Owners Considering Penalizing 1st Amendment Rights

1st amendment rights?

Bigly...  :p 

I think that's a great  ideal   to play in the NFL is a  private not a right

That would seem weird.  You have the anthem. Then a break. Those of us at home would have 10 minutes of commercials. Then start the game with a 15 yard penalties on the kick off. That's if they decide they still have kick offs. Well it's their league I'm only a fan.

Even worse the owners will do it. The players will unite and both sides will designate a kneeler. Offsetting penalties. 

i think that is all fine.  it just has nothing to do with the first or any other ammendment.

Enough horseshit.

It's not about YOUR beliefs. Stand and honor the flag & your country.

Politics and sports DONT have to go hand in hand.
Honor those who put themselves in the line of fire for your opportunity to make millions.

anyone kneels on my team and your ass is cut. IDGAS.
Bunch of pouting children...

...and I consider myself a liberal. 

Im a retired military guy and i was a little surprised when people made it a military thing.  Dont get me wrong most all military guys love and respect the flag. But it always seemed like it is more of a “we are all in this together” thing.   It is all of our’s flag, anthem, country and the rest.  Sure America has its problems but in the end you love it or leave it.  Dont dig spoiled millionaires denegrating any of it, not because i was military but instead because I am an American.

a penalty?  Seems silly.  Like a former president's "line in the sand" that kept moving.  Taking a stand without risking anything.

Teams could be assessed 15-yard penalties for players kneeling.

Wonder what the penalty will be for holding up a fist, hanging your head, turning your back, not coming out to the field, etc. etc. will be.  I guess they will have to write the rule so it encompasses any form of protest or demonstration.  Better bring in the lawyers.

Gotta do something to keep that sweet DoD money coming in.

Total non issue, wasnt till 2009 that the players had to come out of the locker room.  I'll take it seriously when they shut down the concession stands, empty  the bathrooms and wait for everyone to be at their seat before they start.

@"BigAl99" said: Total non issue, wasnt till 2009 that the players had to come out of the locker room.  I'll take it seriously when they shut down the concession stands, empty  the bathrooms and wait for everyone to be at their seat before they start.

A bit of a difference between employer/employee and business owner/customer....for the fan it most certainly is a first amendment right to be disrespectful.   For the record I have seen food vendors stop what they are doing and stand at attention for the anthem.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

A bit of a difference between employer/employee and business owner/customer....for the fan it most certainly is a first amendment right to be disrespectful.   For the record I have seen food vendors stop what they are doing and stand at attention for the anthem.

@"Vikesrock" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

A bit of a difference between employer/employee and business owner/customer....for the fan it most certainly is a first amendment right to be disrespectful.   For the record I have seen food vendors stop what they are doing and stand at attention for the anthem.

Amendment ICongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The first amendment applies to the government making a law or prosecuting you for your freedom of speech.  If they were chucking people in jail for kneeling, THEN we have a 1st amendment issue.  A private employer (NFL) is free and clear to tell you to shut up and fire your tail for violation of that policy.  The NFL by it's very nature and all team owners are incapable of violating anyone's 1st amendment because they do not have the power to make a law or imprison someone.

@"Vikesrock" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

A bit of a difference between employer/employee and business owner/customer....for the fan it most certainly is a first amendment right to be disrespectful.   For the record I have seen food vendors stop what they are doing and stand at attention for the anthem.

Amendment ICongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The first amendment applies to the government making a law or prosecuting you for your freedom of speech.  If they were chucking people in jail for kneeling, THEN we have a 1st amendment issue.  A private employer (NFL) is free and clear to tell you to shut up and fire your tail for violation of that policy.  The NFL by it's very nature and all team owners are incapable of violating anyone's 1st amendment because they do not have the power to make a law or imprison someone.

walmart doesnt let you wear a “fuck america” shirt while working. i see no problem with the nfl clamping down on this issue. 

It's sad it came to this. As BigAl stated. They used to keep the players in the locker room. Now of course to go back to that would be viewed by some owners as a falure to win this battle of wills. Horse is out of the stable now.
I think as Viking fans it is important to remember this fact. At the end of last year only 4 teams had no players kneel. The Vikes were one. Much has been made about Jerry's team, mostly by himself, that his team had no kneelers. Some need to thump their chest and make noise about how they do things the right way. Others just do it because it IS the right thing and expect no special treatment for doing right. I like that way better. SKOL!

It absolutely is a first amendment right and they will get sued to hell and back for it if they do it. I can’t support such an ifiotic move by the owners calling even more attention to this. 

This might be the dumbest thing I have ever heard the NFL do yet. 

I think there's a lack of good concise words for describing how a private company limits your (or the players) freedom and people try to fill in with the words they know best.  It's just that we have such well defined words for defining the limitations a government has in restricting your freedoms.

Is it illegal when social media sites or search engines censor your ability to post or view the information you want and restricts it to a narrow band of the agendas they support?  No.  Is it alarming and in need of attention to be aware of when they are limiting your freedom?  Absolutely.  I also think there's plenty of blurred lines and secret projects that are funded by the government (ie us) but executed by private entities so there's no government oversight, and all of a sudden we end up with mind control, Voice of God technology or the latest weapon to attack people across the world.

As we go forward, we're going to be more demanding of corporations that limit our freedom or use our money in ways we don't approve of, and we'll have to develop more efficient ways of describing that, and I wouldn't be surprised if the lexicon we use for governments is just carried over.