NFL Owners Never Voted on the New National Anthem Policy. Wait… What?

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On Wednesday, the National Football League (NFL) announced a new policy regarding player protests during the national anthem… stay in the locker room, stand, or face a fine. Now, it looks like the owners never officially voted for the policy after all. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said during the NFL’s announcement:

Clearly, our objective as a league and to all 32 clubs, which was unanimous, is that we want people to be respectful of the national anthem.

Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence applauded the move by the NFL. However, sources reported the owners never held a formal vote, so, who approved it unanimously? According to a report by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, during two days of meetings on league matters in Atlanta:

The NFL just did a little informal polling and thought everyone would be cool with it.

Sources said league executives polled owners and knew how they’d vote but didn’t hold an official tally, which is atypical for a major resolution. The new policy leaves it to teams to discipline their own players for acts deemed disrespectful during the anthem. However, it also gave the league wide powers to fine teams as well. The NFL Players Association already made a public statement that the league never consulted them on the new anthem policy, also atypical of major changes affecting players. Moreover, not all team owners are singing the new anthem policy’s praises either. Three team owners distanced themselves from this policy as well. San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York announced he abstained from any decision about the policy. Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis also claims to have abstained. Their abstentions contradict Goodell’s claim of a unanimous vote by all 32 owners.

Meanwhile, New York Jets chairman Chris Johnson vowed to pay any fines for his players who demonstrate during the national anthem:

I don’t like imposing any club-specific rules. If somebody [on the Jets] takes a knee, that fine will be borne by the organisation, by me, not the players. I never want to put restrictions on the speech of our players. Do I prefer that they stand? Of course. However, 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. I don’t want to come down on them like a ton of bricks, and I won’t. There’ll be no club fines or suspensions or any sort of repercussions. If the team gets fined, that’s just something I’ll have to bear.

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Johnson’s announcement drew some criticism, but his Twitter post also drew praise. The new anthem policy is catching a lot of flak on social media. Many accused the NFL in general or Roger Goodell in particular of simply pandering to the President and Vice President on the issue, without regard for the players or fans. People also questioned the NFL’s priorities. Whether the new policy stands or not remains to be seen.

24 May 2018

Amelia Mavis Christnot

Second Nexus

https://secondnexus.com/news/nfl-owners-never-voted-anthem/

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Ajamu Baraka On “Be Careful What You Wish For”

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People aren’t thinking. Don’t you see that the moves being made against Trump by the unelected forces in and outside of the state, if successful, demonstrate why it’s questionable if a radical people-centred movement could ever expect to take power through the electoral process? If they’re doing this to Trump, what would’ve happened if Jill and I had actually won the vote? There’s no celebration here, folks. They aren’t concerned that Trump’s a racist or xenophobe, or that he colluded with the Russians to win the election because they don’t believe that.

Ajamu Baraka

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Trump’s Election… A Different View

Anti-Trump march in Austin TX

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Editor:

The following explains very well why Trump’s election was better for us than Chilly Hilly’s would’ve been. You see, she’s just as greedy, twice as stupid, three times as vindictive, but in a prettier package. Hilly would’ve had us in a war already and all the “Liberals” would be drooling their support. Now, we have no illusions. People see that cronyism, greed, corruption, perpetual warfare (and the Military Industrial Complex), and corporate mendacity are the real enemies that we face. Yes… many still drink the Chilly Hilly Kool-Aid. However, Trump’s election woke many people up. If the Dems want to win in 2020, they’d best nominate someone like Tulsi Gabbard or they’re going to go down for the count. To nominate Hilly or one of her greedster colleagues would be a disaster… but shall “Liberals” wake up and reclaim the New Deal legacy? That’s still undecided… choose wisely, for the fate of the nation IS at stake.

