Most Texans kneel during national anthem to protest owner's 'inmate' comments
 

https://i.imgur.com/23OPPOr.jpg

The Houston Texans, incensed by owner Bob McNair's poorly worded description of players as "inmates," staged a mass protest during the national anthem prior to Houston's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Virtually all Texans knelt for the anthem, locking arms or holding hands on the sideline. National media in attendance put the number of players standing at about 10.

At the NFL owners' meetings last week, McNair had expressed frustration with the way that the protest had affected the NFL's business, and said, "We can't have the inmates running the prison." He apologized on at least two occasions for that unfortunate turn of phrase, but players were not convinced. Receiver DeAndre Hopkins left the Texans' facility on Friday after learning of the comments.

The Texans had discussed several options for protest prior to Sunday's game, including kneeling, sitting, remaining in the locker room during the anthem or peeling the Texans' logo off their helmets. Clearly, the protest was large, one of the most significant by any single team to date, but not unanimous.

Across the field, several Seahawks players continued to sit for the anthem, as they have done all season.

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Cue the chumpanzees and their hatred for minorities, America, and it's freedoms

That?s a quite common expression. It should only bother those who have been to jail. And if they have, their faul.

Yeah, it is unbelievable that someone could manage to get offended by that.

Anyone who is against any freedom of expression should not call themselves Americans...except in the case of Mineistaken because he's not even American so I don't know what the fuck he could possibly add to the matter.

They're not expressing graphic descriptions about molesting children. They're taking a knee. You fucking so called "freedom loving 'Mericans" should put things in perspective.

Yea, it probably is a common expression amongst good ole boys, and apparently the sort of people you associate with, or try to identify with. It was a poor choice of words no doubt. No need to refer to them as inmates...no matter the context.

They don't want freedom for all Americans. They want freedom to be able to keep people under their boot heel. Plain and simple.

ya, hard to believe someone would be offended by this expression unless they were looking to be offended.

People are not really educated about the constitution or the bill of rights. The first amendment does not guarantee the right of free speech. The first amendment was to limit congress from enacting laws to limit free speech. You can go into your bosses office and tell him he is a douchebag, but chances are you are going to get fired. There is no way you can sue your boss for wrongful termination using your"first amendment rights" were violated. The first amendment does not say you can say whatever you want whenever you want to whomever you want....without facing repercussions
and consequences for the content of your speech.

The NFL players do not have a legal right to say or do whatever they want. There are conduct clauses in every single player's contract in ALL major sports that spell out what is appropriate behavior for players on and off the field. While it would be hard to defend a team sanctioning a player for something as minor as kneeling for the national anthem when they are away from the field, there is definitely a case for sanctioning when the player is dressed out and standing on the field. At this point they are directly representing the team as they ARE the product. For years the NFL stood for the No Fun League as most celebrations were not permitted, as well as other on field actions that expressed individualism.

What trump was originally commenting on is a view held by millions of other Americans. He did not say any legal action should be taken or that congress should look into the matter. Trump simply stated his opinion about a situation- the owners could tell these guys to knock it off and stand for the anthem. There is nothing wrong with this, it is part of his job as president to be the moral leader of the nation. Many past presidents have commented on current issues in their times. I am sure they took shit too

when the blacks walk the game is over! you understand that??? would you rather they take their millions and arm civilians and go that way??

It is the owner who had freedom of speech and these kneelers are protesting it. It is not me, it is the kneelers that are protesting common phrase. They say - you should not say that (aka anti freedom of speech).

As for me - I am not protesting their freedom to disrespect US anthem just because they did not like some phrase. I laugh and ridicule them.

hope that clears the misunderstanding.

I mean just think about it: they are publicly disrespecting the anthem just because they did not like some common phrase.
Think about it for a minute. :error

If you think this is an adequate or even remotely nearly adequate response you are out of your mind.

I am one of the guys that doesn't give a ratshit about them or the game. Without the game, how many would be millionaires? Without the game, which they are destroying themselves, lots of these guys would be shoveling shit or in prison.

I know you are not too sharp monkey, but there were so many ways these guys could have brought "good" attention to police brutality other than this> Paint their helmets pink, wear patches on their unis, get tattoos on their faces. All that stuff would get the announcers to talk about police brutality. Now their actions have taken away from their stated purpose and centered the attention to spoiled millionares that dont want to give 2 minutes respect to a country that allows them to be wildly wealthy playing a game.

