Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: Ben on May 23, 2018, 01:17:20 PM
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This topic has faded well into the background, and I hadn't thought about it since the initial brouhaha until I saw this article. I have to wonder why the NFL decided to do this now, after the whole thing had somewhat faded from the public's eye.
My first thought would be PR to counteract sinking ratings and revenue. I'll be curious to see if this helps their public image or if it will be looked at as "too little, too late".
https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2018/05/23/trump-wins-again-nfl-changes-national-anthem-policy-to-show-respect-of-the-flag/
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This topic has faded well into the background, and I hadn't thought about it since the initial brouhaha until I saw this article. I have to wonder why the NFL decided to do this now, after the whole thing had somewhat faded from the public's eye.
My first thought would be PR to counteract sinking ratings and revenue. I'll be curious to see if this helps their public image or if it will be looked at as "too little, too late".
https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2018/05/23/trump-wins-again-nfl-changes-national-anthem-policy-to-show-respect-of-the-flag/
Can't speak to anyone else, but for me, it's "too little, too late." They discovered that rolling left hurt them and they are trying to pretend they didn't pick sides.
Sorry, NFL, but you lost your status as "politics-free entertainment". You're never getting that back.
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Can't speak to anyone else, but for me, it's "too little, too late." They discovered that rolling left hurt them and they are trying to pretend they didn't pick sides.
Sorry, NFL, but you lost your status as "politics-free entertainment". You're never getting that back.
Same here. Too little too late. I’m very unlikely to ever watch an NFL game again.
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And, of course, the NFL Players Association disagrees.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dd5VLO_X4AASNl_.jpg)
*expletive deleted*ck 'em. Let them strike, and make it permanent. I'm sure there are plenty of talented patriots out there who would love to have an NFL salary.
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Sounds like they're not happy about that "policy." I can't bring myself to "care."
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This just in: Roger Goodell is doing crack.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23582533/nfl-owners-approve-new-national-anthem-policy
In a statement accompanying the announcement, Goodell said the league wanted to eliminate criticism that suggested the protests were unpatriotic.
"It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic," Goodell said. "This is not and was never the case."
Bullshit that was not the case. Standing at attention for the pledge of allegiance and for the national anthem is written in federal law. Not doing so IS unpatriotic ... full stop. The only "false perception" involved here is the perception by the NFL that they could tiptoe around the issue without pissing off a huge chunk of their [former] fan base.
I am reminded of the story (whether or not true) about Abraham Lincoln and the five-legged dog.
"If you call a dog's tail a leg, how many legs does the dog have?"
A: "Four -- calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
BEING unpatriotic is being unpatriotic, and calling an UNpatriotic act "patriotic" is bullshit.
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Besides, the race baiters always tell everyone else that it doesn't matter if they intended to be racist, it is how it is perceived. For this kneeling business, they now want to tell us they don't intend to be unpatriotic so we shouldn't take it that way. They are right, you are wrong, shut up and think the way they tell you.
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"If you call a dog's tail a leg, how many legs does the dog have?"
A: "Four -- calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
BEING unpatriotic is being unpatriotic, and calling an UNpatriotic act "patriotic" is bullshit.
The thing is you can't make someone be patriotic, or love this country unconditionally, or whatever this is supposedly about. If someone hates the country and you force them to stand for the anthem before an NFL game and they still hate the country, I don't think you've really accomplished anything worthwhile. It's an empty gesture to act patriotic if the only reason you're doing so is that your boss\contract requires it. It's fine to have this policy, I guess if a football player kneeling ruins your day then that problem is solved for you now, but these people haven't really changed just because they're standing - they still believe the same things.
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https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/301
U.S. Code › Title 36 › Subtitle I › Part A › Chapter 3 › § 301
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36 U.S. Code § 301 - National anthem
US Code
(a) Designation.—
The composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.
(b) Conduct During Playing.—During a rendition of the national anthem—
(1) when the flag is displayed—
(A) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note;
(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute in the manner provided for individuals in uniform; and
(C) all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and
(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.
(Pub. L. 105–225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1263; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 595, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4475.)https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/301
I see a bunch of shoulds in there but no shalls. Are there penalties for "violations" or is this just a "moral suasion" resolution-type statement?
???
My personal feeling is yes, they have the right of free expression of general dislike of this nation.
