Timothy Birdnow

Another swing and a miss from NFL owners over the bended knee controversy (apologies for mixing sports metaphors.)

Seems the owners of the NFL, desperate to win back fans, have implemented a new policy: "The policy subjects teams to a fine if a player or any other team personnel do not show respect for the anthem. That includes any attempt to sit or kneel, as dozens of players have done during the past two seasons. Those teams will also have the option to fine any team personnel, including players, for the infraction.

"This season, all league and team personnel shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room until after the Anthem has been performed.

"We believe today’s decision will keep our focus on the game and the extraordinary athletes who play it — and on our fans who enjoy it.”

A vote took place at the conclusion of the league’s spring meetings and was approved by all 32 owners."

End excerpt.

Without a fine being levied against those who stay behind, the League has essentially allowed a whole new form of protest. What would happen if only two or three players showed up for the Anthem? Coaches may well keep the whole team in the locker rooms until after the Anthem to avoid embarrassment or offending fans, who at least have the option of booing the kneelers.

This is another case of the owners trying to have their cake and gobble it down too. They continue to try to resolve this issue by loophole rather than proving they value the fans and America, the land which gave them the wealth and freedom to make lots and lots of money off people watching a kid's game.

Frankly I'd rather the "take a knee" strategy because it is more out in the open. Let them made spectacles of themselves - and take the consequences.

By the way, at St. Louis University the statue of Jesuit missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet was removed from public display because it depicted native Americans kneeling before the Catholic priest in a penitent pose; the statue was duly declared racist by the powers that be at the liberal Jesuit university and subsequently buried in the basement somewhere. If kneeling before a white priest is racist and must be kept from our virgin eyes, why didn't the League treat kneeling black players as being victimized by the very act of kneeling? Well, their answer seems to be comparable to SLU's, but in this case the players will be having their racial oppression hidden from view. It's not a statue, but real people who will be bending knee.

So now young black men are bowing and kneeling in private before the white Masters of the NFL.

The answer is not to hide this but to treat it with the respect it deserves, meaning to bring these players out in public and forbid this racist spectacle.

I can hardly wait until Vince McMahon gets his alternate league up to compete with the fat and lazy NFL.

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 09:16 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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