NFL Protests: The Untold Stories

In recent years, NFL player Colin Kaepernick created a stir throughout the nation when he chose to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem in protest of Police Brutality against Minority Communities, particular African-Americans, here in the United States.  During this time of controversy, I personally chose to keep my views on this matter to myself.  I had mixed feelings, about the issue at hand, as well as how it was being protested, but regardless, I believed that Kaepernick had the right to stand, or in this case, kneel for his beliefs, because I am a firm believer in the First Amendment of the Constitution.  However, over time I began to realize that the NFL, like many in America, only support the First Amendment when it comes to expression views that they agree with, but when it comes to views that they disagree with, they want the First Amendment to be suppressed, rather than be upheld.

 Let me cite a few examples.  After the shooting of Five Dallas Police Officers by Micah Xavier Johnson in July of 2016, the Dallas Cowboys wanted to pay tribute to these officers by placing "Arm in Arm" decals on their helmets.  However, the NFL refused to allow this.  Tennessee Titans football player Avery Williamson wanted to wear football cleats honoring the 9/11 attack, the NFL threatened to fine him.  Former Chicago Bears player Brandon Marshall was fined $10,000 for wearing green shoes to raise awareness of mental health illness.  Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams was denied a request to wear pink all season long to raise awareness of for Breast Cancer, which killed his mother years earlier.  Does this show a bias?  Does this illustrate that the NFL only supports the First Amendment when they approve of the cause, but seeks to suppress it when players want to honor a cause that the NFL does not approve of?  I would say that they answer to this question is yes.  

 I would therefore say that it's time for the NFL to make a choice.  They must either protect all of the NFL players First Amendment Rights and ensure that every player can express their views on an issue regardless of how the league feels about it, or the NFL is simply going to have to make it a requirement that no NFL player can take action for or against any cause on the football field.  Simply put, the NFL will have to protect the First Amendment Rights of all their players, or they will have to deny the First Amendment Rights to all players.  There is no other option.  

 Sources

Brinson, Will.  "NFL Won't let Cowboys Wear Decals Supporting Dallas Police in Regular Season."  CBS Sports.  Aug. 11, 2016.  Accessed from https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-wont-let-cowboys-wear-decals-supporting-dallas-police-in-regular-season/.

Gabriel, Bridgitte.  Rise: In Defense of Judeo-Christian Values and Freedom.  Lake Mary, FL: FrontLine, 2018.

"NFL Denies Cowboys Request to Wear Decal Honoring Fallen Dallas Officers."  Fox News.  August 12, 2016.  Accessed from http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/08/12/nfl-denies-cowboys-request-to-wear-decal-honoring-fallen-dallas-officers.html.

Wolf, Jason.  "NFL Squashes Titans Linebacker Avery Williamson's Plan to Honor 9/11 Victims."  Tennessean.  Sept. 09, 2016.  Accessed from https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2016/09/09/nfl-squashes-titans-linebacker-avery-williamsons-plan-honor-911-victims/89956128/.

Wolf, Jason.  "Titan's Avery Williamson Wears 9/11 Cleats Despite Fine Threat."  Tennessean.  Sept. 11, 2016.  Accessed from https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2016/09/11/titans-avery-williamson-wears-patriotic-shoes-despite-nfl-threatening-fine/90222846/.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Honor Killing in Chicago

Image
On Jan. 23rd, 2024, 63-year-old Palestinian-Muslim resident Maher Kassem was arrested by the police for murdering his wife Majeda Kassem as well as his three adult daughters.  Police report this to be a clear case of domestic violence while Maher is on record stating that he felt his family didn't appreciate him and treat him in the manner that he deserved to be treated.   "The defendant was recorded volunteering things about having just retired, and that 'She treats me like a [expletive] dog," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Clark. "'I worked 40 years.' and 'I worked all my life to give my family a better home, and they treat me like  [expletive].'"   A family member of Majeda Kassem said there was constant verbal abuse going on in the home - adding that Kassem's wife contemplated leaving, but stayed for the sake of her children. Maher Kassem Maher Kassem & His Three Daughters Muslim-American activists claim tha...
Read more

Apartheid in the Middle East

Image
THE MIDDLE EAST'S REAL APARTHEID By Efraim Karsh "Israel Apartheid Week his cities and campuses throughout the world.  This charge, of course, is not only completely false, but the inverse of the truth.  If apartheid is indeed a crime against humanity, Israel is actually the only apartheid-free state in the Middle East.  By contrast, apartheid has been an integral part of the Middle East for over a millennium, and the Arab Muslim nations continue to legally, politically, and socially enforce this discriminatory practice against their hapless minorities. Religious Intolerance:  Muslims historically viewed themselves as distinct from, and superior to, all non-Muslims.  Non-Muslims, known in history as "Dhimmis," never enjoyed equal rights under Islam.  Even non-ruling Muslim factions have been historically oppressed by their dominant co-religionists Ethnic inequality:  This legacy of intolerance extends beyond the religious sphere...
Read more

ISIS Terrorists Slaughter Christians in the Congo

Image
For years the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been a region of great instability & violence with a dozen armed groups and over 100 criminal gangs operating in the Eastern region of the DRC alone.  Among those groups is the Allied Democratic Forces, a Jihadists terrorist organization that pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2018.  During the month of June, the group claimed responsibility for attacks that killed over 150 Christian villagers, 38 killed on the 8th of June alone.  The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) recently released images posted by the Allied Democratic Forces on a Telegram account that detailed some of the recent horrific attacks.   Christian Villagers Slaughtered by the ADF Militants These Jihadists Militants, armed with guns & machetes, attacked soldiers and civilians alike.  Images revealed dozens of victims, some of whom were shot while others had their hands tied behind their backs & their throats slashed, clearl...
Read more