And we all know this is no longer about police brutality, it is hatred toward trump and hatred towards the american's that elected him. People understand this and this is why droves of people stopped caring about the NFL!

I hope they keep kneeling and next year when their contracts run out they get paid $10 an hour to play in empty stadiums.

Kind of how a lack of blacks killed the NHL and MLB.

sometimes you have to tear down the whole building to get things right. i think we should just let things get violent. china would love it!

start counting!!! look in the photo! count all the teams! black ratio to white :1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh great you can't stay on topic lol

LOL... :1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

The dark people can't skate and the parents didn't invest the time or effort for their kids to pursue baseball only a select few made it.

People are not caring about the NFL? What a crock of shit. What kind of bubble do you live in? Have you tried buying tickets to a game lately? The very small percentage of crybabies that are taking a break from football will be back. Period. Where is their outrage over police brutality?

Actually, you would hope they don't get paid. I know it must be tough seeing all the white women flock to them in the club. I bet you have nightmares of a black man in better shape then you banging your old lady. LOL

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :thumbsup:thumbsup :pimp:pimp

Yes. Just look at how empty that stadium is....

https://i.imgur.com/23OPPOr.jpg

You want to see what low attendance really looks like?

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2017...eJumbo1600.jpg

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh :1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

I don?t try to associate with anyone. It?s a simile. Like, too many cheifs not enough indians. Everyone is looking for hate where there isnt any.

I have not tried to buy a ticket to a game in about 5 years. I used to take my family to the games until I realized what a waste of money and bad influence on my children the game is. Otherwise, I can read and I see how television ratings are down and attendance is at a historical low. (info from espn, not fox news).

I dont care who these guys fuck. I dont care if they kneel. I dont care if they defecate on the flag at half time. But I am smart enough to see both sides of the issue and IMO the players are wrong. I can think for myself, I dont need to watch rachael maddow or sean hannity to tell me what to think. They are both disinformation agent for the brain dead....tell rachael i said eat shit dyke. You should step back and examine yourself and the world we live in. Dont be a patsy.

sure do, in fact I would trade pro sports for safe streets any day. the blacks will NEVER win an armed conflict against the whites. :2 cents:

are you high??? if they walk the streetz won't be safe!! oh you think all whites are racist like you??

the cops and brothers 'trained each other' with reactionary tactics... and plenty of liberal grease. (oh fuck ya burn that shit down, you deserve it)

"In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve." Joseph de Maistre.
put on your thinking cap and see the parallel :2 cents:

of course I'm high :1orglaugh and the race card is DOA homey. pull it from the deck :2 cents:

and the streets where I live are perfectly safe. if black people want to kill black people because the sports teams are fuckwads, how does that concern me? a bunch of brothers come to my area and start shooting people... that aint gonna play to well or very long. :2 cents:

you best stop watching TV homey, your mind is getting filled with shit :2 cents:

ok racist...

I think it's sad that people would feel this way about their nation to protest the nation's national anthem.

The politic of hate bites back hard. I support this protest however.
Gandhi is smiling from his grave :)

I am not taking moral direction from a psychopath whose lying like a rug and grabbing women's pussies!

"We can't have the inmates running the prison."

Is someone planning that criminals will run prisons?

:1orglaugh :thumbsup

lol, yes you are taking moral direction from trump. trump made an offhand comment at a political campaign stump in Alabama 2 months ago and you are still thinking and talking about it. you may not like it and may not agree with, but it's happening and you are too stupid to realize what you are doing.

Every black player in the NFL can leave in protest. They will be replaced with whites. And it won't even matter that they aren't as good since non black fans view black athletes in the same manner as circus animals anyway.

Best troll ever.

I'm sorry, couldn't hear a word you said. Would you mind removing that black nutsack out of your mouth?

Thank you cuck.

This.

>>spoiled millionares that dont want to give 2 minutes respect to a country that allows them to be wildly wealthy playing a game

Spot on. There are many ways to peacefully protest your social views, disrespecting the flag of a country that gifted you your life - while on the clock of employment - is simply not one of them.

you know this is a pledge for christians right? the pledge is not a requirement.

