Trump says, "fire the SOB".

[Willy]

This is going to be an important cause for the people of America. This is going to define and sharpen the divide that exists between Conservatives and leftist Marxists in this Country. The fact that it started at a sports event is somewhat surprising though. Disrespecting by not standing for the National Anthem spread throughtout the NFL over the weekend. An action first taken by  Kaepernick the NFL quarterback last year. Trump felt it necessary to comment on the protest last weekend when over 200 players refused to stand for the pledge. I totally agree with Trump

[Pitt Viper]

Sure, I do all the time. Stand for the pledge and anthem that is. I even take off my hat and put my hand over my heart. Had to go atm, what can i say?

[Pitt Viper]

Talk about putting words in someone's mouth.....

[Pitt Viper]

Well here I am and you are not. Not that I care what you think about it but, you are entitled to your opinion.

cum iterum conveniant

[Pitt Viper]

Under the First Amendment, Americans enjoy two freedoms with respect to religion: the right to be free from a government-imposed religion, and a right to practice any religion. While private employers are not bound by the Constitution's restrictions on government, they are subject to federal and state laws that ban religious discrimination in employment. Given the number of employed persons and the variety of religious faiths in this country, and the freedom we enjoy to express our views, the subject of religious discrimination continues to pose tough questions for employers and the courts.

Religion in the Workplace

Because of our country's great diversity, employers may hire employees from a great variety of countries and religious backgrounds. In an ideal work environment, the religious beliefs of a given employee, or of the employer, do not create conflicts. Either is free to believe as he or she chooses and, as long as the work gets done satisfactorily, neither will encounter difficulty on the basis of religion. Yet, in the real world, a number of issues can arise to create friction. An employer and employee may discuss, or even argue over, religious principles. What's more, religion is not simply a matter of belief. The faithful practice their religion through various actions -- styles of dress, manner of keeping or wearing one's hair, trying to recruit others to their faith, following certain diets, praying, fasting, avoiding certain language or behavior, and observing certain religious holidays. Put simply, the many characteristics of different religions provide ample ground for disagreement, conflict, or even harassment among employers and employees.

Religion, Employment, and Anti-Discrimination Laws

The First Amendment establishes certain boundaries in terms of government establishment of religion and the individual's right to free exercise of a chosen religion. In the private sector, the matter of religion is governed by state and federal civil rights laws. The primary statute in this area is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII prohibits private employers from discriminating on several bases, including race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Various state laws also prevent discrimination. The courts have recognized various forms of prohibited discrimination, including disparate treatment, disparate impact, and a hostile environment.

Disparate Treatment Discrimination

Disparate treatment is an overt form of discrimination, involving unequal treatment on the basis of an employee's religion. An employer with a policy of refusing to hire or to promote (or only hiring and promoting) members of a particular religion would commit this form of discrimination. Some employers whose business purpose is religious in nature may be permitted to require certain employees to adhere to a particular faith. Courts will look closely, however, at the legitimacy of the employer's requirement for the position.

Disparate Impact Discrimination

A more subtle form of discrimination arises through disparate impact. An employer discriminating in this way has no express policy for treating one or more religious groups unequally. Instead, a policy that makes no mention of a particular religion still functions to discriminate by affecting only certain religious groups. For example, a rule that forbade men from wearing any form of hat or other clothing on their heads during the business day might conflict with the dress rules of a particular religion that requires headwear be worn in public.

Hostile Work Environment Discrimination

The third form of discrimination occurs when the employer maintains (or allows) a hostile environment for employees of particular faiths. Typically, this arises where co-workers harass an employee on the basis of his or her faith, to the point of creating an abusive or intimidating work environment. The harassment must be severe or pervasive in order to constitute discrimination under a hostile work environment theory. Thus, a simple disagreement over religious principles would probably not constitute unlawful harassment. Severe insults or threats, or continuing words and actions meant to harass or intimidate an employee on the basis of religion, however, may cross the line of lawful conduct. The employer is culpable if it knew or should have known of the illegal harassment.

