Natural and manmade tragedies in Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Las Vegas have diverted public attention from NFL protests. Indeed, the magnitude of human suffering associated with historic storms and the worst mass shooting in U.S. history have again reminded us of what really counts in life.
But the controversy lives. Some players continue to kneel. Many fans continue to boo. Advertisers continue to fret. The NFL continues to search for compromise. And all “sides” continue to talk past one another, a sure-fire formula for continuing ill feelings.
Colin Kaepernick’s original decision to take a knee was a direct response to police shootings of African-Americans. We know this because Kaepernick said so. Immediately thereafter and continuing to this very day, however, the police indictment has been enlarged to include a more general critique of the criminal justice system’s treatment of African-Americans. We know this because many of the kneeling players have said so.
That the former charge rests on thin evidence is a matter of fact. Despite a persistent media narrative to the contrary, the statistics (as compiled by the Washington Post and various other media sources as well as the federal government) show that police killings and brutalizations of African-Americans are quite rare. Infrequent but highly sensationalized exceptions do not prove the rule.
With regard to the latter, troublesome facts abound. A disproportionate number of African-American children are raised in poor households. Fatherlessness continues to be endemic (much as it is for poor white children). And far too many minority kids raised in deep poverty are sentenced to dysfunctional public schools, schools that fail them. As a result, African-American children are over-represented in the juvenile and adult correctional systems. These are uncontroverted facts and deserving of serious debate regardless of one’s political affiliation.
The incarceration statistics are an intolerable reality in a nation of unparalleled wealth. Accordingly, players who wish to utilize an appropriate public platform in order to articulate their concerns (and engage the public) about these issues will find plenty of fans willing to listen.
But players need to listen, too. An overwhelming majority of Americans view the flag and anthem as symbols of freedom, sacrifice, and opportunity, cherished values albeit pursued by an imperfect country and people. Here, fans do not interpret the kneeling as an exercise in speech, but rather a very public snub aimed at unifying symbols. The bottom line: Far too many Americans have fought, bled, and died with that flag on their shoulder. No amount of “but we didn’t mean to disrespect the flag” disclaimers will erase the image of kneeling players.
If you doubt this observation, consider the Baltimore Ravens pre-anthem “ceremony” at M&T Bank Stadium on Oct. 1. Stadium announcer Bruce Cunningham informed the crowd that players and coaches alike would take a knee prior to the anthem in prayer for “unity, kindness and justice for all Americans.” The fans still booed. And, trust me, they were not booing justice or the prayer. They were booing a compromise that pleased few; they will continue to boo any kneeling activity around the flag and country. That many players expressed shock over the adverse reaction from fans speaks to how out of touch they are when it comes to the average fan experience.
Fallout from all the controversy is a mixed bag. Most fans will continue to pay for their private seat licenses and attend games. Player jerseys will continue to be seen around NFL stadiums. Millions will continue to watch their favorite teams on television.
But the league has taken a hit. Lower TV ratings and increased numbers of no-shows at games are objective measures of real damage inflicted.
But there is another negative form of fan reaction as well. And this one is more difficult to quantify.
It’s about ratcheting back one’s emotional attachment. After all, such attachment is the currency for any athletic enterprise. It is what makes you look forward to Sunday afternoons, and what brings you joy or depression at the final gun. In tangible terms, it concerns whether fans will continue to rearrange their lives in order to accommodate professional football. That this decision has become a close call for a percentage of the paying customers spells trouble for a wildly successful commercial operation that was, until recent years, the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg. The size of future eggs will depend on whether all parties to the matter are able to lower the temperature and begin to listen to each other.
The gambler in me would probably take the “under” on that one.
Gov. Robert Ehrlich is a Washington Examiner columnist, partner at King & Spalding, and author of three books, including the recently released Turning Point. He was governor of Maryland from 2003-2007.