Dude I don't know you, sometimes you spew some semi-coherent stuff so I will take the time to explain again what the majority of the US believe.

1. The national anthem is not a christian pledge. It's a tribute and honor to the country you live in.


2. When you have your football jersey on, you are at work. That means you have to follow the company rules and the NFL handbook to players clearly states you must stand for the national anthem. I cannot walk into my job with my shirt off and declare that I'm protesting, there will consequences.

3. If you want to protest against social injustice or whatever view, you do it on your own time. The national anthem to the country that has given you the opportunity to make millions of dollars playing sport is not the correct platform for that.

4. Majority of people don't understand the correlation between (perceived) police brutality and dishonoring the US flag. There are good and bad cops just like there are good and bad doctors, lawyers, plumbers, mechanics and so on. To dishonor the flag does not resonate with people as a protest against social injustice.

5. To the veteran, to the guy who wakes up every morning and goes to the steel factory or the mine or the car workshop or any other grueling 9-5 job, that then gives his hard earned money to watch these guys play football and earn millions of dollars, then to watch these same people dishonor the very country that offered them their charmed life... well you can understand why there is hate and boycott.

6. The most racist people in the US are the ones that inject the subject of race into every topic. The owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers penned a scathing letter to Lebron James when he left the franchise, calling him disloyal. That was racist. The owner of the Texans used a common saying about inmates running the prison, that was racist. Any type of legitimate criticism or unfavorable comment is attacked as 'racist'. The list goes on and on forever until it has reached this point: People realize this isn't about minorities and/or blacks wanting equal rights, this is about wanting special treatment.
And this is why people are fed up and this is why Trump was elected.


If you cannot at least say 'Well I can understand that' to one or any of these points then there isn't much else to say.

you are a fucking communist!! you have a right not to pledge. china forces people to do shit! you want that? move there.. :2 cents::2 cents: muslims do not pledge. im sure you will scream terrorist. zero dark 30 lol. the whole seahawks team does not pledge. anyway time to have fun! take a knee b4 dinner man hahahaha!!!!!

I agree with a lot of what you have said and I have similar, but slightly different thoughts on some of the other points, but I wanted to talk about #2. Yes, they are at work and they are breaking the rules. The reason they haven't been punished is because they are in a position of power. If a guy flipping burgers at McDonald's were to protest, he would likely get fired. It's easy to find someone to flip burgers. It's very difficult to find someone to play football at the NFL level.

To me, this is just the free market at work. The teams are being punished as ratings are down (although I think some of that has to do with the fact that they keep airing shitty games), but the players hold a position of power and the owners know without them they have nothing so while some of them may not be happy about it, there isn't much they can do about it without damaging the team even more.

This makes tons of sense and actually gives me an idea for the way out for NFL owners and players.

It's against the rules not to stand during the anthem already. THe way out is to fine players that do not stand during the anthem. Start a fund, say an educational fund to help train cops, maybe the fund can do background checks on cops or something to do with police brutality. Make the fine LARGE, like half the paycheck or the full game's pay...something significant. Players that choose to kneel will be putting their money where there mouth is and actually contributing to the problem. The owners will look better that they are enforcing the patriotic rules, but allowing the players to use their platform for change that means something and a serious problem.

As of now, most people see these guys earning a couple hundred thousand per game as a bunch of spoiled wife beater and roid heads. But if a fan realizes that the player is basically playing for free to make a statement, then I imagine most fans would be ok with that type of protest. If this were to happen, how long would these protest be in the news?

homophobe and bigot :2 cents:

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

you do know this is a primary Christian country right? WTF is wrong with you?? whoa!! the stop sign is in English.. fucking white racism... buy a vowel dipshit

that sums up the majority opinion for sure... look bm, we really don't give a fuck about you guys or even think about race. most of the bullshit is in your head, for real.

football = spoiled millionaires playing catch :2 cents:

do you see jews eating non kosher meals? nope because it's their choice. this country nor employer can require you to pledge! you think if a jew worked at a greasy spoon the boss can force them to eat there??? nope! because it is not part of the job!! you think ups forces their employees to pledge?? :1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh ok back to my movies. do you guys live here??? sad....