[quote=@mdk]


but I think they're doing protest [i]exactly right.[/i] It's nonviolent. It's not even that disrespectful. It hurts nobody but themselves (and the league owners, but they've always got that option to fire, so it goes right back on the player). 

Kneeling during the anthem to protest justicial inequality? Brave. Kneeling to protest a president you don't like? Childish. 

[/quote]

So much agreeing with MDK! WHAT IS HAPPENING!


[quote=@mdk]
 So.... where's the line, do you figure? Open-ended question to all.
[/quote]

We can all agree that the players as individuals have free speech rights and I am glad that they are using their celebrity to forward the debate in such a public and effective fashion.

That being said the NFL absolutely retains the right to discipline them if they disagree with the behavior. When they are kneeling for the national anthem they are doing it as NFL employees and its contravening policy the NFL is well within its rights to take action. It dosen't seem like the NFL is inclined to do that and there is apparently no clear prohibition preventing them from expressing themselves in this way.

My employers have a clause in my contract which stipulates that I will do nothing to bring the company into disrepute. I would assume from former domestic violence cases that the NFL does something similar. Its really up to the employer to set codes of conduct ESPECIALLY at work.