Yesterday:
St. Louis Police Officers Association wants Rams players disciplined for ‘hands-up’ gesture
By PETE GRATHOFF
12/01/2014 12:19 AM Updated: 12/01/2014 12:40 AMFive Rams players took the field for Sunday’s game against the Raiders in St. Louis with their hands raised.
It was to show their support for protesters in Ferguson, Mo., and around the country who are angered that former police officer Michael Brown was not indicted by a grand jury for the killing of Michael Brown….
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….The players’ action angered the St. Louis Police Officers Association. In a news release, the Association’s business manager, Jeff Roorda, called for “the players involved to be disciplined and for the Rams and the NFL to deliver a very public apology.”
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This is now, that was then. Forty-six years ago:
The Black Power Salute That Rocked the 1968 Olympics
When Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood atop the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City, bowed their heads and raised black-gloved fists during the playing of the national anthem, millions of their fellow Americans were outraged. But countless millions more around the globe thrilled to the sight of two men standing before the world, unafraid, expressing disillusionment with a nation that so often fell, and still falls, so short of its promise….
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Back to yesterday, via KSDK:
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“The SLPOA is calling for the players involved to be disciplined and for the Rams and the NFL to deliver a very public apology. [Jeff] Roorda said he planned to speak to the NFL and the Rams to voice his organization’s displeasure tomorrow. He also plans to reach out to other police organizations in St. Louis and around the country to enlist their input on what the appropriate response from law enforcement should be. Roorda warned, “I know that there are those that will say that these players are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. Well I’ve got news for people who think that way, cops have first amendment rights too, and we plan to exercise ours. I’d remind the NFL and their players that it is not the violent thugs burning down buildings that buy their advertiser’s products. It’s cops and the good people of St. Louis and other NFL towns that do. Somebody needs to throw a flag on this play. If it’s not the NFL and the Rams, then it’ll be cops and their supporters.”
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Think about that for a minute.
Some of the reaction, via Twitter:
Tony Messenger @tonymess
I hope that a lawmaker, union official, or police officer will explain to Jeff Roorda in measured tones how truly horrible his statement is. 9:50 PM – 30 Nov 2014
Jason Rosenbaum @jrosenbaum
. @MoDemParty gave Jeff Roorda around $267K this year for his #BattleForJeffCo run. He lost by ~10 percentage points to @WielandNow. 10:01 PM – 30 Nov 2014
Tony Wyche @tonywyche
Before you type “thug,” ask yourself if you mean something else. Because even if YOU don’t recognize that you mean something else, we all do 11:11 PM – 30 Nov 2014
Sean Nicholson @ssnich
We need more politically active athletes, not fewer. [….] 6:21 AM – 1 Dec 2014
“….I know that there are those that will say that these players are simply exercising their First Amendment rights….”
Uh, that would be anyone who actually reads and understands the Constitution (Okay, the National Football League is a private entertainment entity, but you all get the point).