NFL bans kneeling during the national anthem

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/sports/nfl-anthem-kneeling.html?partner=rss&emc=rss  (go into incognito mode to get past the paywall)

I commend the NFL for ensuring that we see only the expressions of greatest respect for our flag and anthem on the field.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why does it matter if someone does it?

Because we should have nothing but the greatest respect for our flag and anthem.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why does it matter if someone does it?

Because we should have nothing but the greatest respect for our flag and anthem.

Why should the federal government force this down the throat of its citizens? What if they don't like their flag and anthem?

Then I question why such a person even wants to be a citizen in this country in the first place.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why does it matter if someone does it?

Because we should have nothing but the greatest respect for our flag and anthem.

Why should the federal government force this down the throat of its citizens? What if they don't like their flag and anthem?

Then I question why such a person even wants to be a citizen in this country in the first place.

Pledging one's allegiance to a flag is idolatry.  You should know that.

Loyalty to God comes first, and I apologize if my comments disregarded that fact. But the flag is an excellent secondary loyalty, and if one does not have it, again I question why they would want to be a citizen of this country in the first place.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why does it matter if someone does it?

Because we should have nothing but the greatest respect for our flag and anthem.

Why should the federal government force this down the throat of its citizens? What if they don't like their flag and anthem?

Then I question why such a person even wants to be a citizen in this country in the first place.

Pledging one's allegiance to a flag is idolatry.  You should know that.

Loyalty to God comes first, and I apologize if my comments disregarded that fact. But the flag is an excellent secondary loyalty, and if one does not have it, again I question why they would want to be a citizen of this country in the first place.

1. The flag is not the country.
2. If you are interpreting kneeling during the anthem as a sign of disloyalty to the flag, the country, or the ideals that either represents, then you are intentionally choosing not to listen to the actual message of the protestors and are in fact making a conscious choice to be offended.

If I am making that conscious choice, so be it. Everyone should be offended by these protests, if they have any remote level of patriotism.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Forced patriotism isn't patriotism.

All patriotism is patriotism.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Forced patriotism isn't patriotism.

All patriotism is patriotism.

I'm sure the Soviet Union would agree!

This isn't 1982. What is this Soviet Union you speak of?

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

MOTION: To declare a sense of the Atlas Forum that The New York Jets are a worthless, unpatriotic team that cannot control their liberal impulses to bend their knees in dangerous and unpatriotic ways, and thus no one should ever watch a single New York Jets game.

Please vote AYE or NAY.

AYE

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I have a better idea, let's just stop playing the national anthem at sporting events altogether. If I'm watching a sporting event, I want to watch the sport, not some (probably) bad musician turn The Star-Spangled Banner into ear rape (which, IMO, is far more unpatriotic than some barely visible player on the sidelines kneeling).

I’m fine with no anthem myself. Most other countries don’t play anthem either. It is only Americans that are somehow convinced that playing excessive amount of the anthem and reminding us of how much freedom we have is a display of patriotism. Many countries have freedom, some even greater and more admirable than that of US.

Patriotism comes through other methods, such as helping people vote, aiding communities, and educating them on our history.

Those people are more of patriots than holier-than-thou nationalists that can put their hand over their heart.

Yeah, I'd actually be fine with not playing the anthem altogether. But if it's going to be played, and the players are going to be on the field, they need to stand.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

If it was white players bending the knee cuz of some conservative reason y'all ugly Trump supporters would be loving them

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm against any kneeling during the anthem regardless of the reasoning.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Vox: The NFL’s “take a knee” ban is flatly illegal

Article is from Benjamin Sachs, the Kestnbaum professor of labor and industry at Harvard Law School.

That's not how I read the article.  I get it that this is a discussion of Workplace Rules, but it is also clear to me that this issue is, indeed, a "partial strike" which is not protected.

Did you even read the article:

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The rest of the article is only relevant if the Players Association consulted with the union before making the change, and the players association has indicated they did not consult the union. I agree with you that kneeling is wrong, but if laws were broken in making this change as seems to be the case, then the law is the law. One's support of a policy does not make the policy legal.