Duke Johnson took a knee during the National Anthem

[ellu]

It is not only blatant disrespect it is the fact they are using there platform all the wrong reasons .........i wonder how many players would love to speak o

Yes I do and I commend him for that he is a great leader in his community and a good person........however it does not chance my stance on what he is doing regarding his stance to the Anthem and our flag........platform is wrong and they are wrong , if he was my employee he may not be working for me very long.......

It would be your right. But typical business produce "x" or widgets. The NFL is a business where the product (the game) is only as valuable its the materials (the players). Its not entirely fungible across all levels.

More of it, folks forget, the NFL is in partnership with the NFLPA through a collective bargaining agreement. They are both owners. Sure the team (a "franchise") has its own individual ownership, but if McDonald's HQ has a rule, trust and believe, even the biggest Franchisee will play by McDonald's rules.

I admit its a strained analogy but far less strained than the reactionary "if it was my company" rhetoric as if these franchises operate in a vacuum and these ball players are purely fungible without recourse or recompense.

 

[ellu]

 

[m.dan]

I don't really give a f^k about none of this "Left" & "Right" shyt i see so many of y'all going back and forth over...this is some human shyt that a lot of y'all don't wanna deal with and would prefer the conversation don't take place and shyt would just keep going on as they were and as they are..I learn about a lot of posters character with EVERY post. We all are on this forum together because we love Miami Hurricane football..If some of these players that you root for week in and out decided to take a knee as a form of a peaceful protest, will you not root for those players to do well anymore?? Better yet, if the entire team decided to take a knee together, are you not rooting/cheering for the Canes football team anymore?? I've seen various posters on here get EXTRA upset about players peaceful knee protest but was quiet as a mouse when it came to ppl marching on UVA's campus with Tiki torches yelling racist/anti semitic chants..There are NO fine ppl who took part in that tiki torch march because they hate a lot of the players we root for weekly because of their race/pigmentation....FOH

 

[CashvilleCane1]

I don't really give a f^k about none of this "Left" & "Right" shyt i see so many of y'all going back and forth over...this is some human shyt that a lot of y'all don't wanna deal with and would prefer the conversation don't take place and shyt would just keep going on as they were and as they are..I learn about a lot of posters character with EVERY post. We all are on this forum together because we love Miami Hurricane football..If some of these players that you root for week in and out decided to take a knee as a form of a peaceful protest, will you not root for those players to do well anymore?? Better yet, if the entire team decided to take a knee together, are you not rooting/cheering for the Canes football team anymore?? I've seen various posters on here get EXTRA upset about players peaceful knee protest but was quiet as a mouse when it came to ppl marching on UVA's campus with Tiki torches yelling racist/anti semitic chants..There are NO fine ppl who took part in that tiki torch march because they hate a lot of the players we root for weekly because of their race/pigmentation....FOH

Completely agree! I've spent a good part of my career dealing with these racist sh#theads! Now not only do we have to deal with racist sh#theads but a large group of communist bastards who think they're 180 degree different from the racist. In fact though their ideology is derived from the same background. Left? Right? They're no different. A big bunch of assholes who we don't need around.

 

[krots dam]

I thank it's nasty and disrespectful for you people to not understand why they are doing this. It also tells me how far apart we are in this country. It is.... and always will be a black vs whites thing. It should be a unity thing. Who gives a damn about a damn flag or anthem? A song made during slavery times. Leave these black athletes alone. It's a damn shame black people have to do this in 2017. They have to deal with the back lash of a ignorant race of people, and you got the KKK running around like it's 1960. You're talking about politics don't belong in sports. That's funny, because to black people it's about life or death. These athletes are standing up for righteous and justices. I'm very proud of them.

I understand the underlying racial tension, and spent a lot of years working on civil rights. However, it is one step too far to say who cares about the flag and the anthem. The answer is, over 300mm people now, and many more over the last 240 years. More importantly, millions have died for what at its best, these symbols represent. And many of them have been people of color.

