Politics, Football and Trump
•October 1, 2017
What a difference a week makes, last Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, might have been the biggest protest in the NFL. Players, coaches, and even owners protested. They protested because of the insensitive remarks made by President Trump Friday in Alabama. There were also protests in baseball games and among basketball players. As usual, there were different reactions, those who dislike Trump were outraged but his supporters were gleeful. And Facebook, Tweeter, and other social media sites lighted up like there was no tomorrow. Many conversations have been held about players exercising their freedom of speech and disrespecting the national anthem or the flag. These were the exact remarks made by President Trump,“Get that son of a bitch off the field right now,” Out! He’s fired. He’s fired.” Nonetheless, protests have started fading away as the President has taken on critics who are not happy with his administration’s response to the calamities facing people in Puerto Rico.
Freedom of Speech is vital for free societies to function. It is a tool used by citizens to file grievances against their government and hold their representatives accountable. Although this citizen’s right has limitations and usually just provides protection that is directly related to the government. In other words, freedom of speech protection can’t be given to employees working for a private company. It is complicated and complex but employers can regulate speech that might jeopardize their economic interest. Companies argue that they exist for the purpose of selling a service or producing a product. And when employees engage in political controversy during working hours, this will directly affect the company’s bottom line. Therefore, this employee should be either stopped or be fired immediately.
Now, let’s go back to players kneeling down in stadiums while the national anthem is being played. It is always good for our democracy seeing a citizen taking a stand. In this instance, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling down while the national anthem was being played. He should be commended for his courage. Mr. Kaepernick did it to protest police brutality against African Americans in many cities. However, citizens should also understand that positions that they take will not be embraced by everybody hence there might be some consequences for their actions. That should be fair game and citizens should have no problems paying a price for their actions. A point of contentious in this man’s action among fans and civic engaged citizens: Should a player just play football for which he is being paid and practices his civil liberties on his own time? Owners and most business people with companies argue that this man should be fired and no team should hire him. They also added that no fan who pays to watch football should be exposed to someone’s political point of view that they disagree with.
Throughout history, African American athletes have engaged in civil disobedience to protest discrimination and unfair treatment of their own community. Countless acts of civil disobedience have been used by black athletes to force conversations of unjust policies or traditions in American society. They have used their sports to take a stand against a social issue that was detrimental to their own communities. Yes, from John Carlos, 1968 Olympic U.S Medalist who raised his fists in silence in a Black Power salute during the national anthem to Mohammed Ali refused to enlist and engaged in a war he thought was a war of choice.
Political theorists tell us that this country can’t be the land of the free if a citizen is not allowed to criticize it. And this can be done by taking a knee while the national anthem is being played or even burning a symbol such as the flag. These citizens’ actions are within the bounds of democratic dialogue and should be protected by freedom of speech, these people argue. Yes, it should be okay to burn those flags that might have been manufactured in China. This is what free societies are all about.
We should always encourage people to speak up about our injustices, but many argue that athletes sometimes might exacerbate the problem and they might just overshadow the very problem they want to highlight. Many people questioned whether it was easier to take a knee down rather than going into the community and do the hard work. Indeed, the work of mentoring young people and helping to create opportunities for his community. And many drew comparisons of Mr. Kaepernick with Rosa Park or Boxing legend Mohammed Ali. It is not entirely clear if these comparisons might be fair since these legends had a robust track record of doing hard work for their communities before they engaged in symbolic gestures. The struggle for police brutality might have taken a back seat, as many think, as some see these protests as being about Mr. Kaepernick not being hired by no NFL team. It was interesting seeing NFL teams’ owners taking a knee with the player and yet as of today Mr. Kaepernick still unemployed.
One might ask, in light of the major problems dealing with poverty, inequality, opportunity and daunting challenges in the international arena, why would President Trump get involved with the current controversy going in the NFL? This is the very reason why this president was elected, uneducated whites and others felt they could no longer say things they wanted to say. Nobody would dare to call African American Players kneeling down while the national anthem is being played, “sons of bitches” for disrespecting the flag. Whites can always count on this president to speak for them. He clearly threw red meat to his supporters when he entered this controversy.
No surprise for many seeing this President getting involved in any controversy that relates to “nationalism.” It was at the core of everything candidate Trump did while running for the White House. This strategy successfully targeted anxieties of whites who really thought that their country was rapidly changing in a way that was undermining their way of life. Yes, these whites felt economically marginalized and culturally eclipsed. Trump’s populism laced with nationalism was successfully sold to whites who desperately need a presidential candidate who could finally air their grievances.
Finally, it was recently revealed that former NFL player, Aaron Hernandez, who killed himself while serving time in prison had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). It was also disclosed that the NFL was fighting a lawsuit filed by this player. Maybe we shouldn’t be fighting the NFL to hire athletes rather we should be doing whatever we can to put them out of business. Since most players end up with brain disease resulting from repeated head trauma.
Thank you for reading.
