Last Word: Do NFL'ers Have A Right To Be Foolish?

Sure, but they have the right to suffer for their bad decisions too. 

Many of them are adolescents in an adult body and are intimidated by other team members or family, and friends back home. Yes, I know ... I am patronizing ... but I too have free speech.

Don't be too hard on youthful ignorance. But be very hard on the Team owners, coaches, and NBA officials who condoned or ignored their players' unreasonable actions. So, the primary fault and responsibility is with the leadership. Your patriotic outrage is what has forced the NFL, coaches, owners, and players to back down. They don't want to admit it, and give other reasons, but that is exactly what it was. They are claiming it had nothing to do with the National Anthem, Flag or Nation. That is disingenuous. It was done during the National Anthem, not before or after. They blame it on Trump. But, who believes they would not have reacted to the uproar had Trump said nothing? 

Here's what the NFL game operations manual says regarding the national anthem ... The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.
"Clubs face warnings and other penalties for noncompliance."

It is not my contention that NFL football players do not have the "right" to refuse to respect our flag, pledge of allegiance or National Anthem. They do have that "right" to express their own opinion. It is called "Free Speech" and that is protected by the Constitution, but that doesn't mean it is "right" to do it, without consequences. Since they are demonstrating on the team owner's and the NFL's time, instead of their own, they can be fired or fined for showing disrespect on the field. They were not hired, by the owners, to do that and the NFL has the authority to punish or fine them for breaking NFL rules. Those rules are clear on respecting our flag and Anthem. They have fined hundreds of other players for breaking rules much less offensive than the anthem one. The NFL officials can, and have, forbidden players to do certain things which were actually highly appropriate and commendable. Things like wearing a special commemorative patch honoring the six policemen who were murdered by terrorists in Dallas in July of 2016. Didn't the Dallas Cowboys have a free speech right to do that? Of course, they did, but the NFL officials forbade it, lest someone be offended. Who would that be? Terrorists? So the NFL is hypocritical and, like all Liberals, use their authority, power, and double standard inaction to promote their own opinions and stifle their patriotic opponent's opinions, who also have a Constitutional right to object and dump the NFL.

Football fans have equal rights too. They have the right to boo those they believe to be bad sports or hypocrites. They have the right to put pressure on the NFL officials and team owner, like Jerry Jones, to put a stop to their "employee" players demonstrating their disrespect on the owner's and the audience's time. They can do that on their own time and at their own expense. The fans also have the right to cease attending, or watching on TV, NFL games and buying their shirts and paraphernalia. They also have the right to condemn the players, coaches, owners and NFL officials for such juvenile, inexcusable, demonstrations as was expressed by showing disrespect to Old Glory and The Star Spangled Banner. The fans also have a right to demand that the State and Federal Governments cancel all financial (taxpayer money) assistance, which runs into the hundreds of $millions being given to NFL teams. It's a fact. Google it.

Now, my rights: I have a Constitutional Right and obligation to our forefathers, my country, my family, my friends and my God to stand up and give you God's word and my free speech, verbally, with a megaphone, microphone, telephone, email or blog. And I have done that in 21,000 sermons over the last 60 years and 1800 blogs over the last 9 years, and will continue to do so until the U.S.KGB, FBI, CIA, DNC, or 666 come and get me. They can't take much from this old bag of bones anyway. In the meantime, my voice, sight, and hearing may have cooled off, but my trigger finger and keyboard are smoking. 

End of story. Their egregious error has backfired in their faces and they are promising it won't happen again. Maybe not, but they still feel anger toward our nation. He who is convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.