Florida Republican pushes bill to force sports teams to play national anthem -- or face punishment

[Faygo Kid]

Source: Raw Story

A Florida Republican lawmaker wants sports teams to know that playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games is not optional.

As noted by WFLA's Evan Donovan, Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters has introduced legislation that would bar governmental entities from entering into agreements with professional sports teams if they don't play the United States national anthem at the start of each game.

According to Donovan, teams that don't comply "could face financial penalties or be cut out of future business" as punishment for their defiance.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/national-anthem/

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What do you want to bet that Sen. Joe doesn't know the words to it? What idiocy! I know it, two verses, and have been to the Smithsonian and Fort McHenry, both. Take you on anytime about American history, "senator."

[Orrex]

1. Ah, yes. It's nice when The State forces religion upon people.

[jimfields33]

3. I never heard the national anthem called religion

[Orrex]

17. The national anthem is not

The forced reverence of a state symbol, however, is.

I'm not going to debate this, because I know that some well-meaning drone will cite this or that court case declaring that "no sir, the state-enforced dogmatic obeisance to a symbol or song is most certainly not worship, no sir!" and I'm not interested in wasting time on that crowd here or elsewhere.

In much the same way that I will not be told to worship a cloth rectangle, I will not be told to revere a song.

[Ingersollman]

27. THIS

[LoisB]

67. Hear, hear!

[Gore1FL]

18. For those demanding it must be played, it is quite are religious song.

Our Country's Symbols have totally been co-opted into targets of idolatry. Some Qanon nuts think Trump is the "King of Kings." The Constitution came from Jesus. Dead people (The Kennedy's among others) are rising from their graves. The list goes on.

The GOP is a Christian Nationalist cult. The Star Spangled Banner is their favorite hymn.

[EastMeetsWest]

42. Having lived overseas for decades,

I feel a bit of "patriotic fervor" whenever I hear The Star Spangled Banner. I want my country of birth to do what's right.

[left-of-center2012]

5. "religion" ?

It's not a religious song.

[Gore1FL]

8. For many, it's part of their idol worship. nt

[left-of-center2012]

10. So's the KFC logo

[Orrex]

19. Please site the statute requiring forced recitation of the KFC logo at public functions

Your analogy is ridiculous.

I will not be told what song to revere any more than I will be told which swatch of cloth to worship. This is basic first amendment stuff, back from when that sort of thing mattered.

[left-of-center2012]

21. Not going to play the 'debate game'

[Orrex]

25. Why bother? You lost already.

If you read the thread, you'll see that others have likewise correctly identified this as a fascist tradition, the forced reverence of state-approved symbols as surrogates for religion.

I accept that you can't, or that you choose not to, recognize this, but that's on you.


Perhaps you should reconsider your screen name in that case, however.

[ramen]

71. Message boards may not be the best fit, if so. They

are mostly people discussing ideas around an orbit of topics, often leading to debate.

[Gore1FL]

20. Feel free to call it religious, then. nt

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

58. That was good!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Fascists love enforced patriotism as much as they like enforced religion and breeding. . . nt

[abqtommy]

4. Today's reTHUGS are Fascists and Fascists have a known history of wearing various

masks to hide their seething brain rot and black hearts. One mask they wear is
patriotism and another is support for anti-racism as we've just seen with their various
statements yesterday concerning MLK. The standard fact is you can't trust any of them
at any time,

[left-of-center2012]

6. "Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters"

He's a state senator.
How's he going to pass something with national applications?

[Zorro]

9. He's a hard core Trumper asshole

[left-of-center2012]

13. Don't call me an asshole !

[Zorro]

26. Are you Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters?

If you are, then my comment stands.

[Texaswitchy]

7. Just trying things out.

On a small scale.

[Baked Potato]

22. Exactly. Nt

[pwb]

11. We should change the anthem to, Born In The U.S.A.

Maybe start having State anthems.

[DBoon]

47. or change it to this

[DENVERPOPS]

53. I have always thought

it should be AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL..............Anything but the star spangled banner.........

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

60. I agree on America the Beautiful.

It even has a reference to God in one stanza which should soothe the religious crowd. And it tells of the natural beauty of our country, which I feel has it in abundance. But no, as always we have to glorify war and conflict.

[GB_RN]

12. Forcing It, Or Be Punished?

Yeah, don't see that as being constitutional...

Florida has officially hit the top of the list of most fascist states in America. The race to the bottom...ugh.

[DuaneT]

43. North Korea

Of the west. We are so free down here we are forced to be patriotic.

[turbinetree]

14. Do I have to stand or will I go to jail....Senator.....FU its a racists song....

[rurallib]

38. Wondering the same thing - also wondering if people could dance to it

maybe someone could invent the 'Patriot Boogie' or some such thing.

[turbinetree]

62. He really has nothing better to do....and the people keep voting them in paying his bills and they

wonder.....why government is bad....maybe they should look in the mirror.....I wouldn't stand....in fact I would have a sign....why do I have to sing....make me....that's how stupid he and they are.....