So they should go to where there is no right of free expression.
Like to many Commie nations.
Or to hell.
In either case, I'm taking notes.
Terry
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The thing is you can't make someone be patriotic, or love this country unconditionally, or whatever this is supposedly about. If someone hates the country and you force them to stand for the anthem before an NFL game and they still hate the country, I don't think you've really accomplished anything worthwhile. It's an empty gesture to act patriotic if the only reason you're doing so is that your boss\contract requires it. It's fine to have this policy, I guess if a football player kneeling ruins your day then that problem is solved for you now, but these people haven't really changed just because they're standing - they still believe the same things.
True, but if they're a good actor, no one can tell. Let them stand during the anthem.
They can express their 1st amendment rights when they're not on the boss's dime.
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So they should go to where there is no right of free expression.
For folks in the real world, that's called "the workplace."
I've had some employers that were excellent about allowing open conversations, but none of them would have tolerated it if I'd insisted on using the company's public platform to preach my own views. Most not even if those views had been 100% in alignment with the owners' views.
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The thing is you can't make someone be patriotic, or love this country unconditionally, or whatever this is supposedly about. If someone hates the country and you force them to stand for the anthem before an NFL game and they still hate the country, I don't think you've really accomplished anything worthwhile. It's an empty gesture to act patriotic if the only reason you're doing so is that your boss\contract requires it. It's fine to have this policy, I guess if a football player kneeling ruins your day then that problem is solved for you now, but these people haven't really changed just because they're standing - they still believe the same things.
So you thought this whole thing was about forcing football players to love their country? Um - well - no, that's not the point at all.
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For folks in the real world, that's called "the workplace."
I've had some employers that were excellent about allowing open conversations, but none of them would have tolerated it if I'd insisted on using the company's public platform to preach my own views. Most not even if those views had been 100% in alignment with the owners' views.
That's the point.
These overgrown man-children earn significant salaries for playing a game to entertain people who pay money to watch the games. It is the money from those paying viewers that ultimately pays the players' salaries. When you piss off a large segment of your customer base, that's what is colloquially known as "biting the hand that feeds you." The thing is, while the players have contracts with the owners and their salaries are guaranteed, the owners don't have contracts with most of their fans (and even the fans with season tickets may not have multi-year tickets lined up). It's just not smart to piss off the people who are actually paying you.
Beyond that, it's hypocritical. However they try to portray it, it IS unpatriotic. If they want to engage in freedom of speech, they can call a press conference on a Wednesday to say what they want to say. They can write op-eds for newspapers. They can band together and hire an ad agency to promote whatever cause it is they think they're promoting. Kneeling for the national anthem is not the only avenue available to them, and it's clearly not an effective expression because it alienates more people than it resonates with.
But they don't have to reach into their own pockets to kneel.
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That's the point.
These overgrown man-children earn significant salaries for playing a game to entertain people who pay money to watch the games. It is the money from those paying viewers that ultimately pays the players' salaries. When you piss off a large segment of your customer base, that's what is colloquially known as "biting the hand that feeds you." The thing is, while the players have contracts with the owners and their salaries are guaranteed, the owners don't have contracts with most of their fans (and even the fans with season tickets may not have multi-year tickets lined up). It's just not smart to piss off the people who are actually paying you.
Beyond that, it's hypocritical. However they try to portray it, it IS unpatriotic. If they want to engage in freedom of speech, they can call a press conference on a Wednesday to say what they want to say. They can write op-eds for newspapers. They can band together and hire an ad agency to promote whatever cause it is they think they're promoting. Kneeling for the national anthem is not the only avenue available to them, and it's clearly not an effective expression because it alienates more people than it resonates with.
But they don't have to reach into their own pockets to kneel.
ON THAT NOTE, the NFL put the kibosh on attempts by teams to honor the victims of 9/11 and murdered police officers. BUT NOT those who wanted to disrespect the flag.
It's pretty clear that the NFL doesn't stand for free speech, unless they approve of what is being said. Those choices say all I need to know about the NFL.
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The NFL doesn't care about me or my opinions. I have never attended an NFL game, and I've never purchased any NFL memorabilia or clothing. The last NFL football game I watched on television was in my fraternity house in college, in the Fall of 1965. So I can't really boycott them any more than I already have for the past 53 years.