Taking a knee is not the same as having a conversation. It just isn't. There are certain times when sports is a good platform to raise awareness and show support! I still don't like the taking a knee...but, people need to show love in spite of it. Especially because of the reason behind it. I'll always remember Dr. King teaching that only light can drive out darkness. Only love. Empathize and validate. No need to attack them in this case.

patrick henry famously said something like, "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".

that's right - "defend to the death" another's right to say things with which you disagree. that's what our military has done for centuries and still does, and it pretty much sums up my feelings. the First Am is the foundation stone for all other freedoms. we must revere it and let it be. it is always toughest to do so when people are saying things that are profoundly displeasing or offensive to you.

i remember this incident like it was yesterday. i disagreed with it, but i respected their legal right under the First Am to do what they did. they were prepared to take the consequences for their action, and i suspect some negative ones followed.

and we all moved on.

 

[advarkas]

I don't really give a f^k about none of this "Left" & "Right" shyt i see so many of y'all going back and forth over...this is some human shyt that a lot of y'all don't wanna deal with and would prefer the conversation don't take place and shyt would just keep going on as they were and as they are..I learn about a lot of posters character with EVERY post. We all are on this forum together because we love Miami Hurricane football..If some of these players that you root for week in and out decided to take a knee as a form of a peaceful protest, will you not root for those players to do well anymore?? Better yet, if the entire team decided to take a knee together, are you not rooting/cheering for the Canes football team anymore?? I've seen various posters on here get EXTRA upset about players peaceful knee protest but was quiet as a mouse when it came to ppl marching on UVA's campus with Tiki torches yelling racist/anti semitic chants..There are NO fine ppl who took part in that tiki torch march because they hate a lot of the players we root for weekly because of their race/pigmentation....FOH

Me personally, I don't root any more or less for players who kneel during the anthem. None of that shit means anything to me. What I care about for athletes playing for my teams is simple: (1) be a law abiding citizen; (2) work hard for your team, teammates, and coaches; and (3) ultimately produce results. I don't like Kapernick because I think he's an ignorant clown wearing a Castro shirt. Has nothing to do with his perception of social injustices. He's also not a solid quarterback which is why teams passed up on him. Dolphins players- many kneeled last year- didn't give two shits. didn't even see it on tv when it happened. Just go out and peform. I wanted them to win.

now, I WILL defend owners' rights to hire, fire, etc... when players do things. As I've consistently stated, this a BUSINESS. It's an arms length relationship. If a player does not want backlash from fans, owners, and the leagues for making a political statement, then they should do it in their personal time. You put on the uniform of an employer/school, you are representing that company/school.

 

[JTH007]

Me personally, I don't root any more or less for players who kneel during the anthem. None of that shit means anything to me. What I care about for athletes playing for my teams is simple: (1) be a law abiding citizen; (2) work hard for your team, teammates, and coaches; and (3) ultimately produce results. I don't like Kapernick because I think he's an ignorant clown wearing a Castro shirt. Has nothing to do with his perception of social injustices. He's also not a solid quarterback which is why teams passed up on him. Dolphins players- many kneeled last year- didn't give two shits. didn't even see it on tv when it happened. Just go out and peform. I wanted them to win.

now, I WILL defend owners' rights to hire, fire, etc... when players do things. As I've consistently stated, this a BUSINESS. It's an arms length relationship. If a player does not want backlash from fans, owners, and the leagues for making a political statement, then they should do it in their personal time. You put on the uniform of an employer/school, you are representing that company/school.

 

[yardiewrx]

Erecting memorials glorifying civil war losers is much more disrespectful than some football player taking a knee during the Anthem....at least to me.

Especially when the majority of them were erected in the 60's to intimidate blacks, not to pay respect to the secessionists.

 

[CashvilleCane1]

Especially when the majority of them were erected in the 60's to intimidate blacks, not to pay respect to the secessionists.

I honestly couldn't care less about confederate civil war monuments but something was brought up and it's absolutely true. We do need to be reminded of where we've been so that we don't repeat those same mistakes.

