I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it.
Groucho Marx
Tweet of the Day
Stop worrying about things beyond your control, like the national debt or the next thing coming out of Trump's mouth #MyTipsForMentalHealth— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
Remember the Cornhusker Kickback and Gator-Aid? Hypocrisy is a bitch, Democrats! "Alaska and Maine"— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
Actually, the Left is refusing to end their post-election tantrum. They don't understand the country rejected them "Trump Widens the Breach"— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
Failing public schools are a fact, RETARD (you are an example ). Graduation rates & below-grade scores are real. https://t.co/dvJhiPFnWi— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
So your response to my serious response is to use the "racist" bogeyman? I hardly think advocating better schools for blacks is "racist".— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
I kneel before God, not for some pathetic, attention-seeking, self-righteous indulgence #WhyIKneel— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
You are such a retarded LEFT-FASCIST. The free market provides competition that teacher cartels cannot abide.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
Kaepernick is a loser quarterback who no one wants to hire. Roethlisberger has won 2 Super Bowls, holds the record for most 3-,4-,5-,6-TDs.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
#ImLookingForwardTo Mom's cretons and tourtiere my next visit home.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) September 25, 2017
Image of the Day
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| via Dollar Vigilante |
Satire of the Day
Trump Is the King of Debt
Heuristics
Facebook Corner
(Independent Institute). Given the fact that the flag is now often synonymous with the military or police, and the checkered history between police and minority groups in the United States, I can’t blame Kaepernick for wanting to take a seat. To him, the anthem isn’t a song celebrating freedom, it’s a glorification of a group of people he sees as abusive.
Look, I'm a libertarian who is a former Air Force brat. I have my own issues with what Trump said about player protesters and how he said it. I also don't like mixing nationalist rituals with sports.
But the national anthem is part of the tradition. There are expectations we have of the men on the field, to be sportsmen, to be professional. In part, they are role models for kids. They have a responsibility for how they act in public. There is an expectation, even a US code, on how to act during the playing of the National Anthem. The anthem and the flag are NOT about Trump; they symbolize a heritage based on classical liberal ideals. Trump does not represent that tradition; he exploits patriotic sensibilities.
Everybody knows that the national anthem is part of the spectacle of professional football; it has been all my life. The NFL even discusses it and expectations of professionalism in their rule book.
We often have to deal with expectations in our voluntary work contracts. We often have to adhere to appearance standards, we have to respond on the job professionally to adverse situations, we can't disclose privileged information, etc. We knew these policies when we took the job. Yes, they constrain our liberty, but we are free not to accept that job offer.
When these NFL "professionals" took the job, they knew that part of their responsibilities was to respond reverently for the 2-3 minutes of the national anthem, never mind wear a uniform and gear which may not reflect their personal preferences or work for a coach who may be an asshole. This is not a time for players to abuse their celebrity to impose their political views on the fans.
The NFL needs to make a decision: either retain or get rid of the national anthem before football games. I have no issue with the latter. But if you're going to do it, do it right. And that includes telling the malcontents to suck it up. No one is telling them how to vote or whether to agree with Trump. But having a temper tantrum in front of a national audience is divisive and unacceptable; you aren't sitting at home arguing politics. You know the tradition; you are dishonoring your predecessors who exercised more self-discipline and self-respect.
No, I also feel irritated by entertainers who use awards to impose their political ideology on other people who didn't choose to go to a political rally. I don't give a damn what a loser QB thinks. It's not about one's political beliefs; he went into the job knowing he was expected to act professionally, He is a loser of epic proportions.
(Cato Institute). A solid majority of Americans oppose firing NFL players who refuse to stand for the national anthem before football games in order to make a political statement.
When you work for a company, there are expectations. In the case of football, the national anthem is part of the game-opening ritual; in fact, the NFL has policies in place regarding expectations of player appearance during the anthem. I've seen thousands of athletes comply with these rules for decades.
The rule book does not specify a sanction of termination, But when you decide to engage in deliberately provocative, indulgent, divisive, unprofessional behavior vs. honoring a tradition for decades for a mere 2-3 minutes at the start of a game, I think an owner or coach has to consider the player's discipline, judgment and team mentality. What father wants his son to follow the bad example of a rogue football player?
We are not talking about a football player's right to self-expression. But we as libertarians honor agreements we made in good faith. If football players cannot do the same, they should find another line of work.
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Jerry Holbert via Townhall |
Musical Interlude: My Favorite Vocalists
Dolly Parton (with Porter Wagoner), "Daddy Was an Old-Time Preacher Man"
