While taking the field against the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 30, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook and Chris Givens of the St. Louis Rams demonstrated the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” pose that has been used by protestors in Ferguson, Mo. In response, the St. Louis Police Officers Association released a outrages statement trying to limit the players’ first amendment rights by asking the NFL to suspend and fine the players involved.
Who do the Officers Association think they are; calling for players to be suspended and for the NFL to issue an apology? They have no right to stop the players from voicing their opinion about a controversial topic. I applaud the NFL and Rams coach Jim Fisher for backing up their players and supporting their constitutional rights.
The Officers Association achieved nothing except tarnishing the public opinion of police officers. Their statement came off as disrespectful and rude, treating the NFL and the players as lessers compared to them. To make matters worse, they chose Jeff Roorda, a former police officer who had been fired for falsifying evidence and who was a primary fundraiser for Officer Darren Wilson, to deliver the statement. It is unbelievable to me that the Officers Association could not find a more reputable or unbiased representative to deliver their already very debatable message.
In the wake of this controversy, the NFL and St. Louis Rams both responded to the media, stating that the players would not be fined or suspended. I don’t believe that the NFL should have wasted their time to formulate a politically correct reply for the Officers Association. They would have made an even bigger statement by simply ignoring their useless plea for attention.
The players demonstrated the right way to speak out for a cause. As opposed to rioting and destroying local small businesses, they demonstrated a completely harmless act and drew more attention to the subject at hand. Instead of bashing the players, the police should be praising these five players for not turning to violence.
Since this incident, other players have joined the Rams and demonstrated their opinion about the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Other NFL players have put their hands up after making a big play and NBA players have donned t-shirts reading “I Can’t Breathe.” It’s good to see public figures showing the future generations of America how to properly let other people hear their voices.