Police unions pull out of Dolphins game over anthem issue

[Epic Beard Man]

Police officers in South Florida are being urged by their unions not to buy Dolphins tickets, or ask for refunds if they’ve already purchased tickets, as a result of Dolphins players kneeling during the national anthem before the preseason opener.

“The Broward County PBA recently offered our members discounts to a Miami Dolphins game because that franchise said they were going to honor all First Responders,” the Broward County Police Benevolent Association said on Facebook. “We entered into this partnership with the understanding that the Dolphins organization would require their players to stand for the National Anthem. This did not happen at last night’s preseason game against Tampa Bay. As a result, the BCPBA will no longer participate in this ticket program, and we are asking all of our members, as well as members of the Dade County PBA and Palm Beach County PBA, not to participate either. If you have already purchased tickets to this game, we encourage you to call the Dolphins ticket office to request a refund because this organization obviously DOES NOT honor First Responders and the dangers they put themselves in every day.”


The Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association posted the same message.

Dolphins Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneeled and Robert Quinn raised a fist before Thursday night’s game. Players have said they are protesting during the anthem to bring attention to civilians killed by police officers.

Source:Police unions pull out of Dolphins game over anthem issue

I find the irony of protesting a protest.....

 

[Altfish]

The land of free speech...

 

[godnotgod]

The land of free speech...

...and the impending death of competitive sports....YAY!

 

[Altfish]

It is sad that the police are taking sides in issues like this.

 

[Mindmaster]

It is sad that the police are taking sides in issues like this.

Not sad at all, if you disrespect the people that you expect to protect you I don't think that entitles them to a damn thing from them. You should think about that before you 'take a knee' or 'shoot off your damn mouth'. It's not about free speech it's about decency -- being decent to people is a mutual exchange. You want help and they want to help you, but you can't be happy with that you gotta dig.

 

[godnotgod]

Not sad at all, if you disrespect the people that you expect to protect you I don't think that entitles them to a damn thing from them. You should think about that before you 'take a knee' or 'shoot off your damn mouth'. It's not about free speech it's about decency -- being decent to people is a mutual exchange. You want help and they want to help you, but you can't be happy with that you gotta dig.

Understand: They refuse to stand because the flag no longer represents what it's supposed to represent. In fact, it is now a symbol of divisiveness, hatred, and greed. What it's supposed to represent is dead. The lights have changed. Get with it. Trump represents a throwback to 19th century colonialism. The world can't afford it any longer. Too bloody.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Not sad at all, if you disrespect the people that you expect to protect you.

Pause...

Having a grievance of a perceived injustice is not disrespectful.

You should think about that before you 'take a knee' or 'shoot off your damn mouth'. It's not about free speech it's about decency -- being decent to people is a mutual exchange. You want help and they want to help you, but you can't be happy with that you gotta dig.

So your of the opinion that all Law Enforcement is above reproach? Somehow players don't have the right?

 

[Father Heathen]

Not sad at all, if you disrespect the people that you expect to protect you I don't think that entitles them to a damn thing from them. You should think about that before you 'take a knee' or 'shoot off your damn mouth'. It's not about free speech it's about decency -- being decent to people is a mutual exchange. You want help and they want to help you, but you can't be happy with that you gotta dig.

Decency is exactly why police should be held accountable for occurrences of corruption, misconduct, incompetence, etc.

 

[Augustus]

If you have already purchased tickets to this game, we encourage you to call the Dolphins ticket office to request a refund because this organization obviously DOES NOT honor First Responders and the dangers they put themselves in every day.”

And they say millennials are whiny and entitled. Why should a sports team 'honour' first responders in the first place? It's entertainment. You watch because it's fun not because you expect the players and teams to explicitly respect your chosen profession.

Can't say the police get too much respect at football (soccer) games across the rest of the world, they are often targets of abuse or violence from the fans. Don't see them whining about it though.

 

[Altfish]

Not sad at all, if you disrespect the people that you expect to protect you I don't think that entitles them to a damn thing from them. You should think about that before you 'take a knee' or 'shoot off your damn mouth'. It's not about free speech it's about decency -- being decent to people is a mutual exchange. You want help and they want to help you, but you can't be happy with that you gotta dig.

As has been said by #godnotgod the flag represents the wrong things to many Americans in the days of Trump.
In the UK we are not as precious about the flag, but right wing hate groups have to some extent hijacked our flag(s)

 

[Loviatar]

This seems like whinging. They got a discount, but the team owners didn't make an explicit mandate that its players stand for the pledge, so now the local police are boycotting the team. I hardly see the team allowing its players to express their conscience, in a sensitive political climate, as "lacking decency." The people protesting literally were offered a discount a priori, purely based on their profession.