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Works cited.
American President. Dir. Rob Reiner. Perf. Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox. Warner Bros, 1995 Film.
Oppel Jr. A. Richard. “Steelers’ Villanueva Takes a Stand, but Might Agree With Kaepernick’s Mission.” New York Times 25 Sept. 2017. Web. 25 Sept. 2017
Skelton, George. “The more Trump trumpets and tweets, the more he turns people off.” Los Angeles Times 28 Sept. 2017. Web. 1st Oct. 2017
“Shield and Brooks.” Newshour. Public Broadcasting Service 29 Sept. 2017. Television.
Turner-Lee, Nico. “Protest, patriotism, and the history of black athletes in America.” ttps://www.brookings.edu/podcast 29 Sept. 2017. Web. 1st Oct. 2017
Widener, E. Benjamin. The Frist Amendment “Playing Field”: Regulating Speech in the Workplace.” New Jersey Law Blog 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Sept. 2017.
Photo Credit: Photo of Colin Kaepernick, Reuters photo: Jake Roth/USA Today Sports)
Drawing of Mr. Kaepernick and Rosa Park on the bus was a screenshot from a shirt being sold online.
Reading this article I was speechless. First things first I did not know that the NFL was a private company which basically means that freedom of speech is not being give. It is nonsense that just because Colin Kaepernick started kneeling down while the national anthem was being played he got fired. The first amendment clearly says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Although the NFL is it’s private company they should not take the first most valuable amendments from anyone no matter what. There was a question I would like to answer, Should a player just play football for which he is being paid and practices his civil liberties on his own time? My answer to this is yes he should just play football because that’s what the NFL is paying him to do, but it took so much courage, a brave soul to stand up for what he believed was right for him. Being a football player does not mean that they do not have civil liberties they also have every right to practice their first amendment. Honestly, people should stop questioning whether it was easier to take a knee down rather than going into the community and do the hard work because, I personally think that many people are afraid to practice their first amendment due to the fact that people are going to criticize, not matter what good or bad there are always going to be people who are not going to like what you do. He saw a great opportunity to kneel down because he was on national t.v and he spoke for many other players. Just because he took a knee he was disrespecting the flag really, at least he didn’t bun the flag now that would have been a different story. Donald Trump, I beat he doesn’t even watch football, instead of worrying about the NFL players he should be helping other countries.
First of all Trump should be focused on other issues. I do agree athletes should be getting their hands dirty and doing something for the community instead of practicing their rights on the field. These athletes already have a crowd, already have attention drawn to them off the field. Why not use it on their free time if they cared so much. Why not put their money and bright ideas to use off the field. That way something might actually be done for the better instead of getting the President bugged out. Everyone knows the President speaks without thinking and doing anything to tick him off will make him act without thought.
Like I said before Trump should be minding his business at the same time. I worry about what his priorities are sometimes. He obviously is spending way to much time sticking his nose in what doesn’t or wasn’t involved with him in the first place.
Lastly, I disagree. We shouldn’t be worried about putting the NFL or their athletes out of business. Instead we should be practicing what we believe in. Why does it matter where the athletes end up? It’s what they are good at and how they get by in life. Everyone has their own way of doing it. Many people end up messed up too and no one is worried about them being out of business now.
I disagree on one point you made. We should not be careful with what we do and how we and say due to worrying of ticking of agrevating the president. That would literally turn America into a dictatorship. I personally cannot see why the man is upset over the protests. He is the president and should know that we are allowed to protest under the first amendment and our right to “disrespect the flag” under Texas vs. Johnson. You are quite right that we as a country should be focused on more pressing issues such as Puerto Rico.
When you state, “He obviously is spending way to much time sticking his nose in what doesn’t or wasn’t involved with him in the first place.” you don’t agree that President Trump isn’t somehow involved in this? I understand what Mr. Kaepernick did was not directed towards the President, however it involved the national anthem for the country the that President Trump represents. If you were undermined by someone or if someone undermined your country, wouldn’t you stand your ground and defend it?
Separating politics from NFL will benefit many fans. However, I support nonviolence protest because we all have the right to express our selfs without fear. According to the first amendment to the United States of America, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. The right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” if we think about it’s all about perspective, because who said what is disrespectful or not. According to “36 U.S. Code § 301 – National anthem” states that
“(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.” Although these players are citizens and have rights, they have certain limitations on their rights, and usually, they have to follow NFL policies or their handbook.
