This needs to be said!

[guns3545]

I don’t think this could have been said any better and it definitely is about time someone said it. Hopefully, this will go out over EVERY computer in the U.S. and maybe, just maybe, these sports people will get the message of just how ridiculous they are to disrespect our flag, and how little what they do in sports compare to what our great military has done for this country..

Here goes: If you agree with what he said please pass this on.



Ret. Marine Col. Jeffery Powers wrote to the NFL
commissioners the following:


Commissioners, I’ve been a season pass holder at Yankee Stadium, Yale Bowl and the Giants Stadium.
I missed the ’90-’91 season because I was with a battalion of Marines in Desert Storm. 14 of my wonderful Marines returned home with the American Flag draped across their lifeless bodies. My last conversation with one of them, Sgt. Garrett Mongrella was about how our Giants were going to the Super Bowl. He never got to see it.


Many friends, Marines, and Special Forces Soldiers who worked with or for me through the years returned home with the American Flag draped over their coffins.


Now I watch multi-millionaire athletes who never did anything in their lives but play a game, disrespect what brave Americans fought and died for. They are essentially spitting in the faces and on the graves of real men, men who have actually done something for this country besides playing with a ball and believing they’re something special! They’re not! My Marines and Soldiers were!


You are complicit in this! You’ll fine players for large and small infractions but you lack the moral courage and respect for our nation and the fallen to put an immediate stop to this. Yes, I know, it’s their 1st Amendment right to behave in such a despicable manner.





What would happen if they came out and disrespected you or the refs publicly?


I observed a player getting a personal foul for twerking in the end zone after scoring. I guess that’s much worse than disrespecting the flag and our National Anthem. Hmmmmm, isn’t it his 1st Amendment right to express himself like an idiot in the end zone?


Why is taunting not allowed yet taunting America is OK? You fine players for wearing 9-11 commemorative shoes yet you allow scum on the sidelines to sit, kneel or pump their pathetic fist in the air. They are so deprived with their multi-million dollar contracts for playing a freaking game!


You condone it all by your refusal to act. You’re just as bad and disgusting as they are. I hope Americans boycott any sponsor who supports that rabble you call the NFL. I hope they turn off the TV when any team that allowed this disrespect to occur, without consequence, on the sidelines. I applaud those who have not. These players should be fined and never play football again on any team.


Legends and heroes do NOT wear shoulder pads. They wear body armor and carry rifles
They make minimum wage and spend months and years away from their families. They don’t do it for an hour on Sunday. They do it 24/7 often with lead, not footballs, coming in their direction. They watch their brothers carted off in pieces not on a gurney to get their knee iced. They don’t even have ice! Many don’t have legs or arms.


Some wear blue and risk their lives daily on the streets of America. They wear fire helmets and go upstairs into the fire rather than down to safety. On 9-11, hundreds vanished. They are the heroes.


I hope that your high paid protesting pretty boys and you look in that mirror when you shave tomorrow and see what you really are, legends in your own minds. You need to hit the road and take those worms with you!


Time to change the channel.


Powers originally sent his letter to former Florida congressman Allen West. West then posted the letter on his news website.


As of last week, at least 18 NFL player had protested the anthem by either kneeling during the anthem or raising their fists, according to USA Today Sports.

[Lyn Islaub]

Very well stated and I couldn't agree more.

I hope you don't mind if I've included a message a friend sent to me that was a quote by the Clark Hunt, CEO and Owner of the Kansas City Chiefs just prior to the recent game with the Patriots and his message follows a similar path to yours in reference to paid athletes and their conduct.

Mr. Hunt called a meeting with all of his Coaches, Players and field staff and firmly told them,
"You are all simply paid performers on a stage and that field is my stage!
You will stand, with your hand over your heart and with respect, when our Country's National Anthem is being played or you will no longer be a Kansas City Chief, a Coach for the Kansas City Chiefs or have any association with the Chiefs Organization!
I will immediately fire you, no matter who you are!"
You can make your political statements off the field, but when you're employed by me and I'm signing your check,
I demand that you make our fans proud and not embarrass them."

[4 Scale]

The (alleged) Clark Hunt letter is fake.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...171726982.html

[mrerick]

Powers letter has been confirmed as being genuine.

Patriotism is one thing, but respect for our country and it's flag is, in my view, obligatory if you're an American and intend to participate in our society and culture.

The players represent the league. When the league tolerates their anti-American behavior, they are complicit and should suffer consequences.

Go watch your local High School or College sports team live. Lots more honesty in those competitions.

[lew1]

I still go to the High School football games at the school that my sons went to. The players are honest.

[4 Scale]

To understand why the NFL allows these protests, assume that the NFL always acts in its best interests. The reasons then emerge.

As anyone from San Diego can tell you, the NFL runs an extortion racket to get its stadiums publicly financed by threatening to move. It generally works, but the stadiums are then arguably single-use quasi-public structures. If the NFL prohibits protests it runs the risk of a 1st Amendment fight (free speech on public property) and reminding everyone, including Congress and the anti-trust division of the DOJ that the NFL business model when boiled down is Corporate Welfare.

Also, prohibiting protests on this issue could antagonize a majority of the league's players.