I say this as someone who disagrees with BLM more than I agree with it, really; who thinks that while police brutality should be prosecuted strongly when it exists, it's more overstated than not. This in particular looks to me like a nontroversy.

 

[Mindmaster]

So your of the opinion that all Law Enforcement is above reproach? Somehow players don't have the right?

There is free speech and just being a douche bag. If you decide to exercise your free speech at the time when someone is honoring someone else, you, my friend, are just a douche bag. You're not taking a stand, you are just a douche bag. You could take your stand at any other time, you know, like when people aren't being honored or remembered. It's called tact, and some people need to get some...

As for the rest of the nonsense you posted there, it's simply a tu quo que mixed up with a straw man. I said nothing of the sort nor did I even imply it.

 

[Mindmaster]

Understand: They refuse to stand because the flag no longer represents what it's supposed to represent. In fact, it is now a symbol of divisiveness, hatred, and greed. What it's supposed to represent is dead. The lights have changed. Get with it. Trump represents a throwback to 19th century colonialism. The world can't afford it any longer. Too bloody.

To these 'protesters' (I use the term lightly, I mean how much social issues a person can face when you have a 1 mil a year plus paycheck), maybe you, but not me or the majority.

What's Trump got to do with it? Nothing... This is just an attempt to deflect the conversation to whatever narrative fits your cognitive biases.

Pardon me while I step aside while the rest of you throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are small problems that can easily be fixed, it's not like the whole 'way' of doing things is wrong.

 

[Stanyon]

The land of free speech...

Dolphins players are exercising their free speech and the police unions are exercising theirs, so yes it is.

I find the irony of protesting a protest.....

I know, all those counter protesters in D.C. during the white affirmation/support march were quite ironic.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

There is free speech and just being a douche bag.

If I have a platform I'm using it especially if its for a noble cause. Knowing the media bias and knowing that the media only finds negative events in inner city communities more "newsworthy," it makes sense that players use a platform to shed light to a worthy cause.

You're not taking a stand, you are just a douche bag. You could take your stand at any other time, you know, like when people aren't being honored or remembered. It's called tact, and some people need to get some...

Right I'm sure people in the beer line at stadiums feel the same way or those in the tailgate section also feel the same patriotism you do. apparently you are unaware that the government pays the NFL for military demonstrations. This is paid patriotism this is not something that is embedded in professional sports.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Dolphins players are exercising their free speech and the police unions are exercising theirs, so yes it is.



I know, all those counter protesters in D.C. during the white affirmation/support march were quite ironic.

White affirmation? you mean the Neo-Nazi traitors who glorify a former coward called Adolph Hitler and who cry about Jews replacing them, you mean those guys?

 

[Stanyon]

White affirmation? you mean the Neo-Nazi traitors who glorify a former coward called Adolph Hitler and who cry about Jews replacing them, you mean those guys?

White affirmation supporters are typically called Nazis out of fear, ignorance, and misunderstanding. The Sunwheel and it's spin-offs is a symbol used by many cultures around the world throughout history, Native Americans used it prolifically . The men below are part of an all volunteer force, volunteerism is not only good for the neighbourhood and the community but is seen by some as a force for positive change in human behaviour:
deepshikha-narain-xii-b.pdf

 

[Augustus]

This seems like whinging. They got a discount, but the team owners didn't make an explicit mandate that its players stand for the pledge, so now the local police are boycotting the team.

Cancelling a deal to get discounted tickets seems like a pretty stupid way to make a point.

"Well some of us are going to boycott the team, and the rest of us who still want to watch them will just go ahead and pay full price. That'll learn 'em."

 

[Altfish]

Dolphins players are exercising their free speech and the police unions are exercising theirs, so yes it is.

But the police are a group and part of the state. An individual police officer may agree with the protesting of the flag. But they are being instructed, for political reasons, to boycott the game.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

White affirmation supporters are typically called Nazis out of fear, ignorance, and misunderstanding. The Sunwheel and it's spin-offs is a symbol used by many cultures around the world throughout history, Native Americans used it prolifically . The men below are part of an all volunteer force, volunteerism is not only good for the neighbourhood and the community but is seen by some as a force for positive change in human behaviour:
deepshikha-narain-xii-b.pdf

I love the David Duke-esque spin on making a bunch of white supremacists seem like activists.