Theirs many topics being pointed out and not enough elaboration on them although each one reverts back to politics but not because of Trumps comment on Kappertnick which with all due respect being a 49ers fan he has had a horrible season for the past 3 years, so it’s not his political stand that has him unemployed but more his performance on the field. Kapernick kneeling while the national anthem is being playeed is a personal choice but being that he is in the public eye he needs to understand how military vets and families of our fallen soldier find it to be a sign of disrespect. After talking to a 14 year old veteran from the US Air Force I’ve come to understand that all and any soldier and U.S. citizens, residents and even immigrants that are in this country are here for the freedom our nation provides, but freedom isn’t free, many soldier have shed their blood in many lands to provide that freedom, so the least we can do is pay our respects and stand with our hands over our hearts as a sign of respect towards all those who have served this nation in the many branches of military to protect our nation and provide that freedom. So touching back on Trumps comments I will honestly say it was a little to harsh bit I don’t disagree. The NFL brings in to much revenue to cities for them to eliminate the sport in general and if we are talking in regards of CTE, Dr. Bennett Omalu quoted the following on August 4, 2017 on ESPN “CTE is just one disease in a spectrum of many diseases caused by brain trauma. If he doesn’t have CTE, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have brain damage. … I’ve always said that every child who plays football has a 100 percent risk of exposure to brain damage. And I’ve always said that at a professional level, 100 percent would have brain damage of some kind to some degree. That’s whether or not their brains are found to have CTE.” Dr. Omalu has been fighting this war since 2002 when he found his first case with former player Mike Webster from the Pittsburgh Steelers. CTE is definitely something that shouldn’t be over looked but football is not the only sport we need to evaluate and consider being a health threat MMA , UFC, Boxing also have big impacts on head trauma and should be reconsider as well.
I don’t think the main point of this article is to figure out a way to end the NFL business because of the effects it has on the players but rather to point out that freedom of speech has been taken for granted. It’s a tool that is used by some and most of the time, it creates an impact and in this case, it was done in a televised moment. Mr. Kaepernick seized the opportunity to practice his freedom of speech right, making an impactful statement. There are far more worst things happening in the world, that it amazes me how certain people are throwing their hands in the air out of shock value. The actual shock value here is that there is still a thing called racism in this day in age. The police brutality against African Americans that has been happening for years needs to stop. I’m sure Mr. Kaepernick played the consequences in his head when deciding to take a knee during the national anthem during a televised game but his belief in putting an end to this violence was much higher than whatever consequences crossed his mind. I think that what he did was pretty powerful and leading the way to stop living out of fear. He at least did SOMETHING for what he felt was fair and justifiable. And I get it, it was during the job but he is also a human bean just like everyone else, and human beans have a mind of their own and make decisions that may not please others. “Should a player just play football for which he is being paid and practices his civil liberties on his own time?” Yeah, but shouldn’t an African American be able to drive wherever they please without being stopped by a police and be susceptible to police brutality? I think president Trump has bigger fish to fry that to pick on an innocent act of activism.
When you are making a dime on companies time, you are set to play by their rules. In this situation, commendable as it was, Colin Kaepernick may of been in the wrong. Yes freedom of speech is important, it’s what are nation has been founded on. But when you are employed and on company time, you are a direct representation of what the company you work for, stands for. A direct representative of your employer. Be as it may, you are held liable for the consequences of your actions. But sure, what better portal to voice your concern to the masses than national television? It cant be any more direct. No other real portal can send a message so direct as National television. Unfortunately, his views may not be the same as his employer, and in that situation, his employer has the right to make any decisions needed regarding the status of such employees employment. I have the same exact view on what Kim Davis famously refused to do. She was a county clerk for Rowan County, Kentucky, who gained international attention in 2015 when she defied a U.S. federal court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. She made such decisions based on her religious beliefs. Her religious beliefs had no place what so ever, to be implanted in her place of employment where she was a civil servant. So the same rule applies. Freedom of speech is important, but what is just as important is the way in which is expressed.
Just as the same standards we are holding Kim Davis and Colin Kaepernick too, our president should be too. He is, above all, a civil servant. But unfortunately, like you stated, “He clearly threw red meat to his supporters when he entered this controversy.” He just keeps grabbing at the weak minded who feel our country is at risk and being attacked by the threat with in. He has no place in getting involved in this NFL scandal, there is so much more that needs his attention. His attention needs to be redirected towards what really needs his help. For example, Puerto Rico.
In the article it shows a lot. But then again the main point is battling between the NFL and politics. Being very neutral to the situation. Yes the players should not be practicing their religion on the job , But then again it is the freedom of speech and that is how they are feeling . They are also standing up for what they believe in at the same time.Even though we should not be discipline the athletes because that how they feel . The actions that were taken was very much over board and should not have been taken that far .Even though they have their beliefs there are always limitations to everything once you are on a job. Separating politics /beliefs with the NFL will change a lot of people views on the situation.
The article titled “Politics, Football, and Trump,” questions an NFL player’s, or any employee, the right to freedom of speech. Trumps vile message about Colin Kapernick, a former NFL player that would kneel during the national anthem before games, raised this very important question about our individual freedoms.
The article hits many points. I would like to know more about other social justice leaders, like Rosa Park and Mohammed Ali, and a comparative analysis of how they were perceived in that time of history. Perhaps a more focused argument and direct references to support the arguments could make this article and easier to review. This article could have covered the many forms of freedom of speech, like the right to vote, protest, and press, which our president is trying to limit.
