Roger Goodell tells NFL owners ‘everyone should stand for the national anthem’

[WskyDK]

If it was just a piece of cloth, it wouldn’t be wrapped around the caskets of dead servicemen and women on their way home.

What about the fabric inside the coffin, where’s your reverence for that?

[De Lupe]

Seriously. The irony of these people is it's their idiotic outrage that has largely made these protests effective in forcing a discussion about the issue. It's also exposed their hypocrisy that they care little for the actual rights of other people and instead want a big brother esque don't question the ritual obey or be punished type approach.

I grew up in a military house and I see nothing wrong with what the players are doing. The only reason this has become "an issue" (and I use that term lightly given how much of a non-issue this is) is because people are nosy busy-bodies who can't mind their own damn business and feel the overbearing need to police every tiny little thing that doesn't match their world view.

The fact that the government is getting involved in this at all is an EMBARRASSMENT to how big this non-issue has become.

[hrugner]

I watch the NFL to see football. The players represent their teams when theyre wearing the uniforms. Gotta abide by the rules or maybe go make your millions somewhere else if ya don’t like the rules. They’re not on a platform to express their beliefs, they’re paid professionals representing their teams and the league as a whole. Shut up and play football.

How much game time and game news coverage is being spent on this stuff?

[Halicia]

There are plenty of veterans and soldiers who support kneeling or sitting during the anthem because the right to do so is what they fought for. Not a fuckin' piece of cloth. What it represents.

I'm one of them.

Civilians need to understand that Military members don't get to choose what they fight for. It's the role of Civilians to make their will known, and if peaceful protests like this are suppressed, then the military will be used against their own interests, and not in support of it.

[oplawlz]

Wow imagine what we could get done if people used all of this outrage energy towards things that actually mattered.

Right? Those paid entertainers could be doing so much more.

[Calfredd]

Right? Those paid entertainers could be doing so much more.

I might be wrong but I think he was talking the people raising an over-exaggerated stink over this.

[ShimmerSwirl]

Only a matter of time before this happened. The 'dollar' vs 'PC social justice' battle is won by the dollar.

[Dextroden]

I might be wrong but I think he was talking the people raising an over-exaggerated stink over this.

It's Boomzy. I'm confident they mean ALL the outrage pouring in, pro and anti kneeling.

This is a delightful shitshow.

[Tiwack]

Kneeling or standing you can't win either way. Apparently a flag and national anthem has feelings and how people choose to show their respect will always vary depending on the degree at which they're willing to give a damn about it in the first place. Trying to force people into submission is some fascist shit.

[Calfredd]

It's Boomzy. I'm confident they mean ALL the outrage pouring in, pro and anti kneeling.

This is a delightful shitshow.

I don't really have a side in this fight so I never really paid attention to it which is why I said I might be wrong. Assuming nothing terrible happens, as long as it's entertaining then by all means really.

[s_bushido]

Where did all the "it's just a flag, bro" guys who showed up when the Confederate flag was the hot topic disappear to this time?

[Aehl]

No one is suppressing anything.

It comes down to this.

These virtue signalling NFL players are doing the one thing they cant afford to do: piss off the public. These characters can "take a knee" all they like, but then they will have to deal with the consequences.

Boycotts.

Advertisers pulling out..and if you think they wont be pressured by angry Anericans to not advertise in NFL time over this matter you are gravely mistaken.

Massive public disapproval..can anyone here spell lower ratings, empty seats? I will also add that the military fanbase will drop like a fucking stone if they do this....they can have their little "protest" as much as they like, no one will try and stop them.

But I wouldnt want to be them after they do this. Remember those lucrative sponsorships? Advertisers and companies wont touch them with a ten foot pole as they will be seen as the proverbial leper, no one will want to see a "star" who wont stand for the national anthem, and let me tell you right now, what they are doing is provoking a reaction on a visceral level that stands at the heart and core of the American people.

Their lord and master Trump ordered them to care.

No he didnt. What he did do was call attention to this petty little piece of posturing. Those tax breaks they get are a privilege..which can be taken away if they are abusing them or if their conduct is such that they can be revoked.

Why are people fighting for a flag instead of fighting for equality?

Expected as much from you. Id explain it but there is no way in hell you would EVER understand. BTW Mr Ace, my grandfather served overseas, my father in law in Libya in WW2 and my great grandfather fought at Passchaendale. We fought for our flag and for our freedoms..and that flag means those freedoms and also stands for the sacrifice of millions who fought and died.

It is your right to do whatever with the flag including burning it.

Look, I tell you what...here's a little experiment you can try any time you like it if you really want to see how people feel?

Go onto the middle of a city streeet in any part of the US, take a flag and step on it or set it alight.

You have every right to do just that, you are dead right. You also have the right to suffer the consequences of that action.

Pro tip: get ready to run like hell.

[Seranthor]

Shouldn't he be focused on the concussion problem instead of infringing on athlete's freedom of expression?

How exact is he infringing on anyone's freedom of expression? Pretty certain that you haven't bothered to look at the laws regarding speech.

[Dextroden]

I don't really have a side in this fight so I never really paid attention to it which is why I said I might be wrong. Assuming nothing terrible happens, as long as it's entertaining then by all means really.

In the center of a shitstorm of people who think they're more patriotic for standing and people who think they are fighting tyranny by kneeling during the anthem to piss off Trump, there are a legit group of people trying to show you can respect with a kneel.

But, the media focus is on the shitstorm, so nothing to do but enjoy it.

[shadowmatrix]

Step one of getting rid of free speech is progressing well.

[kyoloco]

Step one of getting rid of free speech is progressing well.

apparently only the second amendment matters

[Dextroden]

Step one of getting rid of free speech is progressing well.

And then this. Insanity rivaling "Obama is a secret Muslim" in amazingness.

[Aehl]

apparently only the second amendment matters

Your rights end where others begin. They can do as they please...and the public can also do as they please, i.e slam their wallets shut and turn them off.

You dont bite the hand that feeds you.

[Barnabas]

It's about time NFL owners and leadership showed some balls.

It's a no win situation for the players or the nfl. This problem started long before people like Kapernick wanted to take a knee. Congressman have been wanting to remove the protections the NFL have had for a long time. They have already been forced to pay taxes. The thing the public wants now is for taxpayers to stop giving the billions in subsidies. This will happen anyway. This will hurt them but not as much as the next thing. They kept their antitrust bargaining agreement. This is the golden ticket. The problem is if they keep pissing off the fans they have left since everyone else left over various other problems the NFL has then the antitrust is worthless without advertisers. People will blame trump for this like they blame him for the skidmarks in their underwear. I think they are giving him too much credit again.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

why are football players wasting time dealing with something they arnt going to change? in 27 years iv seen more racism from blacks to other blacks than anyone else to blacks.

What do you mean by racism? Black on black violence isn't topically racist and using the word nigger isn't 90% of the time.

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im pretty sure iv seen plenty of statistics to show black on black crimes, feel free to google them.

Black on black crime isn't racist.