# Trump Magically Turns NFL Games Into Anti-Trump Rallies **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 24, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216 "2017-09-24T20:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/201 "2017-09-26T05:13:10Z")
More on burning the flag. The US Flag Code specifies to dispose of a flag, one that is no longer suitable for display, in a dignified manner such as burning. Something like that, I’m going by memory here. But in that section there is no mention whatsoever of playing any music, Taps or otherwise… Of that I am certain. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/202 "2017-09-26T05:20:54Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > More on burning the flag. The US Flag Code specifies to dispose of a flag, one that is no longer suitable for display, in a dignified manner such as burning. Something like that, I’m going by memory here. But in that section there is no mention whatsoever of playing any music, Taps or otherwise… Of that I am certain. However, some Googling indicates that various organizations such as the VFW or the Boy Scouts do play either the National Anthem or Taps at flag-burning ceremonies. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/203 "2017-09-26T05:23:20Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > However, some Googling indicates that various organizations such as the VFW or the Boy Scouts do play either the National Anthem or Taps at flag-burning ceremonies. Fair enough, but nothing in the Flag Code requires it. Or even suggests it. To that point, any solemn, dignified music could be played. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/204 "2017-09-26T05:25:05Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Fair enough, but nothing in the Flag Code requires it. Or even suggests it. No. But neither is it unheard of to play Taps, as you seem to think. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/205 "2017-09-26T05:26:55Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Fair enough, but nothing in the Flag Code requires it. Or even suggests it. To that point, any solemn, dignified music could be played. So yakkity saks would be right out? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/206 "2017-09-26T05:28:43Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > So yakkity saks would be right out? 🙂 Not so fast. You play it, slow and dignified like, and I might just say okay. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/207 "2017-09-26T05:35:21Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > No. But neither is it unheard of to play Taps, as you seem to think. Umm, no. I revisited my posts 200, 201 and I don’t see how you can draw that conclusion. I certainly did not say that. There’s a subtle but important difference between _may_ and _shall_. In post 188, **kaylasdad99** inferred _shall_, and there’s nothing in that Flag Code section saying that. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/208 "2017-09-26T07:24:10Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > God, you’re an idiot. The correct music for a flag-burning ceremony is “Taps,” not the Star-Spangled Banner. :dubious: > [@Bullitt](#): > > Say what? You’re joking, right? Of course not. Why would I joke about **Clothahump** being an idiot? His idiocy is no joking matter. Oh, the music thing. Yeah, sorta. But I attended a few flag-burning ceremonies during my days as a Cub Scout, and “Taps” _was_ the only music played. That’s where I learned that it has words, and what they are, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/209 "2017-09-26T08:54:44Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > It’s a form of “To Anacreon in Heaven,” not “God Save the King.” A bit of noodling is quite in line with the nature of the composition. I’m aware of the origin, and while one can noodle away during a drinking song the whole issue here is that the National Anthem holds some important symbolic function in these circumstances. I don’t think anyone cares if some kneels during “Anacreon”. (To take a tangent to my tangent, frankly I’d rather replace the SSB with “America the Beautiful” which has a better and more singable tune and lyrics.) > [@billfish678](#): > > Who got in the Whitehouse? Who did not? > > Crazy like a fox… “Look, Don, you know the rules on car share - whoever calls it first gets to drive and control the radio, and Bill called it first. Yes, he’s blind drunk, but if you don’t let him drive it would throw the whole system into question.” > [@billfish678](#): > > So yakkity saks would be right out? 🙂 Okay, that was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/210 "2017-09-26T09:11:42Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > (To take a tangent to my tangent, frankly I’d rather replace the SSB with “America the Beautiful” which has a better and more singable tune and lyrics.) I’m on board with this. Then maybe the chuckleheads getting all worked up over disrespecting the flag can get all worked up about the systematic destruction and exploitation of our natural environments. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/211 "2017-09-26T13:51:08Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > No, I think we should worry about the North Korean situation – a lot. And not just because of what might happen militarily but also in terms of what America might look like under Trump the War President. > > Trump made it pretty clear: he has no problem using nationalist symbolism as a way to tell his critics to shut up. He just needs an excuse to actually get them to shut up. Do you see where I’m going with this? > > Trust me, North Korea and the NFL are very much related. I wasn’t disagreeing with you. I was comparing a list of things we should worry about to the idiocy of worrying about what others do during a song. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/212 "2017-09-26T14:17:59Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > The hypocrisy is how we, as a country, treat millionaries. If the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies were believed to be treated unfairly by police, politicians would step right in and fix it immediately. When athletes believe that they and their friends are treated unfairly by police, people like you tell them to shut up, play ball, and enjoy their money. If they were being treated unfairly by police, they would have a legitimate beef. But they don’t. So yeah - shut up, play ball and enjoy the money. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/213 "2017-09-26T14:26:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Not a big fan of the First Amendment, are you? Or do you think that freedom means the freedom to act like YOU want someone to do? Great big fan of it. But it doesn’t apply here, and that is what has sailed right over your heads. The First Amendment prohibits the Federal government from stifling free speech: > [@](#): > > Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,… The 14th makes that applicable to state and local governments. However, this is private enterprise, not government. If I own a team in the NFL (or any other professional organization), I have the right to demand that players and anyone else representing that team do not act in a manner that disgraces the team or the league. If they do so, I fire them. Period. But it won’t happen because the league and the owners are all gutless. Well, perhaps after they lose enough money because of the stupid antics of the players, they might start firing them. We can only hope. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/214 "2017-09-26T14:29:24Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > There were people in this thread claiming that since it wasn’t in any negotiated union agreements, the NFL couldn’t punish players for it. This shows that they can. Or “may” if you prefer. More importantly, it’s not up to you, me, or Donald Trump what to do with these players. If the owners and the league think that what they are doing is fine, then that’s that. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/215 "2017-09-26T14:30:56Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Great big fan of it. But it doesn’t apply here, and that is what has sailed right over your heads. > > The First Amendment prohibits the Federal government from stifling free speech: > > The 14th makes that applicable to state and local governments. > > However, this is private enterprise, not government. If I own a team in the NFL (or any other professional organization), I have the right to demand that players and anyone else representing that team do not act in a manner that disgraces the team or the league. If they do so, I fire them. Period. > > But it won’t happen because the league and the owners are all gutless. Well, perhaps after they lose enough money because of the stupid antics of the players, they might start firing them. We can only hope. Maybe the owners and the league think the players are right. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/216 "2017-09-26T14:32:36Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > If they were being treated unfairly by police, they would have a legitimate beef. But they don’t. So yeah - shut up, play ball and enjoy the money. Says you, but that’s less than convincing. I take it in the 60s you probably didn’t believe MLK Jr. and other Civil Rights activists when they were describing unfair treatment? At what point did you realize that they were actually right? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/217 "2017-09-26T14:38:44Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Great big fan of it. But it doesn’t apply here, and that is what has sailed right over your heads. > > The First Amendment prohibits the Federal government from stifling free speech: > > The 14th makes that applicable to state and local governments. > > However, this is private enterprise, not government. If I own a team in the NFL (or any other professional organization), I have the right to demand that players and anyone else representing that team do not act in a manner that disgraces the team or the league. If they do so, I fire them. Period. > > But it won’t happen because the league and the owners are all gutless. Well, perhaps after they lose enough money because of the stupid antics of the players, they might start firing them. We can only hope. You still think everybody has an obligation to behave as you want them to. That seems pretty arrogant. How does it hurt you if someone doesn’t stand during the anthem? The owners may have a right to insist the players stand, but it would be foolish of them to insist on it. Why piss off the source of your livelihood? How about this: all you super-de-duper patriots grow the fuck up and stop worrying about people standing for a song sung to a piece of cloth? ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/218 "2017-09-26T14:40:28Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > Any mention of the epidemic of police brutality that sparked this protest in the first place, or is everyone still concerned with ceremony and decorum and scandal? No, because in this county White Feelings matter more than Black Lives. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/219 "2017-09-26T14:46:16Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > No, because in this county White Feelings matter more than Black Lives. country, I mean. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216/220 "2017-09-26T15:01:04Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > If they were being treated unfairly by police, they would have a legitimate beef. But they don’t. So yeah - shut up, play ball and enjoy the money. Firstly, is it impossible for you to understand that they might be doing this on behalf of other people whose situation might otherwise be ignored? Secondly, so a bunch of guys in football uniforms choose to kneel during the playing of the national anthem. Why is this even an issue for you? In what way are you, personally, harmed by this action? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-magically-turns-nfl-games-into-anti-trump-rallies/797216.md?page=12)