Future Colin Kaepernicks, Beware: You Can Get Fired for Political Speech

[Freewill]

Don't worry snowflakes, none of the millionaires are going to get fired. After all they are just doing the biding of the rich team owners.

But First Amendment experts say most employees can be fired from many jobs for exercising their freedom of speech.

Federal law does not protect workers in the private sector — only government employees.

“There is no federal law protecting against discrimination or retaliation for political activity” at private companies, Paula Brantner, a senior adviser at Workplace Fairness, told TheWrap. “A lot of people think they have First Amendment rights, but those only apply to government employees.”

Future Colin Kaepernicks, Beware: You Can Get Fired for Political Speech

 

[shockedcanadian]

Well if I understand your laws correct, they are allowed to voice their opinion as they do while at work, or anywhere for that matter, but I don't think an owner has to accept this opinion on his dime. Thus, one can expect a fairly short career through such actions.

There is of course, the broader issue of the fans and public being accepting of this, as it interferes with their "investment" in entertainment. Taking the time to watch a game, spending your hard earned money and choosing the NFL over other forms of entertainment is an investment of sorts. If you do not feel entertained and instead feel insulted, and/or believe that this encroaches on your enjoyment as you escape from the real world for a little while, well, the owners will feel the pain. By osmosis, so will the players.

 

[Godboy]

This was never a 1st Amendment issue. No one is expecting the Fed's to punish anyone. This is about a bunch of asshole trolls getting severe backlash from the fans who pay them

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

These players have to be among the stupidest people in human history and on multiple levels.
They protest against the symbols that represent their right to protest and they insult most of their customer base in the process.

 

[Care4all]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

 

[frigidweirdo]

These players have to be among the stupidest people in human history and on multiple levels.
They protest against the symbols that represent their right to protest and they insult most of their customer base in the process.

They're protesting against the symbols that represent their right to protest? So you're saying because they can protest, they shouldn't? Er.... wow,

 

[Care4all]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

Those players are protesting civil injustices towards black men, as example...that the police have killed over the decades who were unarmed, or carrying a toy gun etc etc etc, yet none have ever been punished...they are not protesting our anthem and flag...


The First Amendment is why our President, the head of our government, should not get involved and in the middle of this, period. It's the government that is restricted by our first amendment right, not the private owners and the owners should be able to make their own decisions without the government's top dog President calling mother's of player's bitches and without the President recommending they be fired if they don't stand up and sing praise to our nation/ our government as our government head snaps his fingers and wants them to....

He needs to shut up, and butt out...

 

[busybee01]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

He has no responsibility. His responsibility is to defend the Constitution of the US. Not to use the flag and anthem as a political weapon. Trump and his supporters are in-American and fake patriots. This truly is starting to look like Nazi Germany. The Nazis burned books that did not conform and now Trump and his supporters are invoking Hitler and the Nazis and burning things that do not conform to their warped view of the world.

 

[Spare_change]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

Those players are protesting civil injustices towards black men, as example...that the police have killed over the decades who were unarmed, or carrying a toy gun etc etc etc, yet none have ever been punished...they are not protesting our anthem and flag...


The First Amendment is why our President, the head of our government, should not get involved and in the middle of this, period. It's the government that is restricted by our first amendment right, not the private owners and the owners should be able to make their own decisions without the government's top dog President calling mother's of player's bitches and without the President recommending they be fired if they don't stand up and sing praise to our nation/ our government as our government head snaps his fingers and wants them to....

He needs to shut up, and butt out...

If this is the case, the players are doing a piss poor job of getting their message out.

People are not reacting to what they are protesting about, they are reacting to the method of protest.

If players want to protest, let them walk around the field holding picket signs before the national anthem. Hell, let them refuse to play!!

As for the players' so-called First Amendment right, that is, simply, not applicable. Owners do not have to allow them to protest. Fans can punish owners for not stopping it, and they can punish players for what they perceive as disrespect for the flag, for the country, and for its veterans.