While the article states that politics should not be injected into sports – all awhile the US Military started to pay the NFL millions of dollars to recruit more members. The NFL started to bring the players out their lockers for the nation anthem. Prior to this, the players would prepare for the game during the national anthem. The NFL also started to announce military heroes at each game and brought in military jets.
When it comes down to it – the NFL owners who are mostly all white – make millions of dollars off people of color. NFL owners mostly want them to risk their lives playing a sport to make them wealthier. The owners do not see them as the individuals that they are nor do the owners support players in their beliefs – this is why the NFL does not allow any form of freedom of speech until there was pressure on social media, news, etc. Freedom of speech and expression is innate in all human beings – a player can grow his hair or get a tattoo as a form of expression for any cause.
The United States touts how free its citizens are, but really, how free are we? The recent post about Collin Kaepernick taking a knee during the National Anthem has out raged our already outrageous President Trump. In this free country we must ask ourselves does an individual forfeit his civil liberties while on the job?
It is unfortunate that the man we call our President, who swore to uphold the constitution of the United States is kicking and screaming people are publically protesting against the hate speak that our President vomits. The Bill of Rights guarantees an individual the right to free speech. Collin Kaepernick enjoys the right to protest against government.
I can’t hold him to the likes of Rosa Parks or Mohammad Ali. Those were different times and. However, for our time he serves, at the very least, as an example that the spirit of protest is still alive in a complacent world. If we really pay attention his protest is two to three minutes and the game of football is three plus hours where people gather to watch a violent game, drink alcohol and behave uncharacteristically.
At the end of the day, the people got their football fix, the job was performed and by the fourth quarter the majority of people enjoyed a game and forgot about Kaepernick. Lets keep in mind that the President enjoys the same right and exercises it rather loosely using a twitter or during a press conference. He’s on the job too.
There has been a history of athletes who has protested in the past. This is not the first time. These occurrences bring mixed emotions into our societies. There are those that feel that their voices are being heard by others when these athletes protest, by not saluting the flag while the National Anthem is in process. These famous players are applaud by those who are in discontent with the government. Because, they are a good source of communication since they are watched and televised the word gets around, that theirs dissatisfaction in the American society. But, there are those that point fingers and argue that these people are employees and as so they should limit their political belief, or disagreements and not portray them while they are “on the clock”. As it would happen in any other job. People are limited to what they can say while working hours. The ones that are pointing fingers are mostly people who believe strongly in the respect to the flag and what it is said its worth. But when the value the flag and what it represents is not respected by the president it’s hard to stand by and not try to voice your opinion even if it means that you may lose your job.
Like Ive said before, freedom of speech is freedom of speech no matter where you are in America and you are entitled to that. Who cares if you kneel during the national anthem. You are still paying your respects to fallen soldiers but at the same time you are standing up for what you believe in. So what is trump gonna do? fire the whole NFL? maybe, we don’t know and most of us frank-ally wouldn’t care because this was an act for EVERYONE to say: ” JUST BECAUSE A COUNTRY HAS FREEDOM DOES NOT MEAN OUR FREEDOM IS FREE”. That does not apply to the fallen solders and living veterans. It applies to the people living in America who our shot and killed by “Race Supremacist” and police officers who are supposed to keep us safe and make sure everyone has equal ground.
Trump’s stand on patriotism is definitely proving to be amore of a brand that appeals to his supporters, because no matter what other disasters are taking place in the world, Trump seems to put his energy into sparking controversy elsewhere. Along with that, it is very uncomfortable seeing the supposed president of the United States using vulgar langue against individuals who are only trying to peacefully protest. I completely agree with more teams and and NFL team owners showing their support to taking a knee in the name of standing against police brutality, however it would also be appreciated to share that same support to Mr. Kaepernick, considering that he was the player that received more backlash for speaking his political views. Playing and training to play professionally is a personal commitment a player makes to their body and selves. Saying this, ignoring the consequences of any body trauma that comes from playing a sport is irresponsible and irrational. These consequences and injuries should be addressed fully to also be equipped to avoid extremities of those traumas.
