Senator Duckworth re: the NFL anthem policy -

[DURHAM D]

Link to tweet

Duckworth on NFL anthem policy: I fought to defend right to take a knee in protest -

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/389408-war-veteran-senator-i-fought-to-defend-peoples-right-to-take-a-knee-in-protest

Could someone post the pic of her in The Hill article showing her sacrifice?

[Hekate]

1. Thank you Senator. In fact she gave two legs and a knee so they could take a knee.

[DURHAM D]

5. Senator Duckworth posted a very compelling picture.

I posted it below. It is heartbreaking to realize the extent of her sacrifice.

[sunRISEnow]

2. Duckworth has earned the right to say this, but the Republicans are trolling for sound bites.

[DURHAM D]

3. I think she can handle it -

Link to tweet

[sunRISEnow]

4. Of course she can.

[RestoreAmerica2020]

6. All NFL players NEED to show solidarity..protest by all taking a knee or

... All stay in locker room during anthem, a practice prior to 9/11.

[CNN.comSept. 25 2017]

...... players observed the anthem after 9/11, and during Super Bowl games. But it wasn't until 2009 that players were mandated to be on the field for the song.


[Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News
SEP 26, 2017]
How the Pentagon Paid for NFL Displays of Patriotism
A massive show at a National Football League game in Cleveland in 2008, one year before the arrival of "paid patriotism." (Wikimedia Commons)
A key component is missing from the current controversial discussion surrounding football players and the national anthem. In the recent days of argument over whether NFL players have the right to protest racial inequality and systemic injustice in the United States, few have brought up the fact that less than a decade ago, professional football players didn’t even appear on the field during the national anthem.

That changed in 2009, as the Department of Defense poured millions of dollars into the NFL in exchange for displays of patriotism during games. “Until 2009, no NFL player stood for the national anthem because players actually stayed in the locker room as the anthem played,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith explained in 2016. “The players were moved to the field during the national anthem because it was seen as a marketing strategy to make the athletes look more patriotic. The United States Department of Defense paid the National Football League $5.4 million between 2011 and 2014, and the National Guard $6.7 million between 2013 and 2015 to stage onfield patriotic ceremonies as part of military-recruitment budget ...

[NCTraveler]

7. I like this.

But many NFL players are as right wing as they come.

It is a group I doubt would be willing to show full solidarity.

[erronis]

11. Good for you for bringing this up again. Patriotism which is paid for is just corporatism.

And we all know that mixing nationalism and corporations and money together without freedom of speech and expression puts us in a dangerous realm

The US government has for years paid for advertising to make sure the taxpayers keep being, well, tax-paying and unquestioning.

As far as professional athletes being right-wing as NCTraveler suggests a bit earlier, I would bet that most of them are more pragmatic and savvy than the average tea-pottyer. Playing a sport that inflicts long-term injury, has lots of losers compared to winners, is frequently under the thumb of owners with no free-will - I think that would make most of them skeptical of the kool-aid of false patriotism.

[Ferrets are Cool]

15. They will not. We wish they would, but they wont. I HOPE they prove me wrong

and I will come back and eat my words gladly.

[TomVilmer]

18. Yeps. DOD banned paid patriotism...

... but despite our success curbing this inappropriate use of taxpayer funds, DOD still cannot fully account for the nature and extent of paid patriotism activities. ... In the end, two-thirds of the contracts found by our offices or reported by DOD contained some form of paid patriotism.
From the report by U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake - 2015. Read more at CNN.

In 2016 the NFL made clear that players were not required to stand for the anthem: "Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem," the NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. But that was then!

[Squinch]

8. She is our best hope. I fervently hope she runs.

[smirkymonkey]

9. She has more bravery and heart than every republican in congress put together.

Thank you Senator Duckworth!

[thegoose]

10. Brava!

And the fact that the NFL is siding with Ancient Orange is despicable beyond belief.

My niece didn't know what it meant, so I had to explain that it was about white police attacking African Americans, not Donald Dumpster wrapping his gigantic orange ass in the flag.

The NFL codifying his dog whistle racism is contemptible. Of course, most of these owners are white. And 70% of the players are black. What does that sound like?

[TomSlick]

12. LTC (Ret.) Duckworth and I took the same oath, to protect and defend the Constitution.

That includes a the right to protest.

The NFL is a business and has the power to regulate speech at the work place. It may be legal but it is still wrong and spineless.

[murielm99]

13. I love my Senator.

And we all must correct people. This was never about the flag. It is about injustice and death that is meted out to black men over and over. It is a protest against inequality, of life and death inequality.

[jalan48]

14. This is what leadership looks like. Well done Senator!

[Crash2Parties]

16. This is no longer a simply freedom of speech issue

Citizens' United ruled that Corporate People have the right to force their human workers to appear to support whatever social or political causes the owners wish.

So if you want to fix it so ball players can take a knee, we MUST get Citizens overturned.

And that means the people of America fighting to regain ownership of our government.

We must end biased gerrymandering and VoterID laws, but far more important we must pressure our lawmakers to ensure all American elections are honest, transparent and able to be audited. Preferably quickly and easily.

And to do that we must get rid of the Republicans.

[TalenaGor]

17. so ironic - to respond to what they interpret as unamerican...

By doing something unamerican

[DURHAM D]

19. If Senator Duckworth announces she is running for President

I will send a donation today. I usually way awhile for the field to develop but in her case I would be all in.

[Cha]

20. Mahalo Senator Duckworth!

[sheshe2]

21. I love this woman.