[kacekwl]

15. Nazi much Senator ?

[bucolic_frolic]

16. Jingoism on public display

for the benefit of GQP politicians.

[left-of-center2012]

23. No state senator can do this

But he's getting his 15 minutes of fame.

[Baked Potato]

24. Divide and Conquer. Nt

[secondwind]

28. "as punishment for their defiance"...

This guy is way out of line..........

[OrlandoDem2]

29. As if this is so important. Now the affordable housing crisis will be solved along with COVID.

God this people are horrible.

[AZLD4Candidate]

30. Since this is Florida, WHEN it is passed and signed, expect court challenges before the ink dries.

Government should deregulate business to encourage growth, so long as they toe the nationalism line. These people are a walking paradox of ideas.

I thought they believe Government should be less involved with businesses.

[4Q2u2]

31. Ahhh Forced Patriotism

Nothing but the best Facist punishment can buy.
Is that a cramp in your arm Mr. Grutens or are you just trying to block out the sun?

[MissMillie]

76. exactly! (well done!) n/t

.

[AllaN01Bear]

32. hem. and they complain a bout dictators or monarches .

oh Say, can you see
By the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched,
Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?

And the rockets' red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave
since when does that fix roads , schools , hospitals , etc. o wait . they want to play games with our lives .

[LeftInTX]

33. Texas passed a similar law

[11 Bravo]

34. Can someone please explain the 1st Amendment to this fucking twit?

He is advocating for a textbook example of compelled speech.

[Voltaire2]

35. The party of limited government did what?

[Oldtimeralso]

36. I AM SO OLD...

That when I learned the Pledge of Allegiance in gammer school the words "under god" were not included. Were my first amendment rights violated?

[NurseJackie]

37. I don't particularly like our national anthem. We've had better ones.

Will standing be required next? Will they refuse entrance for those un-patriotic sports fans who arrive AFTER the anthem?

[keithbvadu2]

50. Play that video of well known Trump supporter at the games.

Identify her as such.

[NurseJackie]

51. She's a hot mess. I can't stand her.

[DENVERPOPS]

52. Hell

play the video with audio of Trump trying to sing the national anthem along with a group.

He got thru the first sentence and tried to go on, not knowing any of the rest....It was hilarious........

[keithbvadu2]

54. This one?

Trump national anthem mar-a-lago leading the band

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

61. Even his wife has enough decorum and common sense to stand quietly through the song.

But not Donnie Dipshit. I swear, this fuckhead must have a mental age of 7 or 8.

[pecosbob]

39. F*ck him and f*ck his state...sorry if any Floridians here, but it had to be said.

[rockfordfile]

40. That's un-constitutional.

[monkeyman1]

66. AND we don't understand Russian ?

[iluvtennis]

41. I have never understood the connection between the national anthem and a ball game. Nor do I

understand the connection between miltitary personnel and ball games.

What's next, we have to play the national anthem in our workplaces.

Enough of this BS.

[Renew Deal]

44. Joe Gruters is a big government nanny state conservative

[SpankMe]

45. Crystal clear first amendment violation

I bet the SOCTUS would find some magic loophole, though

[twodogsbarking]

46. Can't we just play the sport?

Guess not.

[BillyBobBrilliant]

48. I stopped

Watching professional sports back in 2001 — on TV or in person. (I played the Star Spangled Banner dozens of times at high school games, and other events in th late 60s/early 70s…that was enough for a lifetime)

[DBoon]

49. I believe this version is in compliance with the law

As performed during the height of the Vietnam War...

[3825-87867]

55. Actually, it may be a better idea to...

have Florida State Sen. Joe Gruterssing sing that song, a cappella, live, at his own, patriotically free expense before every sports event in Florida for the duration of his term.

Then Dallas fans won't be the only ones throwing rotten fruit and vegetables on the field!

Maybe he and Rosanne could do a duet?

[oldsoftie]

56. Yet ANOTHER law destined for court defeat.

[BlueIdaho]

57. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

That is all.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

59. The party of small government, ladies and gentlemen.

[cstanleytech]

63. Violation of the 1st amendment as the government has no businesses mandating that

anyone play a specific song or read a specific book.

[monkeyman1]

64. If this is all they got , republican party need's a going out business sale !

[IronLionZion]

65. Of course they love this kind of mandate

nothing fascist about a forced show of patriotism

[Grins]

68. Nothing better to do, Joe...?

This is what drives Florida’s political priorities?

[tenderfoot]

69. This is why we lose elections

[Skittles]

70. these are the same fuckers who whine about "tyranny"

they wouldn't know tyranny if it bit 'em on the ass

[Amy_Jones_90]

72. What happened to Florida

I know it's always had a reputation for being bonkers, but at least it used to be a competitive swing state. Now it like Ground Zero for Tump/MAGA Nation. It reminds me of Alabama with more beaches.

[ificandream]

73. Oh say can you fuck yourself ....

Totalitarian b.s.

[LudwigPastorius]

74. If that passes, I guess they'll just have to leave a blank spot here.

"O'er the land of the ____ , and the home of the brave"

[Efilroft Sul]

75. Compulsory patriotism is not patriotic.