How did I know you were going to raise this point?
There's no confusion - this is an instance of the government (i.e., our president) attempting to stifle constitutionally protected free speech (and also possibly breaking a law by suggesting they should be fired). That violates the First Amendment
What happened in Charlottesville was not a free speech issue. The government was not involved - the protestors were outside the area they were given a permit to be in. What you and I say to each other as private citizens is not protected by the First Amendment.
The difference - or what you're calling "confusion" - is in when the First Amendment applies and when it doesn't.
"With that said, if I purchase a ticket to a game, then those same players are, in one aspect, infringing on what I paid for, namely, to watch a football game, not be a party to any political protests. "
Then you are free to leave the venue. That's your only option - the Constitution doesn't apply in this case. This is like saying I bought a ticket to the game with the expectation that my team would win, and their loss infringed on my right to enjoy the game.
"If people wish to stop paying for NFL network or paying for tickets to NFL games because they do not want to be a party to paying for such protests, that is their right as well. If enough people decide to do that, then the market will lead the NFL and team owners to change their minds about allowing such protests during NFL games."
Ain't gonna happen. Americans like their football. Despite what Trump keeps saying, NFL ratings are actually up, even after this controversy. He's the first president to be obsessed with TV ratings, even if he has to make them up.
"Also, the latest version of these protests have absolutely nothing to do with the original meaning of the protest, now it's more of a middle finger to Trump rather than what it started as. That doesn't change a person's right to free speech or not, it might make a difference in just how far others are willing to go to voice support for such a protest. ... just sayin' "
On this, I agree with you. I'm not sure if it will continue, but this week the players basically said, "You can't tell us what to do."
It should be pointed out that this "tradition" of players standing for the anthem didn't really happen for a number of teams until 2009. Prior to that, many NFL teams stayed in the locker room until after the anthem The old AFL did have a rule that the teams were supposed to line up for the anthem, but the NFL did not. Once the NFL swallowed the AFL, the rules changed.
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