Duty to Accommodate an Employee's Religion

While employers have a duty to accommodate the religious beliefs of their employees, the employer does have some leeway in how it conducts its business. There is a point where the changes that are required to accommodate an employee become too burdensome on the employer. Most likely, a request by an employee to trade shifts when his or her faith prevents working on Saturdays is likely to be reasonable. However, less reasonable might be a request that an employee have a particular holy month off each year. Whether an employer's policy that limits the conduct of members of a particular faith is unreasonable depends on the circumstances. A job may also have certain qualifications or requirements that have the effect of limiting participation by a particular religious faith.  

 

Made any touchdowns, tackles, interceptions, blocks, catches, returns lately? Ohh, you have? Well I guess the work is getting done satisfactorily so the owners can stick it where the sun don't shine. Lawsuit baby, class action!!  Oh the billions to be had. This is going away quietly.... Dem guys ain't dum.

[Pitt Viper]

Donald Trump on the other hand is an old blowhard, so full of himself, Narcissus incarnate.

[shinblind]

Everything Pitt Viper posted in regards to the NFL/NA dispute is bullshit.

[Willy]

Pitt, are you trying to say the NFL players are kneeling during the National Anthem because of Religious beliefs? I thought they were protesting the police and black treatment by whites in general. By the way, according to the left, if you are white then you were born a racist.

This isn't about Trump. Donald Trump didn't start this, he only reacted to it as most Americans have done. It's really his job to defend America, the flag and what it represents and that's exactly what he did. 

[XLFD]

I respectfully disagree with your view that there is a religious component in the act of paying respect to the flag during the national anthem.  Even the notably liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently 2010 allowed schools to have teacher-led recitals of the pledge of allegiance noting that the pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion, prohibited by the Constitution.

"The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our republic was founded and for which we continue to strive: one Nation under God," wrote the majority. "Millions of people daily recite these words when pledging allegiance to the United States of America."

The pledge contains overtly religious language unlike the anthem, so to call standing for the national anthem a government endorsement of a religion would be almost certainly thrown out in any court.

It should be noted that in the 1943 ruling of West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, the Supreme Court rules that requiring a person to say the pledge is violating the first and fourteenth amendments. Jehovah's Witnesses challenged the the West Virginia Board of Education's requirement that students salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance or be expelled. The Jehovah's Witnesses argued that this was against their religious beliefs.  

Be that as it may, if an NFL player(s) somehow could demonstrate how standing for the national anthem is against the tenets of their religion, I would hope they would certify why it was, and respectfully come out of the locker room afterwards, and not turn it into an otherwise divisive and anti-patriotic protest like the idiot Colin Kaepernick, who explains his madness in strictly non-religious terms:

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

I can somewhat agree with parts of his viewpoint, but it is not the proper venue, and he should be properly disciplined by his employer for violating their standards.

[Willy]

The difference between the Jehovah Witness case and the NFL players is that the Witnesses were dealing with a Government agency and therefore had a case regarding their first amendment rights. The players on the other hand are involved with a private enterprise.

[Pitt Viper]

The truth of the matter on this is Donald Trump is still harboring a grudge against the NFL. After all of his scheming, conniving and conning, the owners would not let Dirty Donald and his New Jersey Generals into the club. He is still spouting off about it.

Get some therapy Donald! Let it go!!

And please, please please for the sake of the world and the nation get on some lithium orotate before we all end up in an inferno.

[stump]

Oh how I hate these people who speak of the word of God and then cut everyone down.  

[stump]

I suppose Keapernick can say now he is oppressed black man now that no one will hire him to play foot ball. I bet he sure misses those multi million dollar checks.    The team owners don't have the balls to say ,stand up for your country ,not stay in the locker room or as OUR PRESIDENT  said YOUR FIRED !!!!!!!!!!!