No flipping the bird is always the same message. Even if it’s group solidarity it’s group solidarity by flipping off some OTHER group.
But you just outlined the problem. The kneelers can easily say they were praying for justice. Now you’re stuck because they’ve just functionally erased the line between prayer and protest.
We still have a reasonable man standard. Problem is who’s being defined as a reasonable man. The fact of the matter is the vast majority of fans don’t care. Bring this fight to the courts and the kneelers will point to the 80% of fans NOT boycotting and say “the reasonable men have no problem with it”.
Nope. People didn’t even notice Colin wasn’t standing during the anthem until after the second game he did it. So in fact at the start NOBODY saw that it was misconduct. And most people just aren’t that upset about it.
“No flipping the bird is always the same message. Even if it’s group solidarity it’s group solidarity by flipping off some OTHER group.”
Are you a guy? The bird is often used as banter within the same group.
“But you just outlined the problem. The kneelers can easily say they were praying for justice.”
No they can’t, because that is not what they *did* say.
“Now you’re stuck because they’ve just functionally erased the line between prayer and protest.”
No, they have just revealed themselves to be liars.
“the kneelers will point to the 80% of fans NOT boycotting and say “the reasonable men have no problem with it.”
Is that 70% saying that it’s not disrespectful, or that they don’t care whether it is or not? That dog won’t hunt.
“So in fact at the start NOBODY saw that it was misconduct.”
Until he announced his motives; then it became apparent.
“And most people just aren’t that upset about it.”
Most Germans weren’t that upset about the smells coming from the death camps.
Their ratings are down 25-30%, depending on what article you read. Seems likely to me that the number is fudged substantially, as they usually are.
But that doesn’t matter, as truth is not subject to popular vote. The question of whether they were guilty of misconduct is a question of fact. Player statements constitute a confession that they were.