So if you play professional sports, your 1st Amendment rights are suspended? If ministers from

[kelliekat44]

their pulpit can spew even hateful political diatribes at the President, at gays, at Muslims, why can't pro sports figures demonstrate their political, moral, or social speech. They wear arm bands, ribbons etc. But raising hands in the air to show solidarity with police brutality protestors is worthy of suspension?

[XemaSab]

1. Do slaves on a plantation have free speech?

There's your answer.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

24. Sports celebrities are slaves?

[elleng]

2. No, of course not,

but the threat was not the government would punish them, 'just' the ?nfl???

[yeoman6987]

4. NFL can make rules for their players

I know for example they can't drink the night before a game. All kinds of rules for the multi millions they are paid.

[elleng]

10. Yes, of course they can.

The First Amendment concerns government action.

'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'

[Nye Bevan]

3. Have they been arrested, or do they face criminal charges, based on their speech?

If not, their First Amendment rights have not been violated.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

5. Of course their First Amendment rights aren't suspended

Why would you even think that?

[alc]

6. the 1st limits government, not your employer

The government can't arrest you or fine you or punish you in any way for speech (or assembly, etc).

If you sign a contract to get big $$$$ with restrictions on your speech when representing the other party of the contract then you need to restrict your speech or face the consequences specified in the contract. As long as the restrictions in the contract are legal (e.g. it can't require you to perjure yourself) it is a binding contract and has nothing to do with the 1st amendment as far as what you must or can't say.

It's not just pro athletes and contracts. If you want to come into my house you have to give up some speech - no cussing around my kids or you have to leave.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

7. And not only screw your 1st Amendment rights, don't you dare tread on their 2nd Amendment right! nt

[maced666]

8. In many cases yes.

Not unlike any workplace.

[X_Digger]

9. I see you've been properly schooled about the gov't vs a private org limiting your 'speech'.

When your employer provides penalties for your actions, that's between you and them (unless your employer is the government.)

When the government penalizes you for the same, that's a constitutional issue.

[Posteritatis]

11. The First Amendment does not prohibit non-state employers from being imbeciles. (nt)

[Jenoch]

12. The only armbands or ribbons NFL players

are allowed to wear during games are those approved by the NFL. Then Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was fined $5,250 because he had an armband (or some sort of display) that read "Vote Ray Guy" in reference to NFL Hall of Fame voting. Guy was inducted into the NFL HOF, the only pure punter in the HOF.

Have any of the Rams who raised their hands protesting the grand jury decision been suspended? If so, their 1st Amendment rights were not violated. The 1st Amemdment is only applicable if a governnental entity suspends a person's right to free speech

[Drale]

13. The bottom line is money

The NFL doesn't get any money when a player publicly supports a cause alone.

[jberryhill]

14. Can you make political speeches where you work?

Really?

I'm self employed so don't keep up with these things but I gather that workplaces sure have changed.

[peace13]

16. It wasn't the employers who were objecting.

It was the police, hired to keep the people safe.

[jberryhill]

18. Can they also express an opinion?

[peace13]

19. Yes, but they didn't.

Maybe Walmart can control it's folks but my guess is that an NFL team would think twice about canning five of it's big boys on game day! It's all about the money.

Aside from that, at the end of the day...the people have to stand up and speak out. Living in chains, afraid to speak out is not living. Looks like the speaking out is top down and I say that works for me!

[Dreamer Tatum]

15. I am beginning to think you are elaborate performance art. nt

[Lex]

17. 1st Amendment applies to GOVERNMENT infringing one's speech.

Are these players being arrested and charged with a crime?

[wyldwolf]

32. and that is difficult for many to grasp

People don't have free speech on DU, for example. Once can be censored or removed at any time.

[Codeine]

21. My employees are barred from making all sorts of statements while at work.

Workplace rules have nothing to do with free speech.

[NCTraveler]

22. Not a first amendment issue. nt.

[Bluenorthwest]

23. this is what the OP wrote on Wednesday morning after the election:

"The openness and brazenness of the LBGT agenda and the media flaunting of gay marriages all across the country cost Dems dearly and threatens to do so in the future."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025764803#post45

I'd not have brought it up again if she had not exploited gay people in her work yet again here. It gets very old dealing with this level of impunity for bigotry.

[kelliekat44]

26. I was merely pointing out how many voters among the ultra RW feel about it and they vote accordingly

It is not my position at all. It seems to have made an impression on you so why not visit some of the evangelical sites and see what I am talking about. It was an observation, not a position.

[NCTraveler]

34. That is eye-opening.

I have never understood this line of thought. The only way I can find sense in a comment like that is if I believe that person to be a bigoted themselves. Even if one were to only have a very basic understanding of civil rights in this country they would understand the error in this thought pattern.

[edhopper]

25. Did I miss something

since the St. Louis Rams, the coach and the NFL said nothing would be done to the players?
All I heard was the St. Louis Police Union was upset.
That seems to be the essence of the First amendment. They voiced something and other citizens responded.

[kelliekat44]

27. Okay folks, give it a break! I know what the 1st Amendment says and how it applies. I am merely

applying what the logic of the Teabaggers and the Palinites as they use that argument to all the time to support their speech and actions all over the place, including sometime here.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

28. The two aren't even comparable n/t

[HappyMe]

29. Neither the NFL nor the Rams are planning

any disciplinary actions against those players, as it should be.

The only complaints came from the cop union guy, who frankly has shit to say about what the players do or did.

[951-Riverside]

30. The NFL is a private organization

...that takes your tax money to build their stadiums.

I don't know if I have a point there

[giftedgirl77]

31. Well considering the players being referenced faced

no repercussions for their actions they were essentially allowed to exercise their 1st Amendment rights. Which brings me to the question of what is the point of your OP?

[Doctor_J]

33. suspension by your employer has nothing to do with the first amendment

I don't understand why someone posts this same misguided outrage every time something like this happens.