So only liberals have the right to protest now?

[Jim in CT]

When professional athletes disrespect the national anthem during a time of war, that's OK, because of freedom of speech. If those in the military get offended, tough cookies.

When professional ahletes claim that cops are the problem, that's OK, because of freedom of speech. If the heroic cops get offended, tough cookies.

The catcher for the Seattle Mariners has harsh words for Black Lives Matter (you know, the ones who chanted for dead cops), he gets suspended without pay. Because if those in Black Lives Matter get offended, well then by golly, someone must be punished.

It's funny how selective liberals are when it comes to freedom of speech. Sometimes liberals embrace freedom of speech, sometimes they pretend they never heard of 'freedom of speech'. (Huh? What? Freedom of what?) It all depends on whose ox is getting gored, I suppose.

These people have no shame, and their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

[Sea Dangles]

Jim, I am hardly a liberal and I was offended, were you? I refuse to adhere to standards that are commonplace to the liberal sect. Just because it is good for the goose does not make it good for the gander.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Jim, I am hardly a liberal and I was offended, were you? I refuse to adhere to standards that are commonplace to the liberal sect. Just because it is good for the goose does not make it good for the gander.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Yes, I was offended by what he said. But that's missing the point, I think.

I am also offended when they kneel during the national anthem, but I was told (correctly) that someone else's right to free speech trumps my sensitivities.

People have the right to say things that are offensive. At least, it appears, they can say offensive things to people who liberals are not counting on, come election day.

This isn't a case of the government arresting the guy. But the professional sports teams are being very selective about who they allow their athletes to offend. You disagree?

[Sea Dangles]

I believe that the owner can do as he please with employees. Just as Jerry Jones demonstrated when he declared that anybody who protests the anthem will not play for the Cowboys.
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[The Dad Fisherman]

Part of it too, is that MLB is trying to remain neutral in the whole mess. I read an interview with Tori Hunter last week, he was being kind of an Adhoc spokesman for MLB and he walked the line of neutrality on the Anthem protests.
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[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

I believe that the owner can do as he please with employees. Just as Jerry Jones demonstrated when he declared that anybody who protests the anthem will not play for the Cowboys.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Yep, just like a lot of companies can jettison you if the feel you're bad for the company image.

NFL obviously worried about their image
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Part of it too, is that MLB is trying to remain neutral in the whole mess. I read an interview with Tori Hunter last week, he was being kind of an Adhoc spokesman for MLB and he walked the line of neutrality on the Anthem protests.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

They suspended this guy without pay, I don't see that as being neutral. I see that as taking a stand.

"NFL obviously worried about their image "

There's no reason for them to worry, fans aren't reacting in a way that would tell the NFL they need to clean up their act. I think the NFL is correct to assume they can do whatever they want, and people will still fork over their dough to whatever gang banging thug is wearing their team's jersey.

You are right, the team can act to protect its image. What does it say about our culture, that protesting the national anthem during a time of war isn't seen as hurting the league's image; saying that cops are a bunch of racist assassins isn't hurting the league's image; but saying that those who call for dead cops, and those who loot and pillage our cities, should be locked up like animals... THAT is hurting the team's image? What does that say about how fu*ked up our moral compass is?

[Sea Dangles]

Jim, I wonder what raised you sometimes too. Thanks for confirming why.
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[FishermanTim]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

.....What does that say about how fu*ked up our moral compass is?

It says nothing about OUR moral compass, but speaks volumes about THEIRS!!!

Thankfully I do not spend money to support the sports teams (directly). Unfortunately, they derive part of their money from TV contracts, so just by watching the team on TV is paying them indirectly (to some degree).

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

They suspended this guy without pay, I don't see that as being neutral. I see that as taking a stand.

"NFL obviously worried about their image "

There's no reason for them to worry, fans aren't reacting in a way that would tell the NFL they need to clean up their act. I think the NFL is correct to assume they can do whatever they want, and people will still fork over their dough to whatever gang banging thug is wearing their team's jersey.

You are right, the team can act to protect its image. What does it say about our culture, that protesting the national anthem during a time of war isn't seen as hurting the league's image; saying that cops are a bunch of racist assassins isn't hurting the league's image; but saying that those who call for dead cops, and those who loot and pillage our cities, should be locked up like animals... THAT is hurting the team's image? What does that say about how fu*ked up our moral compass is?

You're kind of missing my point. MLB doesn't want to get involved in the issue, so they are trying to shut it down as soon as someone says anything.

If the NFL did the same thing day one with Kaepernick, we might not even be having this discussion.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

You're kind of missing my point. MLB doesn't want to get involved in the issue, so they are trying to shut it down as soon as someone says anything.

If the NFL did the same thing day one with Kaepernick, we might not even be having this discussion.
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Again, if MLB did nothing (like the NFL), I think that would be staying neutral, By taking the affirmative step of suspending the guy without pay, I don't think MLB is staying on the sidelines. Doing nothing would have been staying on the sidelines. Saying that you can kneel during the anthem, but saying that you cannot disparage BLM, I think they are saying something.

But entirely possible I missed your point.

Correct, if the NLF suspended him for one day, I would have supported that 100%. But if a white player bashed BLM in the NFL, I bet he would be suspended, too. Political correctness has created an enormous double standard.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Jim, I wonder what raised you sometimes too. Thanks for confirming why.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I think we all have the right to say offensive things. Not just people who are spouting off liberal talking points. If that speaks poorly about my parents, well I don't see it...