When first reading this one of the couple times i did read this article, It took me a bit to comprehend the fact that the NFL is a private organization and they aren’t really allowed to have that freedom of speech or speak out on what they believe in. This article talks about the unjust rule that these athletes cannot stand for what they believe in during any games or anything to do that affiliates with the NFL because it leads to controversy which the people from the NFL believe will lower ratings or ruin their reputation. The main point in this article is that people (athletes) are not allowed to share their political views because of their career. That is very controversial because we have the 1st amendment which gives us the freedom of speech that allows us to have any view and be able to talk about it freely. It can go either way in my opinion, I could see why people wouldn’t want to mix politics with sports because you sort of watch sports to get away from the real world for a couple hours but you cant expect all these athletes to stay shut on important things going on in their communities and the way they see it is, they have this huge platform where once or twice a week millions of people tune in to watch them so why not use that platform to stand for what they believe in and show the country that there is a lot of unfair things happening in this country. The kneeling during the national anthem isn’t meant to disrespect veterans or the country the way people are taking it, it is meant to symbolize the corrupt police forces that let officers kill these innocent or just cooperative black men instead of taking them to jail, and then they get off with a paid vacation and no consequences. This has happened far too often and people are tired of it and want to get justice for all these people being mistreated in this country just because they are a different skin tone than some people. I think this piece was written to put a shine on this controversy this country is facing, although it maybe wasn’t the best timing I believe these athletes as well as the rest of the country is tired of the unfair system we minorities live in. I believe the piece where you talked about Trump not paying attention to Puerto Rico as a whole should be it’s own thing because this country as well as Trump have acted differently to Puerto Rico than they did with Texas and Florida.
Collin Kaepernick has been punished for exercising his rights. NFL players attract much attention being public figures but I don’t think what Mr. Kaepernick did was wrong. Players should of course think of the worse outcome but being fired for something like this is too far. Professional athletes should now know that exercising their rights through their sport shouldn’t be done. But since President Trump has blew this out of proportion, he seems to display hate on the NFL causing a war between many professional athletes and him. President Trump is the most uneducated man fit for this position. He is worried so much about the American flag so called “being disrespected” he doesn’t have the decency to help with problems in America. Puerto Rico has looked like a war zone the last three weeks and he hasn’t stepped foot on the island that is 1000 miles off the American coast to help. Mr. Kaepernick’s his motive was to address police brutality against African American’s. As an African American, I feel for Mr. Kaepernick. Not cause the color of my skin but for the reason that Trump has been in office white supremacy has been at an all-time high. Like you stated in the blog about whites not having to open their mouths know more because Trump will just say it for them. He seems to just have a field day with referring to NFL players as “Sons of bitches, and disrespects” that he is defeating the purpose of being a president of a free country.
Can we even call freedom of speech freedom of speech? in todays youth i believe that the phrase freedom of speech has morphed into what is known as hate speech. Evidently this can be seen anytime Donald Trump lashes out at anyone, to clarify, anytime someone criticizes the american way whether it be through protest or disagreement you can always count on Trump to make a scene and call out this individual for being an enemy of delusional democracy. As stated in the here and through media sources football star Colin Kaepernick was criticized for disrespecting the flag and bringing politics to football the sacred American sport. Kaepernick however in my view is within every right to express his political views because not only is he protected by constitutional right as stated in the US constitution which for the most majority of Americans forgot we have but also has the power to make a statement such as this one. It is inappropriate for Trump to be involved in this let alone engage in it while the outside world is in desperate need for aid such as Puerto Rico or in times of conflict of war. Trump needs to focus and what he was elected to do which is seek and protect the peoples interest rather than seek to divide us even more.
I personally cannot wrap my head around why this is a topic of discussion, or why the president is involved in the issue at all. The fact that our president is so upset over the situation almost makes me believe he has never read the constitution, as freedom of speech is included in the first amendment. This is simply a matter of free speech, Supreme Court case Texas vs Johnson made it legal to burn, desecrate, or otherwise “disrespect” the American flag, under the first amendment, our right to free speech. I do not believe these men are even disrespecting their country, they are simply protesting; although if they were disrespecting our country or the flag, however it may be, it is completely legal! Many veterans who have served our country agree with me as well, as they risked their lives for that right to protest. However I do agree on our Professor’s point, it is fair for a workplace to release you should you do something which they consider detrimental to their business, so i do not think Kaeppernik (i dont think he was unjustly fired per se, he is just receiving way too much flak and being blacklisted too harshly for the situation.
First of all, I think Donald Trump came off too strong. He knows whatever remarks he makes will go viral into a public dilemma. So here I can understand why this NFL player did what he did because it is his right to freedom of speech. On the other hand, Mr. Kaepernick should have not gotten fired for practicing his rights. I see the point of view on how it is disrespectful to kneel during the National Anthem, but every where else citizens still disrespect this country in many other ways; so how is so wrong for these athletes to display their political beliefs in the public’s eye? As long as they are not committing violence or harm to anyone, in what way is it wrong? Our nation has more serious issues going on right now and those issues should be more focused on. I do not agree on banning this sport because it is the players choice to join this risky sport. I felt that was not needed for this kind of argument in this article. Not all NFL athletes develop this brain disease, and either way it is their choice to risk their lives. Lastly, I believe these athletes are not committing no wrong doing, they are just exercising their given rights.