As always, the NFL has made a shrewd calculation and decided on a course of maximum benefit to itself - pretending reverence for the 1st. That some Americans are genuinely angry that the protests are allowed it views as the least adverse of several possible bad outcomes.

[Sergio Natali]

Although I'm Italian and live in my country, I appreciate your thread, and I also agree that:"Patriotism is one thing, but respect for our country and it's flag is, in my view, obligatory if you're an American and intend to participate in our society and culture."

I wouldn't expect everybody to be a patriot, but at least to have a sincere "respect" for the Nation, its culture and tradition.
Unfortunately more or less similar scenes can be seen also here in soccer matches when a football player scores a goal looks as if he's saved the whole nation; I would also add that the media have their share of responsibility, as more than one time I've heard the commenator enthusiastically calling them "heroes" and say that "they are writing the history here!"...
Heroes are NOT football players, and History has always been writen in parliaments and on battlefields.

All this is simply unconceivable to me.

[ithacaartist]

Right. We don't need no stinking First Amendment.

[Norme]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Right. We don't need no stinking First Amendment.

My favorite amendment is the 21st, the repeal of prohibition.
Norm

[Pistol]

What exactly are they protesting anyway? The right to live in a country that allows then to make millions playing a game?

The clown Colin Krapernick is the one that started this idea that disrespecting servicemen and police is somehow free speech. I think it is just plain disrespectful.

Now kids in peewee league are taking a knee. Colin was adopted and raised by two white parents that gave him the opportunity to suceed. If Hollywierd and the left hate America so much, why dont they just leave?

And now we have a losing presidential candidate that months after the election will not accept defeat and continues to blame everyone for her lose. Blame, blame and divide is the game.

Free speech is one thing, but acting like a child if you don't get your way or lose is not free speech. Inflammatory comments and grotesque offensive art are all now free speech.

Today one is labeled a racist for having different viewpoints. The left only cares about "free speech" when it agrees with their own beliefs and agenda. All the fake outrage is getting old.

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by Pistol

What exactly are they protesting anyway? The right to live in a country that allows then to make millions playing a game?

The clown Colin Krapernick is the one that started this idea that disrespecting servicemen and police is somehow free speech. I think it is just plain disrespectful.

Now kids in peewee league are taking a knee. Colin was adopted and raised by two white parents that gave him the opportunity to suceed. If Hollywierd and the left hate America so much, why dont they just leave?

And now we have a losing presidential candidate that months after the election will not accept defeat and continues to blame everyone for her lose. Blame, blame and divide is the game.

Free speech is one thing, but acting like a child if you don't get your way or lose is not free speech. Inflammatory comments and grotesque offensive art are all now free speech.

Today one is labeled a racist for having different viewpoints. The left only cares about "free speech" when it agrees with their own beliefs and agenda. All the fake outrage is getting old.

They act like the NAZI did. Why don't you folks start calling them by their real name.

[MP38]

Originally Posted by Pistol

What exactly are they protesting anyway? The right to live in a country that allows then to make millions playing a game?

The clown Colin Krapernick is the one that started this idea that disrespecting servicemen and police is somehow free speech. I think it is just plain disrespectful.

Now kids in peewee league are taking a knee. Colin was adopted and raised by two white parents that gave him the opportunity to suceed. If Hollywierd and the left hate America so much, why dont they just leave?

And now we have a losing presidential candidate that months after the election will not accept defeat and continues to blame everyone for her lose. Blame, blame and divide is the game.

Free speech is one thing, but acting like a child if you don't get your way or lose is not free speech. Inflammatory comments and grotesque offensive art are all now free speech.

Today one is labeled a racist foaving different viewpoints. The left only cares about "free speech" when it agrees with their own beliefs and agenda. All the fake outrage is getting old.

Colin Kapernick started this to get his name in headlines, and his face on the news. It worked! Even today we are still talking about him, even though he doesn't even play for any team!
Others saw this, and now they want their 5 minutes of fame. That's all this is, a publicity stunt. Period.

You won't see this at Green Bay though. Coach Mike McCarthy was the 1st NFL coach to put his foot down this pre-season. All players will stand, or they won't be in Green Bay any more. Period.
Since then, I think a few other coaches have followed, but certainly not all teams. I wish more would have some balls to stand up to this BS.
The NFL needs to put their foot down. These players are paid to play, not to protest. Protest on your own time!

I'm a veteran as well, and still work for the DoD. This makes me sick.

Matt

[4 Scale]

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has taken no position on the the protests, and Packers GM Ted Thompson has said he won't block protests.

McCarthy does make a presentation to his players on decorum and the history of the the anthem at NFL games.

http://packerswire.usatoday.com/2017...hat-they-like/

[DavidJayUden]

http://www.bizpacreview.com/2017/09/...-owners-539350

dju

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

i stopped watching on tv and do not miss it.

I stopped watching American Football years/decades ago. I still watch real futball on TV; Arsenal was my favorite team, until YES switched their coverage. American football morphed into gorilla-ball, not even a sport anymore. Now I prefer baseball and tennis. Occasionally I'll watch golf, and of course I'm a big fan of World Sports Cars and to a lesser degree, Formula 1. I ignore NASCAR. NASCAR is just pro wrestling on wheels.