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Token Justice? NFL to Kickoff 2020 Season with ‘Black National Anthem’

The National Football League plans to feature ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ — which some have dubbed the ‘Black National Anthem’ — before its 2020 Week One football games. Former NFL player Donte Stallworth, in a New Times op-ed, asks ‘Why?’

Token Justice? NFL to Kickoff 2020 Season with 'Black National Anthem'

The National Football League plans to feature ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ — which some have dubbed the ‘Black National Anthem’ — before its 2020 Week One football games. Former NFL player Donte Stallworth, in a New Times op-ed, asks ‘Why?’, when the league ignores concrete actions it could take to promote more Black coaches and general managers. Meanwhile, the Times announces it will capitalize the word Black when referring to persons. Can such symbolism, such token justice, heal our nation?

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18 replies on “Token Justice? NFL to Kickoff 2020 Season with ‘Black National Anthem’”

My instinct is that this needs to be dealt with swiftly. The song’s merits as a song are utterly irrelevant, good bad or indifferent it could be the catalyst for some very dangerous developments if unchecked. National symbols matter a lot and our experience is they have been very much part of the moves towards breaking up the United Kingdom.

As Bill says, technically the Benny Hill theme is the national anthem for the whole of the UK, however, it’s quite hard to play so we usually let the band play God Save the Queen, which is easier, and has lyrics. However, only England and Northern Ireland actually use God Save the Queen at international matches, Wales has Land of My Fathers and Scotland has Flower of Scotland.

The point I’m making is that when England play Scotland or Wales they are using the national anthem of the whole nation while the Scots or Welsh are using their own local/national anthem. This, of course, bolsters feelings of nationalism/separatism in the Scots and Welsh but also subtly suggests disloyalty in the Scots and Welsh to the English fans, it makes them more “foreign”. This rise in separatist nationalism has engendered a reaction in the English, increasing numbers of whom no longer consider themselves British first, if at all. The overall effect is a weakening of the cohesion of the UK. Of course, this is a circle, nationalist sentiment leads to singing of nationalist songs, which increases nationalist sentiment etc.

Of course, we’re talking about NFL matches between American teams within the US, at the moment. How long will it be before there are demands for the “Black national anthem” to be played along with the US anthem at international sporting events? What will the reaction be to fans who choose, understandably, not to accord the new song the same status as the actual national anthem or who actively voice their disapproval? The very concept of a Black national anthem presupposes a Black nation. The very act of singing it at big public events helps to bolster that concept, as will the inevitable reactions to it. If America allows this weed to take root, I very much fear she will regret it.

I believe that turning our backs on such an “anthem” would send ample message to the NFL and those looking to weaponize the NFL.
Kneeling seemed good at first…Then I considered that I kneel to none but GOD. Let them play what they will. I will make my play by ignoring football until they regain sanity.

Symbols are powerful and greatly impact the human psyche. If you think otherwise consider what seeing a Cross affixed to almost anything means.

I’m opposed to the idea of parallel symbols. I’m opposed to anything but the National Anthem played when and where the National Anthem should and is traditionally played. The National Anthem stands for the nation, not the white part of the nation, not the red part of the nation, not the black, yellow or green with orange polka-dots part of the nation. It is a symbol that stands for the entire nation and that should more than suffice for everyone in this nation.

This attitude of mine has nothing at all to do with race. I am race neutral. I am not culture neutral. Culture and race are not the same things.

The National Flag is a prime example of what I mean because I detest the practice of putting a “thin ____ line” on our National Flag. I don’t care if the thin line is blue, red, orange, rainbow, or black, it does NOT belong on something that so closely resembles the National Ensign. I served in the United States Marine Corps, I did not serve under a flag with a thin blue stripe, or a red one, or a green one or any other bastardization of the American Flag. The American Flag stands for the nation, it stands for the entire nation, not the white part of the nation, not the red part of the nation, not the black, yellow or green with yellow polka-dots part of the nation, not the cop part of the nation, not the robber part of the nation, not the firefighter part of the nation and not any other segment of the nation.

In the Marines we have our own flag, if you want a flag for police, or firemen, or the forestry service or anything else, get your own. It is abhorrent that no matter the nobility of the cause our National Flag should be desecrated by singling out any one group of people. It is disgusting that its colors should be muted and its form altered no matter how well intentioned. That flag stands for one single group of people and that group is all Americans. Every race, creed and ethnicity of Americans have given their lives to preserve the meaning of our American Flag, it is sacred by virtue of the life blood of patriots. Some of whom I knew personally. THAT Flag has white stars on a blue field with alternating red and white stripes, there’s nothing thin on or about it.

