Football, Protests and Free Speech

In general, I try to keep politics off this page.  My political opinion is not something I generally choose to share with a broad audience and I share this blog with everyone I know on social media, so I usually try to keep my political thought audience a little smaller.  However, I'm breaking with tradition here to make a statement about a political issue I'm kind of fired up about - the NFL protests.

I am a supporter of the First Amendment.  Full stop.  I don't believe we should limit any speech in any way.  People have the right to express themselves.  Period.  Now, that does not include violent or destructive actions like we've seen in many public protests that devolved into riots.  That is not speech.  That is animalistic, criminal behavior.  Speech is peaceful, even if you abhor the content.  Speech is a God-given right we must all defend.  To believe anything else is un-American.

Regarding the NFL protests, players are not leading riots or calling their followers to burn down the stadium, at least not while on the field.  (Off the field some are saying pretty horrible things, but that's a separate conversation.)  On the field, they are simply kneeling, often with head bowed.  To me, that looks like a very humble and sincere statement.  The ultimate form of peaceful protest.  Personally, I don't always support what they are saying.  I think a lot of the anti-police rhetoric goes WAY too far, but I endlessly support their right to say it.  Just as I think it's awful that conservative speakers being shut down by violent mobs is wrong, I think it's wrong to tell these athletes their peaceful speech isn't allowed even when I don't agree with them.  I'm not interested in supporting their point.  I'm interested in defending their natural right.

Now, I also believe that each team owner and the NFL in general have the right to tell the players, their employees, what speech is appropriate while they are representing their employer.  If Jerry Jones wants to insist his employees stand for the National Anthem while they're on his time, that's his prerogative.  If an owner wants to insist all his players kneel, that's also his choice.  If the players don't want to play by their boss' rules they can quit the team.  As a consumer, if I don't want a side of politics with my entertainment, I'm able to find another way to occupy my time.  It's a free country and we have limitless choices.  I have no problem at all with people who are choosing not to watch football this season.  They're expressing their opinions, too.

Alejandro Villanueva stands for the National Anthem

Photo credit: Fox News

One thing I really don't like though is a politician - particularly the President of the United States - bloviating about firing people exercising their right to free speech.  That's not his business.  At all.  His business is dealing with North Korea or fixing our tax code or helping the unfortunate Americans who have recently been affected by natural disasters.  It is not his place to yammer about what the NFL owners ought to do.  If he wants to share his opinion, I wish he'd find a way to do so that didn't sound like he wants to be emperor, directing private business owners' actions.  (I am aware that's not what he actually said, but it's what people took away from it.  He is so ham-handed with his words sometimes!  It drives me bananas.)  I think it's great to have a president who loves to talk about how much he loves his country, but one of our basic tenants is protesting against our own country when we feel it deserves it.  For our president to be so thin-skinned about it really rankles me.  If he feels he really wants to speak on the issue, I wish he'd find something positive to highlight.  How great would it be if he tweeted a thank you to the lone Pittsburgh Steelers player who stood and sang along with the anthem yesterday?  Perhaps he could find his favorite performance of the anthem and thank the singer for performing so well.  Find the good President Trump.  Find the good.  Please!
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