[Sea Dangles]

Jim, I agree that we all have the right to say offensive things. It is the comparison where you lose me. One person is demonstrating while the other is dumb enough to put it into words and display his ignorance. Both acts are heinous in my opinion,but I applaud the suspension. To try and validate the action certainly sounds like an endorsement, yet you think it is justified. Shame on you.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Jim, I agree that we all have the right to say offensive things. It is the comparison where you lose me. One person is demonstrating while the other is dumb enough to put it into words and display his ignorance. Both acts are heinous in my opinion,but I applaud the suspension. To try and validate the action certainly sounds like an endorsement, yet you think it is justified. Shame on you.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I see your point, as usual. But both are forms of speech, and both were offensive, though to different groups.

If you punish one person for expressing himself in a way that offends someone, you should suspend the other person who does (what in my opinion is) the same thing.

I don't know what action I justified. I don't like what the baseball player said. But if he doesn't have the right to offend Black Lives Matter, why does everyone else have he right to offend veterans? It's that double standard.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

I see your point, as usual. But both are forms of speech, and both were offensive, though to different groups.

If you punish one person for expressing himself in a way that offends someone, you should suspend the other person who does (what in my opinion is) the same thing.

I don't know what action I justified. I don't like what the baseball player said. But if he doesn't have the right to offend Black Lives Matter, why does everyone else have he right to offend veterans? It's that double standard.

I agree with you, but you are talking about two different organizations. Now if someone in MLB starts refusing to stand for the anthem and they let it slide. then you are correct, that is a double standard.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

I agree with you, but you are talking about two different organizations. Now if someone in MLB starts refusing to stand for the anthem and they let it slide. then you are correct, that is a double standard.

Again, you are correct, NFL and MLB are different. I was referring to athletics in general, but you got me there

[JohnR]

I saw a report that NFL viewership was down 15+% from this time last year - there may be a lot of people voting with their feet clicker.

[buckman]

Originally Posted by JohnR

I saw a report that NFL viewership was down 15+% from this time last year - there may be a lot of people voting with their feet clicker.

I wonder how Monday night football will rate tonight . I thought at first that planning the debate on a football night would hurt debate viewership now I feel opposite .
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by JohnR

I saw a report that NFL viewership was down 15+% from this time last year - there may be a lot of people voting with their feet clicker.

Thank you for sharing that!

http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/23/medi...spn/index.html

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

I see your point, as usual. But both are forms of speech, and both were offensive, though to different groups.

I think you're missing the point. One action was inward, the other was outward...They are very different.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

I think you're missing the point. One action was inward, the other was outward...They are very different.

What the NFL QB did was inward? Kneeling during the anthem during a time of war, is an inward gesture? Not if it offends others, it's not. Saying that this nation supports the notion of black oppression is an inward gesture?

I'll say it again, it's too bad you weren't around in the 1930s to be Hitler's public relations director. Because when you pick a side, boy, there's nothing that side can do, that you won't say is noble and fine.

"They are very different"

Correct. What the QB said was offensive to a group that liberals are not politically depending upon. What the MLB catcher said, was offensive to a group that is politically important to liberals.

That's the difference. To your side (not to me), it's an important difference. To your side, all animals are equal, but some are a lot more equal than others, to quote Orwell's 'Animal Farm'.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Here's a nice double standard though

Some people just can't comprehend that free speech is a two way street.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/...ey-as-doormat/



A restaurant in Virginia Beach has come under fire for using a Colin Kaepernick jersey as a doormat.

On Saturday, James Perry, who lives in the area, went to Krossroads Rock and Country Bar in the Pleasant Valley Shopping Center Thursday and saw the jersey taped to the ground at the front entrance.

He told FoxNews.com that he was shocked and “thought it was a joke.”

The general manager of the restaurant told FOX 8 that using the jersey as a doormat was in response to the football player’s alleged disrespect of the flag and “sportsmanship”—not the man himself or a comment on his race.

The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has sparked a national debate on free speech by refusing to stand for the playing of the national anthem before games. Kaepernick says he is kneeling in protest of police and systemic oppression against African Americans and minorities in the United States.

Since Kaepernick began his anthem protest, his jersey is flying off the shelves-- it's currently the fifth bestselling jersey on NFL.com. But maybe it's moving for the wrong reasons.

Perry, however, called the act of using the jersey as a stomping mat “racist” and is calling for a boycott of the bar. He posted a picture of taped-down jersey which has since been shared over 5,800 times on the social media platform. He says Krossroads has now lost a loyal customer.

But some locals—and out of state supporters—are standing by the Virgina Beach restaurant.

“I was not offended by that," Carol Bevilacqua told FOX 8. "I think we live in a free country. I think people are allowed to do what they want.”

Yelpers have also flooded Krossroads’ page with one-star reviews in support of Perry.

“I'm sick of hearing all you 'tards calling this place racist, then having the nerve to give them a negative review just because you and this establishment don't see eye to eye,” wrote one Yelper.

“Most of America hates Kaepernick for disrespecting our flag, not because he's black or why he's doing it. He could've chose a different way to get his point across without making enemies in the process.”

The restaurant isn't the first business to use the quarterback's jersey as a floor accesory. A cigar lounge in Houston was also reportedly using Kaepernick's jersey as a doormat earlier this month.

The general manager of Krossroads was not immediately available for comment.