The NFL has chosen a side — and it’s against peaceful protest, free speech, and Black Lives Matter.
At the league’s spring meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, commissioner Roger Goodell announced the team owners had approved a new policy against kneeling during the National Anthem.
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The new policy statement released to the public finds it “unfortunate” that protests “created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic.” (No, Donald Trump did that by hammering the public with his rhetoric that protest is un-American — when in fact the opposite is true.)
The draconian terms it set sent a very clear message: DO NOT PROTEST ON CAMERA:
– all personnel must stand for the anthem or their team will be fined
– players can remain in the locker room if they don’t wish to stand
– personnel who are seen not standing will face “appropriate discipline”
You can read the entire policy and its response (below):
Statement from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pic.twitter.com/1Vn7orTo1R
— NFL (@NFL) May 23, 2018
The NFL Players Association responded quickly, posting an official statement on Twitter calling the ruling out as an about-face from what they’d been told:
pic.twitter.com/3FvuGyy4tA
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) May 23, 2018
Others, including Jemele Hill, who infamously got pulled from the air on ESPN after pressure from Trump, had some thoughts on the new ruling:
I’m very curious to see how many NFL players will be on the field for the anthem that first NFL weekend.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 23, 2018
The NFL is 80% black. Imagine if they all sat out a Sunday or two…
— Travon Free (@Travon) May 23, 2018
I wonder what happens if the NFL players figure out a way to protest while standing up. pic.twitter.com/tXLZisJ5qO
— Neuro Polarbear (@NeuroPolarbear) May 23, 2018
If the NFL is really wanting to address their image problem they should begin with the murders & assaults. Then concussions. And if they still have time, players peacefully kneeling in protest of a system that doesnt think twice about the killing of children & unarmed black men pic.twitter.com/OqkybM0snD
— Amelia Gerson (@agerson24) May 23, 2018
The NFL players’ protests have never been about the military or the flag. They’re about police brutality and white supremacy. Failing to protest injustice in America is not patriotic, it’s dangerous. #TakeAKnee
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 23, 2018
Banned in the NFL: kneeling during the anthem
Not banned in the NFL: players who commit sexual/domestic assault
— Max Burns (@themaxburns) May 23, 2018
I’m done with the @NFL.
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) May 23, 2018
Will the @NFL still effectively ban Colin Kaepernick & Eric Reid from the league now that they have banned taking a knee?
Or will they allow these men to earn a living back in the league now that they’ve banned their chosen form of protest?
A grave injustice either way. pic.twitter.com/lrlbJrFOkY
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) May 23, 2018
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