Good Night Irene

[Benton]

(08-16-2018, 09:17 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The NFL doesn't have rules against speaking out on social issues via social media, interviews or giving a message at the Espy's. That's how I'm aware of the opinions of those NBA players and coaches.

So again, I'm not sure how you think NFL players are forced to use the Anthem to be heard.

To the bold: Good on you, I don't watch them.

And that's the point. A protest that no one knows about isn't a protest. I don't keep up with the NBA, so I know little to nothing about what you're talking about. But even a tennis fan who knows jack about football has heard about the anthem protest.

That's the point.

If I sit in my garage and refuse to take out the garbage, I'm not protesting anything. I'm taking little to no risk in my desire to bring attention to the issue of taking out garbage. And, outside of the squirrels in my attic, no one is going to know about my shenanigans. But if I tell my wife I'm skipping the family vacation because of my turn on garbage duty? Then I'm taking a risk.

Personally, I don't like the kneeling. I attend 2-3 public (city council, fiscal courts, etc) meetings a week that start with the pledge. As much as I disagree with what happens nationally, I say it every single meeting. But I respect the choice those players made in protesting in a way that was supposed to draw attention to a social issue, instead of taking a safer route.

And I don't think I said they were forced to use the anthem. I do believe they are very limited due to NFL rules on ways they could protest that would have any impact. As someone in the media, if I interview a player about a football game and he starts lobbing police violence statistics, I'm cutting that content. Why? Cause that's the job. Not because the media is evil or good or whatever, but if a reporter is supposed to get a story about a game or a season or whatever, and a player starts going off track, you aren't going to talk to that player again.

So, could players use an awards ceremony to discuss racial problems? Sure. And they would get just as ignored as standing on a corner and shouting the end is nigh.