St. Louis Rams’ “Don’t shoot” gesture was free speech, and the police should know it

[Blue_Tires]

Boy, the St. Louis police really know how to cool things down, don’t they? They’ve taken a controversial protest by a handful of football players, and mixed it with a whiff of bullying authority and a profound misunderstanding of the First Amendment, to create a bigger and more heated argument than it had to be. Sound familiar?

Five pass catchers for the St. Louis Rams raised their hands in a “don’t shoot” gesture during their on-field introductions Sunday, in a sign of solidarity with protesters in Ferguson, Mo., where a grand jury refused to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of the unarmed teenager Michael Brown. An infuriated spokesman for the St. Louis Police Officers Association, Jeff Roorda, called the display “unthinkable,” and has demanded the NFL discipline Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Chris Givens, Kenny Britt and Jared Cook for making their feelings known “so publicly.” But Roorda didn’t stop there. He added a veiled suggestion that the only thing protecting the Rams and the NFL from mob violence at games is the cops. And then he said:

“I know that there are those who say that these players are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. Well I’ve got news for people who think that way. Cops have First Amendment rights too, and we plan to exercise ours.”

Set aside for a moment the vaguely threatening tone of the “I’ve got news for people who think that way” statement. What’s even more disturbing about Roorda’s remarks is that he clearly doesn’t know what the First Amendment says, though he is a former cop and current member of the Missouri state House of Representatives.

Whatever you may think about the Rams players, their gesture is a good excuse to sort out some First Amendment issues. What right did those players have to speak, and what right do the police have to tell them to shut up?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/st-louis-rams-dont-shoot-gesture-was-free-speech-and-the-police-should-know-it/2014/12/01/a55c2656-7995-11e4-9a27-6fdbc612bff8_story.html


Gotta love the pseudo-libertarians who become authoritarians overnight once anybody who isn't a white Christian male starts fighting for THEIR constitutional rights...

(And a special "fuck you" to all the quasi-libertarian scum who are still trying to hijack the death of Michael Brown to serve your own twisted agenda...)

[pkdu]

1. Funny how MSM forget to mention Roorda is only a " former cop" because he was fired for " making

false statements"

What a perfect man for the job.

[gopiscrap]

2. Typical fucking cop

Last edited Sat Dec 6, 2014, 02:57 PM - Edit history (1)

they're all alike...fuck them if they can't take criticism after murdering Michael Brown.

[Leopolds Ghost]

9. Makes him the perfect man for a Police Union

Fucking racketeer and enforcer.

Left-libertarian here, not sure what OP is on about, in that regard. Aside from "me-too-ism" on the part of some (right) libertarians, who shut up right quick when "law and order" was threatened.

[elleng]

3. Nya nya nya Nya nya,

We have the first amendment too.

What a piece of CRAP they, or he, are/is. NFL got it RIGHT!

[MJJP21]

4. Free Speech

Free speech has been ruled NOT to extend to the workplace. Check it out. Considering that the players work at the stadium and were dressed to work their employer was within their rights to discipline if they so desired.

[strategery blunder]

8. That is the perogative of the employer, NOT the police

And in this case, the St. Louis Rams and the NFL have declined to sanction the involved players for their protest.

The police are out of line here. Sure they can express disappointment but they cannot compel the NFL to suppress the speech of its players and demanding that the league do so simply makes them look like the corrupt, bullying thugs that they are. The NFL has implicitly determined that the players' gestures were justified by current events and/or should be protected by the First Amendment (even if as the employer they grant their employees more leeway than the courts require them to) and/or that disciplining the players would result in more negative publicity than standing by them and that discipline is not worth that PR cost.

The area police sounded a lot like "Nice football team you have there, shame if anything happened to it" and police intimidation of speech that police don't like has no place in a republic such as America.

[Leopolds Ghost]

10. Unless you're against the sentiments expressed by the Rams (are you?? hmmm) --

You can't possibly fail to see the chilling effects of the police statements here. If you do, then it's no wonder America's gone to shit conservatively.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. Their employer declined to

Make them fetch and step.

Case closed.

If folks don't like that - send it to a Grand Jury.

All of the eye witnesses have spoken and we alll saw something different. At the end of the day - those highly paid athletes were the officers in charge in that venue -

And what they say goes - and how it is.

[heaven05]

17. not fetch and step!!!!

+1000

[gollygee]

12. The First Amendment protects you from having the government tell you what you can/can't say

including at work.

It does not protect you from your employer telling you what you can/can't say at work, but that is because the First Amendment is about protection from the Government, not from your employer. It does extend to the workplace. The government, and no representative of the government, can tell you what you can or can't say at work.

[Doctor_J]

15. Yes, the first amendment protects people from PROSECUTION for their speech

The players' protest cannot and should not be illegal. And, on the other had, the douchebag ex-cop's speech is also protected from prosecution. The NFL could probably discipline the players if they see fit, but they won't. All aides are entitled to their opinions and to their right to express them.

[MattSh]

5. Of course they know it's free speech...

They just don't give a shit any more. They've got military hardware and you don't.

[easychoice]

6. He doesn't have the money or the legal talent

To take on those players.Not to mention they can all kick his ass if provoked.
Lying coward and a bully.His whole bullshit trip is cellblock intimidation.Your average Classic coward.

[Leopolds Ghost]

7. Sickening. Good for the Rams. What do you want to bet creep Goodell gives them more time than Rice

Let's not forget how poorly these guys were treated in the age of segregation (which hasn't ended):



So much so that the white guy on the left, an Aussie, was persecuted simply for standing by them.

[Gothmog]

13. The police union is being stupid

[kwassa]

14. Roorda is the problem in the police.

Look no further for the genesis of future conflicts. What a cheap thug.

[heaven05]

16. they really are showing

their bully-coward color here, the police spokesperson. Bless those men(Rams), Bless their courage and principle. Fuck Roorda. The implied threats are what they have been doing for generations to people of color. Fuck em....... pigs.