 

[m.dan]

Me personally, I don't root any more or less for players who kneel during the anthem. None of that shit means anything to me. What I care about for athletes playing for my teams is simple: (1) be a law abiding citizen; (2) work hard for your team, teammates, and coaches; and (3) ultimately produce results. I don't like Kapernick because I think he's an ignorant clown wearing a Castro shirt. Has nothing to do with his perception of social injustices. He's also not a solid quarterback which is why teams passed up on him. Dolphins players- many kneeled last year- didn't give two shits. didn't even see it on tv when it happened. Just go out and peform. I wanted them to win.

now, I WILL defend owners' rights to hire, fire, etc... when players do things. As I've consistently stated, this a BUSINESS. It's an arms length relationship. If a player does not want backlash from fans, owners, and the leagues for making a political statement, then they should do it in their personal time. You put on the uniform of an employer/school, you are representing that company/school.

My only problem with what Colin Kap did was wearing that Castro shirt...That was FLAT OUT WRONG. I knew that at the VERY least, he wasn't getting signed by the Dolphins..Other than that, I respect the fact that he put it on the line and now we're getting a better/closer look at how good/f^k'd up, together/divided our country really is right now. That all depends on a person's point of view...

 

[advarkas]

My only problem with what Colin Kap did was wearing that Castro shirt...That was FLAT OUT WRONG. I knew that at the VERY least, he wasn't getting signed by the Dolphins..Other than that, I respect the fact that he put it on the line and now we're getting a better/closer look at how good/f^k'd up, together/divided our country really is right now. That all depends on a person's point of view...

these issues have to be brought to a head one way or another. There's going to be ugly hate fueled fights, bloodshed, and a lot of destruction. this is only the beginning. It is going to get worse before gets better in my opinion, but I do think that it is going to get better. The good news is that lawfully combating the KKK/white supremacy/neo Nazism is something that is non-partisan and all decent that Americans can support

 

[CaneJock]

As a Viet Nam vet I resent these a**wipes for kneeling when the Anthem is being played if they don't respect our Country or Flag then get the f**k out. He's getting millions he is not oppressed. He also got a free education.

 

[cdwright40]

If you really love this country you don't get out. You fix it!

 

[BreakingCane]

Still avoiding the question. The thank you and your welcomes are stupid but don't bother me at all. But you snide "figures" response is weak. Grow a sack. What are you implying? Keep in mind that Duke does a ton in the south Florida community, comes back to campus, works paradise etc.....figures ......i would ask again but you won't answer. This reminds me of when we lost to Cincinnati and you were saying how Al Golden would get us back on track. You are a moron.

You are getting filleted by @BenedictJTH. Why you let him do that?

 

[adanthony13]

As an athlete what are their options in fighting against racial injustice and the killing of unarmed bk males by police. What exactly can they do during the off season that would have the same effect and would bring as bright a light to this dark and troubling issue.
I'm a veteran and I have absolutely no problem with them using this platform to express their displeasure with the direction in which this country appears to be headed. I don't in any way associate their actions with our military and the people who lost their lives in battle.

Their protest is about people losing their lives right here in the United States unjustly, but if you are not a part of that segment of the population that this is clearly affecting, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

THEY HAVE OPTIONS. Carmello Anthony held a town hall. Some athletes engage with lawmakers. The protest at this point just takes away from the actual point of readjusting the justice system. Personally, the rules on use of force are too loose for cops and too stringent on soldiers and it needs to be reversed. If your cause is that important, use some of that off season time that most citizens don't get to do something.

 

[LaJollaCane]

You deployed to Iraq to serve your country or to return and use it as leverage against those who would support individual's rights under the the Constitution of the United States. I sincerely thank you for your service however don't get it twisted, it doesn't make you morally superior.

Kneeling during the NATIONAL anthem as a protest of police brutality toward minorities!? Regardless of one's opinion on the issue, that seems a lot more like "twisting" issues. There is not relation between the two issues/topics and this conduct actually detracts from the underlying message. But what do I know after 17 years of active duty and reserve service. The NFL players definitely know more than I do about U.S. history, symbols, the flag, and anthem. It's a shame that I won't learn from them because I won't be watching NFL games for the foreseeable future.