Last night marked the first full week of the 2018 preseason for the National Football League, but a continuation of a long-standing problem – players kneeling and raising fists during the National Anthem.
The Miami Dolphins saw three players engage in a disrespectful display during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” something that is still technically a violation of league policy. (RELATED: NFL Players File Grievance Over National Anthem Policy – ‘Infringes On Our Rights’).
Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson, a pair of wide receivers for the Dolphins, kneeled behind teammates who were lined up along the sideline, while defensive end Robert Quinn stood and raised his right fist.
“As a black man in this world, I’ve got an obligation to raise awareness,” Quinn said after the game, a 26-24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “If no one wants to live in unity, that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in.”
Colin Kaepernick, the man who started the disgusting act of spitting on the service of our military, our veterans, and disrespecting the flag and the nation that allows them to make millions in peace, offered his support for the protesters.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, home of the Super Bowl champions who were told by President Trump to stay home rather than be honored by the White House, more fists were raised in protest.
Malcolm Jenkins who said he would boycott a trip to the White House regardless was one of those players. He was joined by defensive back De’Vante Bausby, and defensive end Chris Long who put his arm around Jenkins. Long did that much of last season, unable to commit to a protest but still wanting to draw attention to himself.
Michael Bennett the team’s defensive end and a man who lied about experiencing police brutality and racial profiling when he ran out of a nightclub shooting in Las Vegas, sauntered out onto the field while the anthem played.
President Trump blasted the players in a Friday morning tweet, insisting they “should be standing proudly for the National Anthem.”
The league issued a statement about the preseason protests and in typical fashion waffled between putting their foot down and allowing the ‘inmates to run the asylum.’
“The NFL has been engaged in constructive discussions with the NFL Players Association regarding the anthem and issues of equality and social justice that are of concern to many Americans,” the statement said. “While those discussions continue, the NFL has agreed to delay implementing or enforcing any club work rules that could result in players being disciplined for their conduct during the performance of the anthem.”
The NFL has made the problem infinitely worse – at first doing nothing about the kneeling, then creating a new policy, and eventually backing off if it.
In May, they instituted a new policy that essentially said if you’re on the field when the anthem is playing, you better stand.
Shortly thereafter, the NFL Players Association filed a lawsuit saying standing for the anthem and respecting the flag “infringes” on their rights.
The league folded almost immediately, announcing they’d suspend the new policy while negotiating with the NFLPA.
While a select few players decided to continue embarrassing themselves last night, one player has stood out by contrast as a man who courageously defends the National Anthem – Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott.
“I never protest during the anthem, and I don’t think that’s the time or the venue to do so,” he said.
Dak added, “I’ve always believed standing up for what I believe in, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”
Meanwhile, legendary Cleveland Browns running back and actual civil rights activist Jim Brown said he would always choose to stand for the National Anthem and would prefer it if today’s NFL players would do the same.
They don’t appear to be listening and the NFL will surely see their ratings continue to plummet this season as a result.
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Sorry Angelo, maybe people give up their Constitutional rights in your country. I live in the United States and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land here.
I accept that some people hate the Constitution enough that they want to do away with the rights that our military have fought and died for. The people who would destroy our Constitutional rights are enemies of the nation.
I agree with President Trump, they have turned a football game where dumb players on steroids get rich and then conlain the government of the USA is responsible for gun violence like the 11 killed in Chicago in one weekend obviously their protest is having no effect except too drive people away who watch supports for entertainment and expect the serious issue of black on black gun violence like chicago should take precedence not undermining the Police who could do more to stop it. I would dub the Fl spectacle as stupid but that would be an insult t stupid people. Thir protest has nothing to do with gun violence and the police it is an entire fallacious reasoning to solve bigger issues drug gang crime, the players are acting more and more like one would expect in a Central American city where soccer teams are owned by drug cartels. God Blless America F the NFL and its idiot players.
Let us boycott NFL games. Let's spend our money at the mall , travel, go to school , donate to charity-veterans, homeless, seniors, children , humane society , fund deserving students tuition fee or donate to public schools for their extracurricular activities or music instrument. These kneelers don't respect the country that feeds them and their families.
I WISH EVERYONE OF THESE PROTESTING MONKEYS WOULD DROP DEAD BEFORE THE DAY ENDS TODAY. SCREW THEM ALL AND THE NFL. I WOULDN'T WATCH THESE BASTARDS IF YOU PUT A GUN TO MY HEADF.
Hell, there are lots of things in this country that disappoint and anger me, but I will always show honor and respect for the flag and for the country that has offered more to its citizen's and for the brave who have defended it, some making the ultimate sacrifice. We all have a right to voice our grievances and our opinions, but as long as the NFL is still paying these ignorant ingrates to go out and disrespect our country, I will find better ways to spend my money.
My dad was in the first wave of Marines onto Guadalcanal (Semper Fi!!) and I would never kneel or in any way "disrespect" the anthem or the flag, but this is America and the players (anyone) have a right to to express themselves NONVIOLENTLY. My biggest problem with free speech in 2018 America is the Lefties' continual assault on it. Lefties credo: We can say anything we want. You have to sit there and shut the hell up!
I don't care, I have been boycotting for 19 months, I will continue to do as long as there is one player in the NFL that has ever taken a knee, hope the scrubs in the NFL wend up working in car washes.
Last Marine Corps Birthday ball I went to, it was easy to hear jokes about get a platoon together and going to a game with Garands
Each and every member of the NFL has a right to Protest. However, there are consequences to those Protests. Since the NFL has chosen to ignore the disrespect from it's NFL Members toward; The American Flag, America, The Men/Women who protect US Daily, we will have our own Protest. Our protest will include, but not be limited to; Not attending ANY NFL Games, Not Watching ANY NFL Games on Television, Not Listening to ANY NFL Games on the Radio. Not Purchasing ANY NFL Merchandise and Not Supporting ANY NFL Sponsors! So, these people can Protest all they want, we won't be supporting any part of the NFL!
NFL-NO FANS LEFT!!! This is how this NFL season is going to end up with many NFL teams losing money!! Who is going to pay the players if the NFL goes bankrupt!! XFL coming soon and no kneeling or raising fists!!!
Keep it up you stupid idiots, your way of making a great living is dying on the vine, sooner or later you will have to go out and get a real job and you will be thinking, hmm maybe I shouldn't done that, but it will be too late.