On my flag mast outside flies the Red, White and Blue National Ensign superior to the USMC EGA. You’ll never see a corrupted, debased, altered perversion of a flag on that mast unless over my dead body and … As far as the “over my dead body” thing goes others have tried at various times and places. I’m still here and they are not.

Wow, I served in the USAF so many years ago and I thank you for your service. I cannot find the words to express my feelings any better than yours. One million thumbs up!

Of the number of reasons why there are not more black head coaches, racism is pretty far down the list. Highest on the list is the practice of both college and NFL head coaches to bring “their guys” with them to the next stop. This impedes the progress up the chain for any coach who aspires to the next level. A good linebackers coach is not going to be DC unless his DC gets a HC job. My alma mater just hired a new DC. It was considered a risk for the HC to hire someone who had not been a DC previously and had only worked for this coach for a year. The HC response was something to the effect of He’s a rock star in the making and I hope he will be here a long time as DC but will probably be a HC soon. Oh, the new DC happens to be black, HC isn’t. This leads me to the second issue: Coaches are judged very early on in their careers for HC potential. Once a guy gets the label of not a HC candidate then any GM hiring him is taking a huge risk. GMs don’t take big risks. But this is where the league could be of assistance to coaches who want to take the next step, with training. Third issue, look around the NFL and college and name the HC / OC / DC that were great players or even good ones. Good and great players don’t necessarily make great coaches. Some of the best coaches either didn’t play or played at a low level. So comparing player numbers to coach numbers is apples to screwdrivers. Lastly, coaches now get one shot to win, and that is the bottom line. Winning. If you don’t win in three years you are out, no second chance. The hoodie is the last one to lose at job #1 and get #2.

This is the most racist thing Scott has ever done that I know about! I don’t know enough about football to fill the top of a pin but I know that coaches get fired when they don’t win.

You do know that Scott is playing the roll of Progressive “Journalist” to get a rise out of Bill, right?

Yeah he was definitely playing devil’s advocate, but Bill’s point is well taken. The NFL, like all professional sports, is a meritocracy. You either produce, whether on the field or the sidelines, or someone else will get your job, which is precisely how it should be in all walks of life.

Boy, Scott’s doing a damn’ fine job if he fooled you into thinking he means what he says/spouts during BWN!

SJW’s want to kick of NLF 2020 with some justice? A league that has 2/3 of the players black (elite millionaires)? How does that represent society? Is American society 2/3 black? In an “fair” society, wouldn’t some malcontent have every right to say and be heard that the NFL is discriminating against whites? Does that mean that if you are a black football athlete in college you have a better chance than a white football athlete of going pro and signing one of those fat contracts and making millions in endorsements?
My opinion is, nope for the most part it still has nothing to do with being black or white.
I am going to go out on a limb and say I bet the reason 2/3 of the players are black is, they try out for the team and make the cut against any color competitor and at least SO FAR there have not been quotas that say anything about the racial mix requirements in the NFL.
Honestly, the more the whiners whine and the more society gives into the mob, the more I think we really are going to see where this Twilight Zone the SJW’s are taking us is going to go ultimately.
OBTW, I have no desire to hear a black national anthem, does nothing for our unity, I don’t recognize it and I am just not interested in more divisiveness.

I wouldn’t normally comment on such a sensitive subject, but I heard the most asinine comment from NFL Commissioner Goodell when he said that if it were not for black players that we would not have the NFL. I know a white running back for the KC Chiefs that would have loved to continue playing but was eventually cut. If you offered white guys at least $250k/yr to play in a “white only” league, do you think that many of these D1 down through NAIA football players good enough to start or excel in college but can’t make it to the NFL would pass at that opportunity? It obviously wouldn’t be as entertaining but if it was the only football game on Sunday, people would watch. The NFL was popular before blacks were RIGHTLY accepted by the league. Then again, just for fun, watch those old videos of the greats like Doak Walker, Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, or even Johnny Manziel when he sliced and diced Oklahoma’s defensive backfield in the 2013 Cotton Bowl. (Barry Sanders was probably my favorite to watch dodging defensemen.) Like Bill says, you get hired and paid for PERFORMANCE, whether on the field as a player or coach or in the front office.

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