There are a lot of selfish players in professional sports.
When these athletes begin making millions of dollars they have this attitude and ego that it’s “me against the world.”
And that’s certainly the case with this anthem-kneeling player who just disrespected his team and coach in the grossest way.
Carolina Panthers’ safety Eric Reid was jobless only a month ago.
Reid was one of the first players to join his then-teammate Colin Kaepernick to kneel for the National Anthem
Then he became an unrestricted free agent during the offseason and nobody wanted him.
That is until the Carolina Panthers called. Now he’s on the team’s squad.
And Reid continues to kneel for the National Anthem.
But what he said about his pre-game anti-American action should make his teammates and coaches furious.
When asked how his coach feels about him kneeling, he said, “Very respectfully, he doesn’t have a choice. He’s entitled to his opinion, but I know what my rights are. His family was a military family much like many of my people were in the military.”
If some of his “people” are in the military then why does he continue to disrespect them?
It’s widely known that many people are deeply offended when players kneel for the anthem.
So why does he continue to do it?
Does he really care at all about our active and retired military veterans who gave their lives for the flag that he kneels before?
It doesn’t look like it.
Also, he’s really arrogant with his words.
Reid had the audacity to say, “he doesn’t have a choice.”
Actually, they do have a “choice.”
They could release him immediately.
But Panthers coach Ron Rivera doesn’t seem to mind that Reid kneels for the National Anthem.
Rivera told reporters, “I’m not going to talk about a guy exercising his First Amendment rights.”
Firstly, this is the reason why people have shunned away from the NFL over the past couple of years.
The protests are the number one reason why fans boycotted the league.
It’s because of players like Reid.
Rivera also said, “The biggest reason it’s not an issue to me is I believe in the First Amendment. And that’s all he did was exercise his First Amendment. As far as I’m concerned, he’s an American citizen entitled to exercise his rights.”
Secondly, the First Amendment does not protect people from the employer and employee relationship.
The First Amendment does not protect people from the employer and employee relationship
That Free Speech only applies to being prosecuted against the government.
Constitutional law expert Erwin Chemerinsky of Berkeley Laws said, “The First Amendment doesn’t apply to private institutions. Private employers can fire employees for their speech without having to worry about the First Amendment.”
The NFL and/or team owners have the power to prevent players from kneeling.
Some team owners simply don’t care and let them affect their bottom lines.
That certainly seems like the case in North Carolina with the Panthers.
But it doesn’t fly in Dallas with the Cowboys.
Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones enforced his own policy that forces players to stand for the National Anthem or they won’t play for the team in any way.
This occurred after the NFL implemented a new rule that players would stand or face fines or even suspensions.
The Associated Press discovered the Miami Dolphins’ “code of conduct.”
It said that players who don’t stand will be suspended for four games.
Then there was liberal backlash so the league folded and put the new rule on hold.
Jones ignored it and implemented his own rules. It’s his team. He can do what he wants with it.
But it’s clear that the Panthers refuse to do the same thing with Reid.
He will continue to kneel.
Do you think the Panthers should release Reid?
Let us know in the comments below!
