I see their point. They are all working double shifts to preserve order and protect the public from the Ferguson agitators. Officials could have asked to cancel the game because of security concerns. For the players to disrespect the police is just wrong.
These players need to be disciplined by the NFL. At least a fine.
I will note that from what I know of the gesture, despite the implications of the article and its use in Fergueson protests, it is not specifically tied to Fergueson, as it is not, sadly, the only controversial killing of an African-American by police in even the past month. Did any of the players make any statements regarding the specifics of what message they were trying to convey? If not, it strikes me as a little bit of an assumption on Roorda’s part.
“Rams Players Stood with their Community” should have been the article.
Proud of them for engaging in their own form of protest. And yes NFL players DO have the right to voice their own opinions - what an arrogant fuck was that person quoted in the article saying otherwise.
The cops in that area have seen that gesture a lot since the Brown shooting in August. I don’t think the players made any public statements. They have a right to their opinions but expressing them during a game isn’t acceptable. The NFL will need to punish that behavior.
Well, the Brown shooting has at the least stirred a lot more attention and anger, especially within the African-American community, towards controversial shootings of African-Americans, especially young men, by police in general. Which is why I said I think the gesture has, at the least, grown in scope and significance beyond the particularities of Fergueson.
Five players out of 53. Less than 10% of the players on the Rams. *yawn. I don’t think they need to be disciplined. Yeah, making a demonstration on the field probably wasn’t cool. But we need to move on from Ferguson. At least they weren’t disruptive, in my opinion. The NFL and the Rams should just let it slide. It’ll probably be forgotten by next week.
Arkansas had a running back do the gesture after a TD. Coach Bielema hasn’t indicated if he’ll be punished.
A heavy fine, at minimum, is what is needed. Preferably a suspension. These morons may have forgotten that they’re in the entertainment business, and after a week of non stop all Ferguson all the time news coverage, the last thing that fans want to see is criminals such as Kenny Britt making a so called political statement.
If players can make religious displays, then they should also be allowed to make political displays.
Yes. Even assuming the killing by Wilson was justified, other recent examples should remind America that many police forces are trigger-happy and prejudiced against blacks. America needs to come to grips with this. It’s disgusting that those seeking to shut down 1st Amerndment rights by blacks are often the very same people who promote 2nd Amendment rights … for whites.
I’d never heard of Kenny Brit, but Googling shows one misdemeanor conviction for reckless driving. Am I missing something? (I myself was an incautious driver when young and might have been charged with something worse than simple speeding once or twice … had I been black.)
Yes. Agree or disagree, I’m glad that these guys are willing to risk discipline to stand up for what they believe in.
Look if these, uh, you know these people don’t know their place, they need to be taught it, right? Next thing you know, they’re going to be looking at white women, too.
String one up and put a cross on the field. That should teach them to shut up and sacrifice their bodies to amuse us, as is only proper.
Of course, if someone like, say Peyton Manning or Curt Schilling were to come out in a police hat or T-shirt, that wouldn’t be uppity political protest where there should be just entertainment, but rather just affirming our real American values.
Jeff Roorda sounds like a real dipstick.
Yes, because anyone who criticizes a black person in any way for anything must be a racist, and there is absolutely no other explanation or justification for their behavior.
“Isn’t acceptable”? “need to punish”?
I can see that maybe the NFL might want to make a business decision that it’s more lucrative to impose some kind of financial/participatory consequences on the players if it’s determined that they stand to make more money by doing something than not, but this “need to punish” nonsense is just that, nonsense. Why does the NFL “need” to do anything?
To quote you from another football-related thread:
So, I ask: why should the NFL give in to the public pressure from you and/or the St. Louis Police Officers Association?
I have no issues at all with this and don’t see that they need to be punished.
Any action against this gesture would be a huge black eye for the league. Is there something in their contract that prohibits this? If not, more power to them.
QFT.
It’s worth pointing out that the St. Louis Police Officers Association is a lobbying group that has no affiliation with the St. Louis Police Department.
And Jeff Roorda is a corrupt ex-cop who was fired for repeatedly lying to cover for other officers misconduct.