The purpleJOURNAL Podcast – The Disorganized Team Activities Edition

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• I disagree with your right to protest at football games, The players are working for a company called the Vikings. The owners set the parameters of behavior the same as all companies do. If they want to protest get a permit and go to the nearest park after the game. Get real snowflakes.

• I have to assume you're using "snowflakes" ironically because of my comments about people using that term on the show. If not. That makes me really happy.

  Snowflake means someone that gets upset by everything they disagree with. You're doing that right now.

  As we also said on the show, they do work for the Vikings/NFL and the NFL has the right to fine the teams and the teams can then decide to either fine the players or pay the fine. I understand that it's a job and that most people can't protest openly at their place of employment. At the same time, it's more complicated than that because most people aren't being viewed by millions of people each week and aren't part of a community that feels an obligation to support those that aren't as fortunate as them in terms of money. Meaning that, because these guys have made it, they know that they have an opportunity to raise awareness and they also don't want suddenly act like because they're rich and live in a gated community somewhere that they're still not part of that same community or that they still don't deal with similar issues.

  I know that nuance isn't something that most people who argue against kneeling like but like Joe Oberle said, if you love football but this bothers you, ignore it or leave the room. It's only a big deal because it polls well with the base and helps further divide people who should really be on the same side. Things like race and or sexual orientation are used to divide people who are part of the same class economically because the last thing that the people/person in power who continually raise issues like these on Twitter is for the working and middle class to actually band together. That's the whole point of this and of other wedge issues so while I do feel like I'm participating in that by commenting on it, it's clearly something we have to talk about because the President is talking about it and we get comments about it all the time (as I also mentioned on the show).

  In terms of rights, though. There obviously weren't rules against this, either. It's not something that changes anything on the field, or in terms of when the games starts. It's literally people kneeling during a song. So, the idea that it's a protest like people picketing or not doing their jobs in the "real world" doesn't make a whole lot of sense, either. I will say, though, that because fo the framing issues discussed on the show I feel like the meaning of kneeling has been lost, of course, so I'm sure it'll go away this season. I agree with their right and do feel that, as a major of both political science and sociology of law, criminology and deviance at the U of M (meaning I'm POST certified), the police issue is also nuanced and not as black and white as people say. But people become entrenched in their beliefs and don't meet in the middle on things anymore, so basically I'm typically hated by both liberals and conservatives because I don't abide by the complete checklist of beliefs on either side...

  Thanks for listening, though!

• Allen is exactly right, minus the name calling. These people are employees. In this discussion, only one thing matters. Abide by the rules of your employment or quit. You do have a clear choice. The NFL commissioner rightly gave players the option of coming out after the anthem, if they choose, or standing like an American who supports it's country despite it's imperfections. Oh, thats not good enough. I must use your venue for my own display, and if you don't let me, your violating MY RIGHTS? Emptying half the stadium for your two minute protest is something the NFL should support? You expect the NFL to absorb that loss?? Saying" if you don't like it leave the room" is unbelievably arrogant and disrespectful stance to those who have an opposing opinion. The fact we still talk this nonsense instead of teams and players should speak volumes, but it still doesn't seem to. It's a distraction and would be on the field of play, as well. Luckily, the NFL Commissioner understands what he saw last season and heard all the talk of the NFL falling. Thank God, Minnesota believes in team over individual and unites in support of our country. A team with its head screwed on exactly right, and one I'm so proud to support!!!

• My post supporting Allen and not supporting comments like you don't like it leave the room, or comments that support the hired over the employers rights, regardless of the circumstances, was denied posting. Hmmmm, wonder why? So employees being fired or fined for actions that make the employer look bad and inevitably hurt business profits, somehow doesn't apply? How can that be?? Because the employees are rich? Why must those offended by these actions forced to see it or find a new hobby. Over a 3 minute protest??? So, you encourage more boycotting of games over the rights of players to protest while working a job??? That's Ridiculous! The public eye argument is bull and should give much more weight to the employer, not the employee.

• Can we just watch some football together ~ And can these players just play some football that we can watch ~ Everything else is a chose and that's why Direct TV is losing money with Sunday Ticket and its going to come back and bit these very players in the A$$ come contract time ~ JMHO based off what I have read about the subject ~