There’s nothing wrong with Mr. Kaepernick exercising his first amendment right, it is the way he exercised it. When we as Americans hear the national anthem we stand because we are proud of our country (no matter who is running it). You should be proud and blessed that you have the abilities to do what you do. When you decide to take knee while the anthem is playing, that is disrespectful. If Mr. Kaepernick is really unhappy with what is going on in the United States, then he can leave. It is not like anyone is forcing him go back home to his mansion and drive his sports car around the city everyday. Now, he took a knee to honor the lives African Americans who have passed within these past couple of years and to get his message across while millions of football fans were watching. With that being said, the message he was trying to get across was lost in the shadows because people were more focused on either defending him for having the ability to rightfully practice his first amendment or him disrespecting fallen soldiers and the country. However, it is not like Kaepernick was in a do or die situation. For instance, if he didn’t take a knee during the anthem before the game, its not like he wouldn’t be able to use his platform or never be allowed to voice his opinion publicly. He doesn’t become un-famous when he steps off the field. Its not like if he were to go out and publicly speak on this matter that people would not listen to him. Mr. Kaepernick isn’t a middle-class African American man who has a nine to five job, he is a professional football player who earns millions a year. (I don’t follow football so I’m unaware if Mr. Kaepernick has done any of the following things). If he really really wanted to make a positive change in his community he should give back, donate his time, start an organization with the foundation being to helping the families affected by these tragedies, not take a knee during the national anthem for the country he lives in, for the country that gives him the luxuries he has. When you join the Army, Navy, etc. you know you’re not going to return the same way you left, same thing with football and other violent sports. You know what you’re signing up for, is it logical, maybe not. Imagine being a young kid dreaming of one day making it to the NFL snd one day you get the call. All that hard work finally payed off, most people who are at the top of the food chain in their sport are willingly to die for their sport because its probably all they’ve ever known and their whole life revolve around it.
First off why is trump putting all of his focus on players who are protesting when he should be focusing on the problems that are affecting the U.S. at this moment.Trump needs to be worried about the threats we having from the so called “Rocket man” kim jung-un. Also, he needs to worry about helping out the people from Puerto Rico. he needs to focus on sending aid and make sure the people are being taken care of. But instead he is over here focusing on the NFL players protesting calling them “sons of bitches”. The NFL players who are protesting have the right to protest all they want they have freedom of speech and taking a knee is how they are expressing themselves. i agree with the way NFL players, coaches, and owners protesting they should be able to protest any way they want as long as it is peaceful. A question i have is why does trump have so much hate towards NFL players. they are protesting peacefully without hurting anyone. why did trump call NFL players “SONS OF BITCHES” but to the people who where rioting, looting, hurting and even killing and even showing pride to the Nazi flag in Charlottesville he called those people nice people like “what the fuck” how are you calling nazi’s wonderful people but calling about NFL players protesting sons of bitches he must not be thinking straight.
I had heard and seen on social media all this chaos between NFL players taking a knee and president Donald Trump reacting to it. After reading this article i have a better understanding of what is happening and i believe that Trump should had paid more attention to other tragedies happening. I don’t agree with Kaepernick getting fired for taking a stand in what he believes in and wanting to bring awareness and make a point to society about the issue with police brutality against African American. It might be bad for the NFL company and isn’t in his contract or he shouldn’t be doing that but he has the right as we are in a country said to have “freedom of speech”. After Kaepernick other NFL players followed his steps and took a stand to make their voices heard, although that won’t be much help at least they are staying together. I dont agree with people comparing him to Rosa Park because he only took a knee and hasnt done anything else for his community like Rosa Park did and Mohammad Ali.
After reading this article i feel that politics and the NFL are two subjects that have nothing to do with each other. the NFL is a business, and no matter who you are, you can be replaced under any circumstance. Colin Kaepernick has all the right to kneel during the national anthem, because it is his right to have freedom of speech, but the NFL is business and when you do something “wrong” in your job, there will be major consequences. i feel that his political views should not effect him in the NFL, but he is being payed to play the game of football, not to give his political opinion. i can see why Colin Kaepernick did what he did, because he had strong feelings toward his opinion and i agree with what he did, but you cannot ignore the fact that what he did had no place in football and he could have showed his opinion on social media or just by simply making a statement to the media.
i don’t understand why trump feels the need to get involved in something that is none of his business. he is out here saying all these idiotic things to world leaders, yet he feels the obligation to this country is not to protect us and be a good face for this country, but to give his opinion on an NFL quarterbacks political opinion. this just goes to show that he is more involved in an NFL story than the national security of this country.
There is nothing more American than American Football, ranging with millions of viewers, all over the country. It would make sense that Colin Kaepernick has a huge audience, therefore addresses issues that are going on in his community. Yes, football players should be more hands on about community work but Colin Kaepernick is trying to make a statement that many misinterpret. In an interview done with the New York Times, Colin Kaepernick described his process of kneeling as a sign on no disrespecting the flag but as a sign of respect, then he got from a retired Green Beret Nate Boyer, many are quick to judge but never look into the depth of the actual moment. Trump needs to focus on PUERTO RICO.
