Another NFL season, more protests and more pushback (complaining) from Donald Trump. The pre-season began Thursday night with several players once again taking a knee, raising a fist or staying in the locker room during the national anthem. A handful of players from the Dolphins, Jaguars, Raven, and the Seahawks all participated in some way.
My brother @kstills continued his protest of systemic oppression tonight by taking a knee. Albert Wilson @iThinkIsee12 joined him in protest. Stay strong brothers!✊?
? @footcandles#imwithkap #imwithereid #takeaknee pic.twitter.com/LimoadfUcW— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) August 10, 2018
"As a man I've got to stand for something."
Linebacker Telvin Smith was one of several Jaguars players who remained in the locker room during the national anthem prior to Thursday night's preseason game in Jacksonville. https://t.co/PHUlFAvrMk pic.twitter.com/pGFZUIapfD
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 10, 2018
Predictably Donald Trump tweeted about this first thing this morning. Jonathan Lemire from the Associated Press said, “Trump told confidants he planned to frequently revive the NFL anthem issue heading into the midterms.”
The NFL players are at it again – taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem. Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their “outrage” at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2018
…..Be happy, be cool! A football game, that fans are paying soooo much money to watch and enjoy, is no place to protest. Most of that money goes to the players anyway. Find another way to protest. Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2018
Reminder that per WSJ, POTUS told Jerry Jones of his attacks on NFL player protests of racial injustice during national anthem: "This is a very winning, strong issue for me. Tell everybody, you can't win this one. This one lifts me." https://t.co/b1MWayFQYn
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 10, 2018
Despite the idea that talking about the anthem rallies Trump’s base, many people are trying their best to remind people of the real reason for these protests.
Dear media. THIS is how you write a headline. They are protesting racism DURING the anthem.
Stop writing they are protesting the anthem. And NFL. F*** You and your Orange ass leader. https://t.co/woPCCAYthw
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) August 10, 2018
We live in America: NFL players have a right to take a knee during the Anthem, their employers have a right to penalize them, and the rest of us have a right not to watch them.
This is America. Soldiers died on the battlefield to give these players the right to protest.
Grow up
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) August 10, 2018
Meanwhile, it looks like the anthem protests will continue for the foreseeable future. The Miami Herald reports:
“The NFL recently suspended its rule regarding anthem protests until the league and the players’ union can come to terms on one.
The NFL issued a written statement in response to players kneeling during Thursday’s games, saying in part that the league has ‘agreed to delay implementing or enforcing any club work rules that could result in players being disciplined for their conduct during the performance of the anthem’ while it works with the players association to find a common ground.”