The Clintons made the Democratic Party into Republicans Lite. It’s time to throw them (and their hangers-on) out and go Left again. If not, the Dems die. That be the reality, kids…

BMD

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I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it looks like Trump is actually making America great again. Just look at the progress made since the election:

1. Unprecedented levels of ongoing civic engagement.
2. Millions of Americans now know who their state and federal representatives are without having to Google.
3. Millions of Americans are exercising more. They’re holding signs and marching every week.
4. Alec Baldwin is great again. Everyone’s forgotten he’s kind of a jerk.
5. The Postal Service is enjoying the influx cash due to stamps purchased by millions of people for letter and postcard campaigns.
6. Likewise, the pharmaceutical industry is enjoying record growth in sales of antidepressants.
7. Millions of Americans now know how to call their elected officials and know exactly what to say to be effective.
8. Footage of town hall meetings is now entertaining.
9. Tens of millions of people are now correctly spelling words like emoluments, narcissist, fascist, misogynist, holocaust, and cognitive dissonance.
10. Everyone knows more about the rise of Hitler than last year.
11. Everyone knows more about legislation, the branches of power, and how checks and balances work.
12. Marginalised groups are experiencing a surge in white allies.
13. White people in record numbers just learned that racism isn’t dead.
14. White people in record numbers also finally understand that Obamacare IS the Affordable Care Act.
15. Stephen Colbert’s Late Night finally gained the elusive #1 spot in late night talk shows, and Seth Meyers is finding his footing as today’s Jon Stewart.
16. “Mike Pence” donated millions of dollars to Planned Parenthood since 9 November.
17. Melissa FREAKING McCarthy.
18. Travel ban protesters put 24 million USD (1.4 billion Roubles. 165.08 million Renminbi. 1.61 billion INR. 31.46 million CAD. 31.3 million AUD. 22.6 million Euros. 19.25 million UK Pounds) into ACLU coffers in just 48 hours, enabling them to hire 200 more attorneys. Lawyers are now heroes.
19. As people seek veracity in their news sources, respected news outlets are happily reporting a substantial increase in subscriptions, a boon to a struggling industry vital to our democracy.
20. Livestreaming court cases and congressional sessions are now as popular as the Kardashians.
21. Massive cleanup of Facebook friend lists.
22. People are reading classic literature again. Sales of George Orwell’s 1984 increased 10,000 percent after the inauguration. (Yes, that’s true… 10,000 percent. 9th grade Lit teachers all over the country are now rock stars.)
23. More than ever before, Americans are aware that education is important. Like, super important.
24. Now, more than any time in history, everyone believes that anyone can be President. Seriously, anyone.

19 February 2017

Susan Keller

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Lavrov Tells It Right to Pence’s Smug Face: Russia Will End US-Led World Order

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US Vice President Mike Pence told a room full of Washington lapdogs that the USA would “continue to hold Russia accountable”. Then, Minister of Foreign Affairs S V Lavrov went up to the podium and straightened him out. The opening line to CNN’s report on the predictable sabre-rattling that took place at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday was:

Aiming to calm European fears about USA-Russia ties, Vice President Mike Pence told world leaders Saturday that the USA will stand firm against Moscow while also seeking avenues for coöperation. Pence told the audience that Washington remained unwavering in its commitment to NATO as it faced a more assertive Russia.

Shortly after Pence had finished his war liturgy, Lavrov took the podium. He phrased his comments in a very simple manner so that his American counterparts could understand. Lavrov said that the time when the West called the shots was over and, dismissing NATO as a relic of the Cold War, added:

I hope that (the world) will choose a democratic world order… a post-West one… in which sovereignty defines each country. Moscow wants to build relations with Washington that’d be pragmatic with mutual respect and acknowledgement of our responsibility for global stability.

Lavrov is a career diplomat and a true gentleman, but we’ve noticed a subtle change in his approach to US bullshittery over the last two years. He rarely dances around issues anymore. Sure, he still refers to Washington as “our western friends” or “our American colleagues”. However, he doesn’t hold back after that. The crisis in the Ukraine made it clear that Washington wanted blood, but the US-led crimes against the people of Syria are what made Russia realise that they aren’t dealing with normally reasonable people. Washington is a cabal of psychopaths. The war in Syria also ushered in a new era… we’re witnessing a seismic shift in how we conduct international relations. Russia and Iran just proved that fighting the bully works. Besides, other countries took notice. Lavrov’s comments are more than just an invitation to all nations to join Russia in creating a new world order based on state sovereignty and international consensus. He also issued a warning to Washington:

Pack your bags. It’s over. Buckle up, buttercup.

19 February 2017

Rudy Panko

Russia Insider

http://russia-insider.com/en/lavrov-tells-it-right-pences-smug-face-russia-will-end-us-led-world-order/ri18980