This article argues that Colin Kaepernick’s actions were completely justified and explains how the backlash from whites toward this issue came from their fears of becoming marginalized. The purpose of this article is to persuade readers that Kaepernick’s actions were correct in all respects, but equating him to other major civil rights leaders is an overstep. This article was written to inform readers that “freedom of speech” is a misnomer (inaccurate label) and that politics and sports can coexist in the same environment (as evidenced by the fourth paragraph of the article).
The author uses several red herring to distract the reader from an existing point. In the first paragraph, the argument derails at the last two sentences. The main point of this paragraph is to introduce one of the topics of this article, freedom of speech. However, the author adds a final sentence that talks about protests and Puerto Rico. This line attempts to mislead readers into thinking that this article is about the decline of protests or the US response to the Puerto Rico crisis.
The author uses another red herring in the last paragraph of the article. This paragraph asks the readers to think about head trauma from football. This paragraph has no logical place in the article. It does not support the author’s main point. Like the first example, it serves as a distraction from the original argument. However, as this paragraph is located at the end, it could serve as a way to mislead readers into researching a different topic (if they want to know more about the details surrounding Trump and Kaepernick).
Next, the author fails to address the people who believe that politics should be talked about in football. This perspective is missing in the third paragraph. The second half of the paragraph presents arguments from those who think that football should just be about playing the game. However, the author does not present the opposite view, even though this issue is a “point of contention”. Both arguments should be presented in order for this information to be complete.
Then, the author fails to prove a vague generalization in the second to last paragraph. The general statement is that “[white Trump supporters] felt economically marginalized and culturally eclipsed”. This statement, without any statistics or studies to support it, is merely an opinion. To support this claim, the author should have cited statistics on wages of whites compared to wages of other races.
Finally, the author employs strawman to distort an argument made by an expert to support the author’s own view. This is done in the fifth paragraph where the author cites political theorists who assert that being a free country means a citizen is allowed to criticize it. The author exaggerates this point and asserts that burning a national flag is okay for the same reasons. Ultimately, the author twists the words of political experts to use as justification for acts like burning flags.
Freedom of speech is a given right to all American citizens. Although in some cases, your right to freedom of speech is questionable. For example, when it comes to employment, there isn’t any concern for political views because it’s not good for business. Also, it is significant to uphold your end of the contract that you sign when taking a job. The point of a job is to work and leave all your views at the door because there might be someone in the same workspace with an alternate view. If we all could have the same freedom of speech we have in the street, in a workspace, we would have a divided workspace that would be unable to work together. In 1968 Olympics, Athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, demonstrated the black power salute. This ruins the purpose of the Olympics, and event that is supposed to bring people together and nations together for peace. Also, in this article, naming whites as if they’re their own group isn’t any help to what the article is talking about. Furthermore, I think that comparing what Kaepernick did, to Rosa Parks, is preposterous. If you really want to make a change, and you’re strongly against Trump, you should volunteer your time for your cause.
With every freedom comes a responsibility. Freedom of speech is a powerful thing, but we should be aware of the things we say, when we say it and how we say it. First of all, I personally support those who dare to speak in behalf of the oppressed ones. When an individual signs a contract with a private enterprise, that individual is accepting limitations that are part of the environment in which activities will take place. Despite the limitations to our actions, there is something unstoppable: willingness to do what’s right.
Mr. Kaepernick has been on the spot ever since he knelt, but we must see beyond the actions itself. Mr. Kaepernick knew since the beginning that there would be consequences for his actions, more negative outcomes than benefits. Yet, he stood up for what he consider right, for what he thought was necessary, aiming for a mass support towards the cause itself. Some may think about Kaepernick as a hero, others as an ungrateful citizen. Here, despite the long story, the real question is: what would YOU do? Against all odds, even knowing that everything you have may be taken away if you talk about something you were not supposed to, would you (as if you were in Kapernick’s shoes) stand up for your beliefs?
It is easy to criticize Kaepernick, or anyone with a different opinion than ours. the real issue here is: what are you (as a reader) doing to change this?
Our president’s way of dealing with this “situation” has completely changed the meaning of Mr. Kaepernick expression. By using strong language he has shown he does not tolerate any type of disrespect. The right to speak freely should not be questioned by anyone. Mr. Kaepernick wanted to express himself, in a way where he would create an impact and reach many people. On the field he had everyone’s attention, and he knew the audience would have a reaction. His intention was to sent out a message, but his physical actions created a second statement. Many people including the president are only seeing his physical action and not seeing or interpreting the meaning. It is clear that Mr. Kaepernick method of expression did not have a positive impact. He shouldn’t be questioned for practicing freedom of speech but, there is always a time for everything. His way of making a statement was not expressed in the right way.