You can say that the fans are misinterpreting the message all you want - the fact is that, if the players want to get THEIR message across, they need to find another way. Nobody is listening to what the players claim they are saying - they are only reacting to what they see the players do.

As for the President -- he represents the people, and he is telling the NFL what the people are saying. Problem is - they aren't listening.

 

[Spare_change]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

He has no responsibility. His responsibility is to defend the Constitution of the US. Not to use the flag and anthem as a political weapon. Trump and his supporters are in-American and fake patriots. This truly is starting to look like Nazi Germany. The Nazis burned books that did not conform and now Trump and his supporters are invoking Hitler and the Nazis and burning things that do not conform to their warped view of the world.

What an incredibly stupid post !

i can't begin to describe the level of ignorance demonstrated. You have zero - none, nil, nada - understanding of Nazi Germany. To compare this to Nazi Germany is to demean all those who suffered and died under Hitler.

Your ridiculous comment about the president clearly demonstrates you have no fundamental understanding of the structure of our government or our society.

You, sir, are an embarrassment.

 

[monkrules]

I think people are just plain fucking sick and tired of all the whining (protests). No one gives a fuck about the whiners or their messages anymore. The protesters have 'protested too much' and turned off too many people.

All the protesters are doing at this point is alienating more and more people. It all began with the worthless BLM whiners and their obnoxious behavior, imo. Barging into political events like a bunch of brainless morons. Then, there's all the rioting, looting, property crimes, attacking innocent people, etc. Who cares about their fucking message? They're nothing but thugs. I hope the cops start doing their fucking jobs and putting an end to this shit, however they have to do it.

No one is against the football players protesting. But all they're doing is angering the fans. They should be doing their stupid protests away from their workplace, as people with a brain would.

Imagine a department store putting up with a brainless clerk who alienates its customers by acting like a fool and protesting while she should be working, Would anyone blame the employer for firing the stupid bych? She would certainly have the right to protest, BUT, not when she is supposed to be working.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

These players have to be among the stupidest people in human history and on multiple levels.
They protest against the symbols that represent their right to protest and they insult most of their customer base in the process.

They're protesting against the symbols that represent their right to protest? So you're saying because they can protest, they shouldn't? Er.... wow,

No, you have it backwards. They're not protesting for the opportunity to protest. They're essentially protesting against the opportunity to protest. Like using democracy to vote down democracy.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

Those players are protesting civil injustices towards black men, as example...that the police have killed over the decades who were unarmed, or carrying a toy gun etc etc etc, yet none have ever been punished...they are not protesting our anthem and flag...


The First Amendment is why our President, the head of our government, should not get involved and in the middle of this, period. It's the government that is restricted by our first amendment right, not the private owners and the owners should be able to make their own decisions without the government's top dog President calling mother's of player's bitches and without the President recommending they be fired if they don't stand up and sing praise to our nation/ our government as our government head snaps his fingers and wants them to....

He needs to shut up, and butt out...

First off, they have no idea what they're protesting. Racist injustice bullshit is a ruse.
Then you say the person who represents the highest authority in the name of free speech, the POTUS, should be disallowed to speak.
You must be an NFL player, too.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

He has no responsibility. His responsibility is to defend the Constitution of the US. Not to use the flag and anthem as a political weapon. Trump and his supporters are in-American and fake patriots. This truly is starting to look like Nazi Germany. The Nazis burned books that did not conform and now Trump and his supporters are invoking Hitler and the Nazis and burning things that do not conform to their warped view of the world.

Freedom of speech is part of the constitution. You must be an NFL player, too.

 

[frigidweirdo]

These players have to be among the stupidest people in human history and on multiple levels.
They protest against the symbols that represent their right to protest and they insult most of their customer base in the process.

They're protesting against the symbols that represent their right to protest? So you're saying because they can protest, they shouldn't? Er.... wow,

No, you have it backwards. They're not protesting for the opportunity to protest. They're essentially protesting against the opportunity to protest. Like using democracy to vote down democracy.

But they're not.

