Editorial: Protect the 2nd but not the 1st?

The NFL has recently said that any player on the field during the National Anthem must stand. If they do not, then they will be fined. However they are given the option to stay in the locker room if they choose to.

I find this whole situation that we’re currently in to just be very odd. It’s odd because the fact is that doesn’t this violate the players’ first admendment rights. Which happens to be the freedom of speech. Kneeling can count as symbolic freedom of speech as they are kneeling for a purpose. In defense to this I bring up the court case, Texas vs Johnson. In which a man burned the American flag and the Supreme Court ruled it to be legal. Stating that he was protected because it was his form of speech which is under the first admendment.

So I ask why this should be any different? It’s not as if they are kneeling during the game. It’s not as if it is causing disruption in anyway. I don’t find it all that disrespectful seeing as that Veterans have taken a knee too. So would they be disrespecting themselves? It’s a protest, sometimes they can be controversial. However if no one is being hurt or threatened, they can’t silence them. Imagine if Martin Luther King, when protesting the buses, was forced to walk through alleys so he and his followers could not be seen. It kind of defeats the purpose.

That didn’t happen to them though, they were just sprayed with fire hoses. At least we’ve gone from using brutal violence to just demanding money. So good job on that part, America. I guess? While talking about the 1st admendment, I also want to bring up the 2nd admendment. Because multiple innocent children kept getting brutally masssacred in public schools. People had somewhat rational ideas that maybe some gun control should be made. Then a lot of people just went in complete defense mode. Claiming they can’t take their guns because it their Constitutional God given, freedom breathing, hot dog eating 2nd admendment rights! Paraphrasing of course.

So I ask where’s the outcry for these rights being threatened? Seems like people only care about issues that affect them and only them. It’s kind of a double standard that people are setting here. I understand why the players kneel and I don’t have a problem with it. It’s hard not to support them when unarmed black people are shot for being a “threat” but Dylan Roof is treated to Burger King after getting arrested for murdering nine people at the Charleston Church…

but taking a knee is what’s wrong with our country.

So what I’ll end this on is restating the title. Why protect the 2nd? But not the 1st? Aren’t all rights equally important?