As sports, like the NFL franchise, has grown in popularity over the past decades, the idea of using its media as a forum for free speech has been an ongoing argument. At the same time we use sports as a powerful entertainment source. Americans are responsible for the money that is being piled into arenas, stadiums, and in merchandise. By choice, we spend money to see games and choose to sport team attire. We use sports as a front for patriotism, as a representation of our state or city. Lets not lie to ourselves and deny that sports are highly political institutions just like college universities, who sell their athletic programs. In the Olympics, we proudly gaze on our U.S.A team like they are our troops engaging in war. It is hard to separate sports and politics, especially when the athletes are only human beings, who feel for their American communities, as they are not inanimate objects. I am upset with what is President Trump’s vulgar behavior because I feel it is hypocritical of him to charge after anyone for “disrespecting” our nation when he continues to abuse the first amendment in our nations top company, the U.S. government. Not only is it our constitutional right but it is our human right under article 19. The term lead by example comes to mind when I hear that man’s wolfing. Yes, I believe there is a time or place for everything, but when you are a famous athlete that is only known for your athletic capabilities, why not use that attribute to express your human ideas and to fight for what you believe in.
I think it is great what these NFL players are doing. I think it is the best way to show a statement because these are professional athletes who are being watched by millions of people and by doing a protest on national television against President Trump and police brutality; it could have a big impact on people and young minds. These amazing athletes are looked upon as role models and heroes, which means a lot of people will stand with them with what the problem is in our country, which is our President and the police brutality on African-Americans. Many people disagree on this protest by the players because they think they are disrespecting the veterans that fought for our country. People need to understand that this is not about veterans and what the flag stands for, it is about the police brutality on colored people, period. The players also have political beliefs as well and have every right to express them. Nobody pays attention to protests on local streets, but when millions are watching on television, it is going to definitely be noticed
Football is football, and politics are politics. These are two things that should not be meshed together. When sports fans turn on their Televisions to watch the game, they aren’t turning it on to see what Colin Kaepernick has to say about the President or the community. These people are tuning in for one thing and one thing only. I do believe that each and every member of the NFL has a right to speak their minds and express themselves in whichever way they please, but do it on your own time. These people are getting paid, millions of dollars to play a sport, not to express how they feel on live T.V. When you go to work, its to get the job done. You’re given specific duties and it is your responsibility to get those things done in order to get paid. Same thing goes for the President though, he is the commander of our country and he really needs to keep his personal feelings to himself and express things to the public that really matter, he wasn’t elected to tweet about how he feels about every single aspect of his life. He needs to learn how to keep certain comments to himself, in order to keep a more united America.
This is a very interesting issue, and there are really many topics, and stand-points one could take, in this conversations. Freedom of speech, Trump’s way of governing, and what sports as mass entertainment are all about.
Just like in ancient Rome, where gladiators killed each other senselessly; today we have the NFL and soccer world cups. And it is clearer today than it has ever been, that sports are being used as a diversion from the countries real issues. Instead of addressing political problems, the president is criticizing a football player for keeling down during the anthem.
There isn’t really much to be said about what Kaepernick did. He keeled down, and that can be seen as either bravery or disrespect. As standing for what you believe in, or as disrespecting the viewers how bought tickets to match instead of a political demonstration.
When you are representing an institution, like a sports team or company, you give up your personal opinion. You may still say whatever you want, but you will be the only one how is responsible for whatever happens afterwards; as much as you can yell anything you want on the streets, but society has many control methods, like getting judged and punished by your peers, rejected, and what else? So, well, unfortunately Mr Kaepernick will have to deal with the consequences of his political stand-point.
Trump’s attacks on Kaepernick are a perfect example of why he got elected. Partially because he takes a radical nationalistic stance, getting mad over the players opinion. But he is also entertaining the people with a superficial subject. Instead of focusing in governing a nation, he will rather discuss football. This statement made be the president is what his “fan-base” is all about! A white stance, by a rich man. After having a black president, and seeing a woman with a good shot at the Oval office, no wonder why we are now at the other end of the political spectrum.
Ever since Colin Kaepernick took a knee to stand for police brutality against African Americans there have been protests from both sides. This statement just brings out the unjust that the black community is still fighting against. Colin’s Freedom of speech cost him his employment. NFL is a private company who chooses not to be politically misrepresented by one of its employees, so Freedom of Speech in a private company has its restraints. Now we clearly see their is a cost for exercising our Freedom of Speech, there is also a cost for staying silence especially during times of change. We become more when we demand more. When Tommie Smith raised his fist and prayed during the anthem he wore a black glove to represent social power, ripped socks for poverty, a scarf to represent the lynching/hanging of black folks while building this country. Peter Norman the Australian silver medalist of the 1968 Olympics also stood solidly with Tommie and John. When John was questioned about Peter’s act John said, “I did not see fear in Peter, I saw love”. To answer the question of why Trump chose to enter the controversy regarding the NFL is to highlight how much love he has for his country and he does that by firing a public icon for expressing his freedom of speech. An athlete can make an issue worse if there is no criticism because if we as a community are complacent with the rules in places then we will always be in the same place.
I think Trump should be ashamed of himself. Periodt. A statement like the one he shared publicly is darn right outrageous, although free to speak as he wishes. I am not appeased by it.