Kamala Harris: NFL players 'should not be threatened or bullied' for protests

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY JULIA MANCHESTER - 10/01/17 03:56 PM EDT

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) on Sunday defended NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, saying they should not be "threatened or bullied."

"Let’s speak the truth that when Americans demand recognition that their lives matter, or kneel to call attention to injustice, that that is an expression of free speech, protected by our Constitution, and they should not be threatened or bullied," Harris said in her first comments about the NFL protests during an appearance at the First Congregational Church in Atlanta.

"When we sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' we rightly think about the brave men and women from all backgrounds who proudly defend the freedom of those they may never meet and people who will never know their names. When we sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' we also think about those marching in the streets who demand that the ideals of that flag represent them too," she continued.

Harris's comments come after President Trump said last month that NFL players who kneel during the anthem should be fired.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/353345-kamala-harris-nfl-players-should-not-be-threatened-or-bullied-for-protests

[onecent]

1. GOOD FOR HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What would we all do if Dotard held up his hand and said to say "Heil Hilter" TO HIM....WOULD THAT HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!

Dotard isn't getting my respect or ANYTHING ELSE...I HATE HIM

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

2. Okay, that's another one in the plus column for Kamala... you tell em!!

Never give up, never give in to the racist Nazi-in-Chief.

It's time to take a stand... #TakeAKnee

[NobodyHere]

3. Kamala Harris doesn't understand the constitution

No athlete is being thrown in jail or fined by the government.

[yallerdawg]

5. She knows hate speech.

When this president wants to shackle free speech and the right to protest a symbol of our country - to deny us that fundamental right - THAT IS WRONG!

[Igel]

6. And then there are college protesters.

Who respond to speech they don't like with more speech.

We often defend them because we support them.

We should defend them because we defend free, protected speech. Saying that the kneelers are wrong isn't denying them a right--it's denying them uninterrupted, unchallenged speech. Nobody has a right to that. The public forum is open to pretty much everybody, esp. those we don't like as long as they don't engage in violence or call for violence. (And it really doesn't matter who "we" are in that sentence--(D), uber-progressive, (R), the whole political spectrum.)


Many defend those who aggressively "speak" to shut down others' speech during lectures by chanting, waving signs, blocking entrances. Those we shouldn't defend. That's bullying. But that's not what's happening here.

Hate speech that is not an incitement to harm is still protected speech. The speech most in need of protection is the speech that large portions of the population don't like.

Civil rights workers used to know this back in the '50s and '60s when many whites were shutting down their speech and the Constitution was on their side. Don't like what MLK said? Tough. It's protected speech. Don't like Malcolm X? It's protected speech. Not because it's our speech, not because we think it's good speech, but because it's not a call to violence and therefore it's protected speech. The government (at some level) tried to take sides in that war of words and soundly lost--not because it was fighting against truth and justice, but because it wasn't upholding the conditions that it was sworn to uphold.

Trump speaks. But that's all he's doing. Speaking. Don't confuse bloviation for action, esp. Trumpian hyperbole.

[yallerdawg]

7. Trump wants to shut down free speech.

He consistently targets people of color, starting with 'birtherism' and his campaign announcement declaring immigrants to be rapists and criminals.

Trump and his presidential bully pulpit should be standing with peaceful protesters. Should be acknowledging this issue.

Not inciting it! Not hurting people with job termination, loss of employment, contracts limiting their right to protest.

If you incite violence and prejudice against a class of people race included, that is hate speech.

[yallerdawg]

4. "Diversity plus Commonality equals Unity."

I'm a fan.