UNL leaders vehemently defend UNL football players right to freedom of speech

[GBRHouston]

They did the right thing in the sense of making the public happy.

So what was the real "right thing" to do?

Make the public happy.

 

[STL Husker]

I'm glad our administration got out in front of this and seem to be leading the way instead of going along for the ride like I saw at Mizzou. That school is in an absolute mess right now and I am glad to see that we appear to have more competent leaders. This could have very easily started to slide down the same path. Look at their football team if you want to relate this to sports. Look at their freshman enrollment if you want to see how this could effect the school and state.

 

[Eric the Red]

Stuff like this should be in the religion and politics forum. I go to www.flamewarriors.net for political/religious discussion, I come here to talk about football.

This is the third thread on this subject we've had in the football forum also.

Ha ha! That's what I thought when I moved two of them to the P&R forum yesterday. But people complained about that too.

Should they all be moved? Maybe. Maybe not. It makes me, as a mod, feel sorta like an old Bum Phillips quote I heard one time. When asked whether he was running Earl Campbell too much, Bum Phillips said, "I must be runnin' him about the right amount—[/size]half the people tell me I'm runnin' him too much and the other half think I'm not runnin' him enough."

This is a political topic and as such it should be in the P&R forum. But hey, it's not my board and I don't make the rules.

The number one reason I want this hear is to let the folks who are not regulars here or those simply googling random things on Nebraska because they heard or saw something on the news about this and were curious about getting some info. it's easy to see.

 

[Eric the Red]

As ashamed as I was with Hal & Gov's comments, I could not be more impressed with the UNL Leadership (Bounds, Green, Eichorst, Riley, players) on this issue. I could not be more proud of the example being set and they way it has been handled start to finish.

The Athletic Department & University are truly building Leaders for the future!

I think it was handled the way it was because it's very clearly written in the Board of Regents Policy: ...which has been in place for almost a half-century: “Members of the academic community have the right to extensive latitude in making their opinions known… The public exploration and resolution of differing views can be successful only when groups and individuals discuss the issues in forums where the right to disagree, speak freely and be heard is preserved.”

 

[Husker_luver]

This topic is about football, though. It also happens to be political.

This is a political topic that happens to include football players. It has nothing to do with the game of football.

I'm sorry but if this isn't about the game of football then neither is the passing of someone who coached here nor is the Team Jack stuff.

Yup this stuff has to do with the Nebraska football program so it belongs here.

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

This whole stand vs. kneel during the National Anthem is starting to get on my f'ing nerves. Sure you can kneel, but don't get butthurt when fans push back. Don't get upset when you face the backlash.

 

[Cdog923]

They did the right thing in the sense of making the public happy.

And supporting their players, plus the students at large.

 

[Hayseed]

I've seen several warnings to not post politics on the sports boards....and yet here you are doing it.

For all I care the guys can stand on their head. Do you really intend to have football fans going at it over politics when there's already a board for that?

 

[Elf]

Stuff like this should be in the religion and politics forum. I go to www.flamewarriors.net for political/religious discussion, I come here to talk about football.

This is the third thread on this subject we've had in the football forum also.

Ha ha! That's what I thought when I moved two of them to the P&R forum yesterday. But people complained about that too.

Should they all be moved? Maybe. Maybe not. It makes me, as a mod, feel sorta like an old Bum Phillips quote I heard one time. When asked whether he was running Earl Campbell too much, Bum Phillips said, "I must be runnin' him about the right amount—[/size]half the people tell me I'm runnin' him too much and the other half think I'm not runnin' him enough."

This is a political topic and as such it should be in the P&R forum. But hey, it's not my board and I don't make the rules.

The number one reason I want this hear is to let the folks who are not regulars here or those simply googling random things on Nebraska because they heard or saw something on the news about this and were curious about getting some info. it's easy to see.

Anyone that wants information on this can find plenty of it with a simple Google search. They probably don't require assistance from message board admins.

 

[ColoNoCoHusker]

As ashamed as I was with Hal & Gov's comments, I could not be more impressed with the UNL Leadership (Bounds, Green, Eichorst, Riley, players) on this issue. I could not be more proud of the example being set and they way it has been handled start to finish.

The Athletic Department & University are truly building Leaders for the future!

I think it was handled the way it was because it's very clearly written in the Board of Regents Policy: ...which has been in place for almost a half-century: “Members of the academic community have the right to extensive latitude in making their opinions known… The public exploration and resolution of differing views can be successful only when groups and individuals discuss the issues in forums where the right to disagree, speak freely and be heard is preserved.”

You are not wrong. Even with that wording from the policy DONU Leadership could have handled this a number of different ways. The fact they chose this path is impressive. It shows a lot of integrity and honesty to approach it at face value like this.

 

[Malth]

This makes me proud of UNL.

 

[VectorVictor]

I'm glad to see the University standing behind the players--it's the right call.

But is there any way we can get a moratorium on kneeling for the anthem related threads on the Football section, and just merge them all in the Politics thread?

 

[r06ue1]

In the old days, bowing or kneeling was considered a sign of respect (to the noble lords and ladies) and standing was a sign of disrespect.

Kind of thought that was another way of looking at this.

 

[grandpasknee]

In the old days, bowing or kneeling was considered a sign of respect (to the noble lords and ladies) and standing was a sign of disrespect.

Kind of thought that was another way of looking at this.

Two thoughts. Addressing your comment first. Selective memory of the 'good old days'. In the old days, they used to treat colds and influenza with leaches, often till you died from blood loss. In the old days, slavery was legal. Those were the old days. These aren't the old days.

Second, while I personally thing their actions are a bit misguided, I recognize they are young. Doing something out of passion, when you are young is perfectly normal, and whether I agree or disagree with it, good on them for following their passion in some way or another. Along that line, I'm an old timer, learned love of country, love of flag, love of respect from both my grandfather, and from my time in the Army. That is all on me. As a veteran, whether I agree with what someone does under the protection of freedom of speech or whether I disagree, that is 100% separate from my un-wavering belief that they have the RIGHT to express themselves in what ever way is legal. Standing, removing hat, putting hand over heart are traditions, not law.