Posted on 10/26/2017 9:39:40 AM PDT by keat
The San Francisco 49ers announced Thursday they are pledging $500,000 toward supporting gun control legislation.
According to ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner, the Niners said theyalong with local and national law enforcementare signing a pledge for a "more understanding and safer America."
The legislation would ban mechanisms that can make a semi-automatic weapon an automatic weapon, in addition to silencers and armor-piercing bullets.
Per Robert Salonga of the Mercury News, a portion of the 49ers' donation will go toward nationally televised public service announcements meant to ease tension between law enforcement and those who fear police violence.
The 49ers and a coalition of police unions also released a joint statement regarding the partnership:
"The duty of law enforcement must also include actively participating in bringing our nation together and working to foster a more understanding and compassionate national dialogue around community and police officer relations. We believe that professional sports teams should utilize their capacity to reach millions of Americans to promote initiatives that help law enforcement professionals and the citizens they serve understand their respective experiences and to listen to one another with an open mind and heart."
The 49ers joining forces with local and national police is significant since police violence played a partial role in former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick protesting during the national anthem last season.
Last year, Kaepernick said, "I've been very clear from the beginning that I'm against systematic oppression," according to John Mullin of NBC Sports. "Police violence is just one of the symptoms of that oppression. For me that is something that needs to be addressed but it's not the whole issue."
Kaepernick's protest led to players across the NFL and other leagues demonstrating during the anthem. He parted ways with the Niners during the offseason and has yet to be signed by another NFL team.
Oh, that’ll help.
When you’re in a hole, quit digging.
Perhaps they should just give up playing football because they obviously suck at it and all become community organizers instead.
How about that $500K go to the taxpayers who funded
You stadium? Hmmmmmm.
Well THIS will certainly pull the NFL out of its ratings slide. /sarc
I have one word for the NFL: Chicago.
Does this qualify to make them 0-8?
Yes, that’s what the fans want..more politics!
Given the number of NFL player that have been arrested for everything from domestic abuse, involved in bar fights, and possessing illegal fire arms, maybe they should clean up their own house first.
They might also try winning. That is a good thing.
With this direction they are solidifying their reputation as 'losers'.
Still making friends, I see. /sarc
By the looks of that photo, the cotton-candy guy will be tossing for more yards than both QB’s combined. lol.
Yep, NFL Players should not be able to own Firearms. Next.
Nope ... y’can’t fix stupid.
What a bunch of loser asshats
Good way to thin their fan base even more. Stupid move.
My Dad used to take me to 49ers games in Kezar Stadium when I was a little kid. Grew up watching the Niners and haven’t watched a game since the idiots started getting political last season.
I’m done with the NFL, and I refed highschool football for 10-years.
The interesting part is, most likely, they believe they are doing something to improve their image and reverse their ratings slide. This is yet another version of virtue signalling.
I would guess that one of the biggest fears of a football thug, is that he will someday find himself committing a drunken assault on somebody with a CCW.
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