb idiots that have no idea what they are doing.
Simple: conservative political gestures are hate speech.
Well I do not give two hoots about that football team. But if I did, I would drop their sorry selves like a hot potato. So no formal discipline. But if they lose some fans then so be it.
All that respect for the First Amendment didn’t count for much when Rush Limbaugh wanted to buy into the NFL.
Other guys got suspended for tweeting in their own time opinions on other issues. Most notably the former Ram Michael Sam. It’s a one way street when it comes to ‘free speech’.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.