Pittsburghers Speak Out—on new NFL national anthem policy…
Courier Editor
“It’s not really about the players, it’s about the money. The money that comes through the NFL is not all White people’s money, but White people have learned a way to control society with making money move. And if they can shift enough money for the NFL not to make enough profit, then they will do anything in their power to change what is going on…the NFL is not against protesting. But when you start talking about someone’s home or someone’s financing, it’ll make anybody do anything…the NFL took the stage away from us as Black people.” MARCUS JOHNSON MORNINGSIDE
Last week, the National Football League approved a new rule stating that all league players must stand for the playing of the national anthem prior to each game…if you’re on the field. But players who do not want to stand are permitted to remain off the field, in the locker room or in the tunnel. Players who kneel or don’t stand on the field for the anthem will cause the team to be fined. Teams can discipline players who wish to remain off the field during the anthem. This controversial new policy has the sports world buzzing, and Courier photographer J.L. Martello captured reactions from local residents…
“I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s motivated by money and greed over the needs of the players to have the right to express themselves. The flag is all about us having the right to make the decisions to conduct ourselves or to have the freedom to either observe or not observe the song. So, to take money out of a man’s pocket to exercise his rights, I think is just wrong.”
RAFIQ PAYNE
STANTON HEIGHTS
“Since this is a country of freedom of speech, people are free to do what they want to do, and I don’t think they should have to be told by someone else whether they should stand or salute the flag. That’s their right.”
BETTY RICHEY
DOWNTOWN
“You don’t stand, you don’t stand. You stand, you stand. I don’t see a difference on it. They all get paid. They’re not losing any sleep. The way I see it, is that if they’re fighting for their rights, that’s the right thing to do.”
CHRIS GOINS
NORTH SIDE
“I do believe there are issues that need to be addressed; the flag isn’t one of the main things. I feel like the solution they (the NFL) came up with is the best solution right now. If you want to protest, you don’t want to stand on the flag, go ahead, stay in the locker room. I see where a lot of people are coming from, a lot of our ancestors died for that flag, died so we can have this country here, so we can go watch a sporting event. Those guys, they owe that flag for being able to go out on the field and get paid millions of dollars just to be playing a sport. While at the same time, there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world that needs to be addressed right now…people are trying to protest the injustices that are going on in this country…and no one’s looking at that.”
DONALD BROWN
BRIDGEVILLE
“I am hot! I was listening to the news, and I said, ‘How in the world, the audacity of them trying to mix politics with sports.’ Those two entities need to be kept separated. They’re (the NFL) taking away their independence and their rights. If they (the players) don’t want to stand, that’s their right to do so. And for Number 45 to even butt in and say maybe they shouldn’t even be in the country, your wife isn’t even from this country. I can’t stand him.”
TERINA HICKS
SWISSVALE
“I don’t respect it in the sense that I understand that it’s a job and you have to adhere to your employers’ rules and regulations, but at the same time, there’s a lot going on in the world, in our city, and me as a Black man, I know exactly some of those ramifications they’re talking about, that when you walk out, someone just judges you because of your color. Especially when you see that it’s OK that we can have a protest in Charlottesville and everything is OK with that, but whenever someone wants to do something peacefully, there’s a problem with that. And then you want to go into those people’s pockets and fine them for doing something peacefully, there’s absolutely everything wrong with that to me.”
SEAN BATES
NORTH SIDE
“I just feel like, now they want us to stay in the locker room during the national anthem, and I feel they’re trying to shut us up, not let our voice be heard. They’re sweeping it under the rug and not dealing with the situation.”
DONALD LARKINS
EAST END
“I think it’s kind of ridiculous. Wasn’t it a couple of years ago an NFL player kneeled for abortions (Tim Tebow)? And they actually applauded him and everything, but now that they’re kneeling for us of color, it’s utterly ridiculous that they have to get fined for it. If I were them, I would still go out on the field and kneel.”
ALFREDA ADAMS
PENN HILLS
“I just feel like it’s the president trying to show his power to the NFL. To intimidate the NFL, to follow his rules and to abide by what he wants them to do. It’s not really about America or the military…he’s missing the whole point behind the kneeling of the national anthem. And misconstruing it to be about the military, and it’s not about the military, it’s about the police brutality and all the inequality that’s been going on across America today.”
FOREST THROWER
LARIMER
“I think it’s unfair. It’s almost necessary with all the violence going on against Blacks and everything, they’re just trying to do a peaceful protest. For the NFL to say that they can’t do it, or do it and be penalized, I think it’s unfair to the players. They’re not doing anything disrespectful. It’s bigger than the flag, but it just seems like the NFL is trying to make it all about than the flag. It’s not about the flag. It’s basically about Black people trying to be treated as fair as anyone else when it comes to police brutality.”
STEVEN BRADLEY
EAST LIBERTY
