Roger Goodell has put his foot in it again because he’s an indecisive coward who always seeks to work around the issue rather than address it directly. A USMC colonel writes a scathing letter to Goodell:
You are complicit in this! You’ll fine players for large and small infractions but you lack the moral courage and respect for our nation and the fallen to put an immediate stop to this. Yes, I know, it’s their 1st Amendment right to behave in such a despicable manner.
What would happen if they came out and disrespected you or the refs publicly?
I observed a player getting a personal foul for twerking in the end zone after scoring. I guess that’s much worse than disrespecting the flag and our National Anthem. Hmmmmm, isn’t it his 1st Amendment right to express himself like an idiot in the end zone?
Why is taunting not allowed yet taunting America is OK? You fine players for wearing 9-11 commemorative shoes yet you allow scum on the sidelines to sit, kneel or pump their pathetic fist in the air. They are so deprived with their multi-million dollar contracts for playing a freaking game!
You condone it all by your refusal to act.
The Marine officer hits the key point. Since the NFL aggressively fines its players for other protected expressions, its failure to do so when the players are openly disrespecting the flag and the national anthem makes them complicit in that disrespect.
Personally, I thought Bud Grant did it right. Line up straight, stand at attention, and provide a good example of discipline and respect for the kids. I was always proud of how the Grant-era Vikings looked in comparison with the slovenly, undisciplined other teams.
There is nothing wrong with what the players are doing, anymore than there was anything wrong with John Randle painting his face or Jim McMahon wearing his headbands. But the NFL’s hypocrisy with regards to the matter is both wrong and contemptible.