NFL Requires Players To Stand During Anthem: POLL

This week National Football League owners decided to require their players to either stand for the National Anthem before the game or remain in the locker room until the anthem has been performed. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement that said the policy adopted Wednesday “was approved in concert with the NFL’s ongoing commitment to local communities and our country — one that is extraordinary in its scope, resources and alignment with our players.”

He said the league will continue collaborating with the players “to advance the goals of justice and fairness in all corners of our society.”

President Donald Trump has made kneeling during the National Anthem a recurring issue during campaign rallies, even at one point suggesting that if a player disrespects the flag, he should be fired.

He added his support to the new rule by the NFL on Fox News Thursday, saying, “You have to stand proudly for the National Anthem. You shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there. Maybe they shouldn’t be in the country,” HuffPost reported.

Notably, the policy against taking a knee was issued on the same day footage appeared of Milwaukee Bucks basketball player Sterling Brown had a stun gun used on him by Milwaukee police over an improperly parked car.

Police violence against black Americans was one reason former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick was among the first players to take a knee during the 2016-17 season, according to CNN.com

The NFL Players Association objected to the new rule, and one of the teams’ owners agreed with them.

Chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson of the New York Jets said his players are free to kneel during the anthem or engage in some other form of protest without fear of repercussion from the team.

He said any fines will be borne by him or the organization — not his players.

“Do I prefer that they stand? Of course,” he told Newsday. “But I understand if they felt the need to protest. There are some big, complicated issues that we’re all struggling with, and our players are on the front lines.”

Rep. Peter King, R-Long Island, tweeted the following Saturday morning:

Weigh in on the issue via our unscientific poll, and if you have another opinion or thought, leave it in the comments below.

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