Your argument is that the flag and the anthem are the things that PROTECT people to protest. They're not. They symbols and nothing more. They're symbols of the US govt.

Now, the US govt should be protecting free speech. But the President is arguing AGAINST free speech. So the flag and the anthem right NOW, represent a govt that is OPPOSED to free speech.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

These players have to be among the stupidest people in human history and on multiple levels.
They protest against the symbols that represent their right to protest and they insult most of their customer base in the process.

They're protesting against the symbols that represent their right to protest? So you're saying because they can protest, they shouldn't? Er.... wow,

No, you have it backwards. They're not protesting for the opportunity to protest. They're essentially protesting against the opportunity to protest. Like using democracy to vote down democracy.

But they're not.

Your argument is that the flag and the anthem are the things that PROTECT people to protest. They're not. They symbols and nothing more. They're symbols of the US govt.

Now, the US govt should be protecting free speech. But the President is arguing AGAINST free speech. So the flag and the anthem right NOW, represent a govt that is OPPOSED to free speech.

You really are an NFL player. The flag represents the constitution and the essence of our country, including freedom of speech. These idiots don't know how to articulate their contrived, substanceless grievance. As a result, they protest against their own freedom to protest. As Sgt. Lincoln Osiris would say, "moronical".

 

[frigidweirdo]

These players have to be among the stupidest people in human history and on multiple levels.
They protest against the symbols that represent their right to protest and they insult most of their customer base in the process.

They're protesting against the symbols that represent their right to protest? So you're saying because they can protest, they shouldn't? Er.... wow,

No, you have it backwards. They're not protesting for the opportunity to protest. They're essentially protesting against the opportunity to protest. Like using democracy to vote down democracy.

But they're not.

Your argument is that the flag and the anthem are the things that PROTECT people to protest. They're not. They symbols and nothing more. They're symbols of the US govt.

Now, the US govt should be protecting free speech. But the President is arguing AGAINST free speech. So the flag and the anthem right NOW, represent a govt that is OPPOSED to free speech.

You really are an NFL player. The flag represents the constitution and the essence of our country, including freedom of speech. These idiots don't know how to articulate their contrived, substanceless grievance. As a result, they protest against their own freedom to protest. As Sgt. Lincoln Osiris would say, "moronical".

Oh, going for insults I see. Maybe if you try writing WITHOUT insults, you might get a reply.

 

[PraiseKek]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

The POTUS doesn't have 1st amendment rights?

 

[reconmark]

Of course it's up to the private owners....

The President of the USA should have kept his trap shut....

Why? He has the right to speak, too, and a responsibility to do so when he represents the highest authority of what those players are protesting.

Those players are protesting civil injustices towards black men, as example...that the police have killed over the decades who were unarmed, or carrying a toy gun etc etc etc, yet none have ever been punished...they are not protesting our anthem and flag...


The First Amendment is why our President, the head of our government, should not get involved and in the middle of this, period. It's the government that is restricted by our first amendment right, not the private owners and the owners should be able to make their own decisions without the government's top dog President calling mother's of player's bitches and without the President recommending they be fired if they don't stand up and sing praise to our nation/ our government as our government head snaps his fingers and wants them to....

He needs to shut up, and butt out...

If this is the case, the players are doing a piss poor job of getting their message out.

People are not reacting to what they are protesting about, they are reacting to the method of protest.

If players want to protest, let them walk around the field holding picket signs before the national anthem. Hell, let them refuse to play!!

As for the players' so-called First Amendment right, that is, simply, not applicable. Owners do not have to allow them to protest. Fans can punish owners for not stopping it, and they can punish players for what they perceive as disrespect for the flag, for the country, and for its veterans.

You can say that the fans are misinterpreting the message all you want - the fact is that, if the players want to get THEIR message across, they need to find another way. Nobody is listening to what the players claim they are saying - they are only reacting to what they see the players do.

As for the President -- he represents the people, and he is telling the NFL what the people are saying. Problem is - they aren't listening.

So they can only protest in a manner that you approve of...lol.
Grow up asshole...