FAIR AND BIASED: There is a RIGHT time & a WRONG time to protest!

Monday, September 25, 2017

There is a RIGHT time & a WRONG time to protest!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

DISRESPECT HAS CONSEQUENCES!

by Steve Fair

African-American males comprise only 6% of U.S. population, but nearly 70% of National Football League (NFL) players. A recent demographic study found the fan base of the NFL is 83% white and 64% male. The NFL is a profitable business and according to Commissioner Roger Goodell revenue for the league in 2017 will reach $14 billion. Forbes reports NFL teams can afford to pay the player salaries thanks to the “wheelbarrow of TV money the 32 NFL teams get each year.” CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN/ABC paid roughly $5 billion last year for the rights to NFL games and cable providers kicked in another $2 billion. The average NFL team makes over $100 million annually and the average team is valued at over $2 billion dollars. The average ‘rookie’ in the NFL makes $365,000 a year and the average overall salary for an NFL player is $1.9 million annually.

Last season, Colin Kaepernick, then quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, took a knee during the national anthem. "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 said. The movement has spread throughout the NFL- particularly with African- American players. On Sunday dozens of players from several teams refused to stand or take the field during the playing of the national anthem.

On Friday at a rally in Alabama, President Trump said that NFL players who kneel or protest during the playing of the national anthem should be fired. On Sunday, Trump tweeted that fans should boycott NFL games unless the league fires or suspends players who refuse to stand for the national anthem. “Players must stop disrespecting our flag and country. If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend.” the president wrote.

Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, agrees with the president. "I just feel so strongly that the act of recognizing the flag is a salute to our country and all of the people that have sacrificed so that we can have the liberties we have. I feel very strongly that everyone should save that moment for the recognition of the flag in a positive way,” Jones said on a Dallas sports talk show.

The NFL’s non-response to this issue is hurting the marketability of their product. A significant percentage of the NFL’s customer base is offended by these player protests and may very well heed Trump’s call to boycott. A widespread boycott would result in a decline in revenue, impacting player salaries. It is not likely these protesting players have ‘connected the dots,’ but their actions could result in lower pay or no pay.

In our nation’s history, 1.2 million Americans have died in the defense of our country. They died for the right of these highly compensated NFL players to exercise their right to disrespect the flag, but they also died for the right of those to not buy their product.

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Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Monday, September 25, 2017

There is a RIGHT time & a WRONG time to protest!

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PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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